Chapter 118: Kyouji Toda, Do You Think You Know Me Well?
Toda Kyouji had been carefully observing Akikawa Kyousuke's reactions.
He noticed everything.
When Akikawa Kyousuke read the inspection report in his hands, his jewel-like blue eyes visibly trembled.
It wasn't just that.
Kyousuke's lips twitched slightly, and Toda Kyouji didn't miss the subtle movements of the muscles in his cheeks and jaw tightening for just a moment.
---
'It seems your composure is beginning to crack.'
The fleeting microexpression on Akikawa Kyousuke's face betrayed the inner turmoil he was trying to suppress.
In other words, Akikawa Kyousuke was once again attempting to mask his emotions.
---
'Quick, but not quick enough.'
'This might be enough to fool an ordinary criminal investigator, but you underestimate the violent criminals I've dealt with before.'
'Your microexpressions can't fool my eyes.'
Toda Kyouji thought to himself.
Judging by Akikawa Kyousuke's deliberate attempt to hide his shock, Toda concluded that Kyousuke must have revealed a flaw.
---
So, where was the flaw?
Although Toda Kyouji hadn't been personally involved in that case, his instincts as a seasoned investigator quickly led him to suspect the sleeping pills.
Among the inspection records he held, the most critical detail about the pills stood out.
That was—
---
Based on the concentration of triazolam in Akikawa Kyousuke's body, the doctor had determined that Kyousuke had ingested the pills after the car accident.
Coupled with Kyousuke's subsequent behavior of shifting suspicion onto a nonexistent motorcyclist, Toda quickly deduced his method.
---
Clap.
Toda Kyouji clapped his hands together and smiled at Akikawa Kyousuke, who stood before him.
"What I admire most about you is how you're always willing to take immense risks to conceal the truth—and you almost always pull it off flawlessly."
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"To appear as a victim in this case, you injured your own head during the car accident.
To make it seem like you weren't physically capable of committing murder, you broke your right hand.
But even that wasn't enough.
Because your mother's massive life insurance payout would inevitably make you a suspect, you distanced yourself from the money by taking sleeping pills.
You knew you'd be taken to the hospital after the accident and that the pills you swallowed after the crash would be discovered.
At that point, suspicion would fall on you for committing murder and then attempting suicide.
To cover your tracks, you deliberately discarded the pill bottle so the police and detectives couldn't trace the source of the sleeping pills.
This created the possibility that a third party had given them to you.
---
Just like in the last two cases, you buried the witnesses, the murder weapon, and the motive, thereby avoiding suspicion.
Detectives couldn't uncover the truth because they didn't know the real you.
But after understanding your impeccable character, your modus operandi became crystal clear!"
---
After hearing Toda Kyouji's reasoning, Akikawa Kyousuke slowly lowered his head.
His maroon bangs fell over his cheeks, hiding the slightly upturned corners of his mouth.
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' Akikawa Kyousuke. From now on, no matter what mask I wear, Toda Kyouji will believe this is my true face.'
'This time, I'll play "Akikawa Kyousuke" in the image you have of me.'
---
Toda Kyouji looked at Akikawa Kyousuke, who stood with his head bowed.
He knew he had won.
By exposing Akikawa Kyousuke's motives and methods, he had completely torn away the mask hiding Kyousuke's true nature.
---
In his heart, Toda Kyouji eagerly anticipated what would come next.
He was curious to see what Akikawa Kyousuke, stripped of his childish facade, truly looked like beneath the mask.
Then, Toda saw Akikawa Kyousuke slowly raise his head.
It felt like witnessing Sae Otani, played by Akikawa Kyousuke, making her grand debut on the Imperial Theater's stage.
---
In an instant, Akikawa Kyousuke's entire demeanor changed.
But this time, Akikawa Kyousuke did not exude the warmth and vitality that Otani Sae had before. Just looking at her had been enough to brighten anyone's mood, like basking in sunlight.
On the contrary, this new demeanor felt like a frigid wind cutting through the air, chilling to the bone with its cold and penetrating aura.
---
"Kyouji Toda, do you think you know me so well?"
The voice that came was completely different from the slightly clumsy and naïve tone used before.
This voice was icy and devoid of any emotional warmth.
---
"Yes, I know you better than anyone in the world."
Toda Kyouji crossed his arms, responding with an intrigued expression.
His dark eyes held a playful glint as they locked onto Akikawa Kyousuke's piercing blue gaze.
---
Toda Kyouji felt no fear.
Instead, he was exhilarated.
'This is it.'
'Only this form is worth destroying.'
'I've ripped away your mask.'
'Now I want to see that face lose all confidence, to see despair take over your expression.'
---
Toda Kyouji watched as Akikawa Kyousuke took a step closer to him. Yet, Kyousuke's feet didn't move. His strides were more a shift in presence than in physical motion.
Toda Kyouji wasn't worried about Kyousuke attacking him.
Quite the opposite.
He wished Kyousuke would lose his temper and attack.
Because if Kyousuke made the first move, Toda would have justification for "self-defense."
---
Toda Kyouji had absolute confidence in his abilities.
The stark difference in their physicality alone assured him that no matter how skilled Akikawa Kyousuke was, he couldn't prevail.
Yet, instead of attacking, Kyousuke's voice broke the silence.
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"Kyouji Toda, detective of the Criminal Investigation Division 3 of the First Investigative Section at the Metropolitan Police Department."
"You're around 40 years old, unmarried, and have no family."
"Is the reason you remain unmarried because you're worried your family would become a weakness for others to exploit?"
"Oh, I see I guessed correctly."
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"So you weren't part of the First Investigative Section originally. You joined Division 3 a few years ago. Where were you before? SAT (Special Assault Team)? MST (Mobile Search Team)? Organized Crime Countermeasures Bureau?"
"Oh, so it was the Organized Crime Countermeasures Bureau."
---
Hearing Akikawa Kyousuke's words, Toda Kyouji suddenly grew cautious.
For a moment, he even wondered if Kyousuke had investigated him beforehand.
However, as Kyousuke continued, Toda realized he was being analyzed on the spot.
---
It was merely a brief lapse in vigilance, but Kyousuke's next words caused Toda to tense up again.
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"Where did the scars around your eyes come from? Drug traffickers? Triads? Yakuza? Transnational criminal organizations?"
"Oh, a transnational criminal organization."
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(End of the Chapter)