Chapter 2 - The Case

Ex Takahashi, age 19.

He wakes up on the window seal of the hospital room his mother currently occupies. He checks the time on his phone which reads 5:47 a.m.

“Time for another long day at work.” Ex says to himself.

Ex stands from the window seal and fixes his suit jacket. He attempts to fix his messy, black hair, but nothing actually changes. Ex looks at his mother with exhausted eyes.

“You know the drill.” He says numbingly. “Don’t die while I’m gone.”

Ex grabs his satul and leaves the hospital room. After closing the door, he pauses for a brief moment. Then, he begins walking.

***

Ex walks through the halls of the police station, holding and looking through a file. The file he’s holding reads: Tokugawa, Kanai. Ex reaches his office and closes the door behind him. He goes to his desk and takes out scotch and a scotch glass. He then delicately puts the file on the desk and pours himself a small glass of scotch and sips it. Ex sits down at his desk criss cross in his chair and glances at the file again, switching around papers and reading them. Ex takes another sip of his scotch. While he’s drinking, someone walks into his office.

“What are you doing, Takahashi?” Chief Shusuke (Chief of Police) asks Ex.

Ex peeks over his glass with a blank expression. He puts his glass on the desk and stares at Shusuke in annoyance.

“Working on a case.” Ex responds.

“That’s not the case I told you to work on.” Shusuke replies.

“It’s the case I chose to work on.” Ex crosses his arms. “With all do respect, sir, you know that I’m the best investigator on the force. No one’s been able to reach the conclusion to this one so I thought that I might give it a try.”

“You realize that case happened three years ago, right?” Shusuke sighs in annoyance. “I’d rather have you working on something current.”

Shusuke puts files on Ex’s desk, pissing him off. He narrows his eyes at Shusuke.

“I’ve known you for a long time and I’ve worked with your father for a long time too, but that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.” Shusuke says. “I’m still your boss. Despite what may be going on in your personal life.”

“What’s going on in my personal life doesn’t affect what I do.” Ex shoots back. “I act purely based on what I want and what I feel is the best decision.”

“Yes, but that sometimes makes it to where you act like this.”

“Like what, sir?”

“Look, my point is, your abilities as an investigator is outstanding. You excel in every field. Even physical combat. What I’m saying is that your skills are better used somewhere else. What happened to this girl was sad, but enough time was wasted on it that we’ve already moved on from that case. It’s already marked as unsolved.”

“I know that I can solve this case.” Ex responds hard-headedly.

“How confident are you that you’ll be able to solve this case?”

“I’m willing to stake my career on it, sir.”

“Ha! I wouldn’t dream of firing you.” Shusuke sighs. “But just because I wouldn’t dream of doing so doesn’t mean that I won’t do it if need be. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ll allow you to work on this case with one exception.”

“Sir?”

“You have to do it alone.” Shusuke states. “I don’t want anyone else wasting time on this unsolved case.”

“Fine.” Ex takes another drink of scotch. “I work better alone anyway. Working with others only slows me down.”

“I know.” Shusuke crosses his arms. “Don’t get yourself in trouble with this one. I won’t be able to get you out of it. Go home at a decent time tonight.”

“Yes, sir.”

Shusuke picks up the files that he places on Ex’s desk and begins to walk out. Before he reaches the threshold, he pauses.

“And Ex?”

“Sir?”

“Tell your mother I hope she gets better soon.” Shusuke states sadly.

“Sure.”

Shusuke closes Ex’s door on the way out. As soon as the door closes, Ex scoffs and glances back down at the files scattered across his desk.

“What happened to you, Kanai?” Ex mutters to himself.

Ex being skimming through the files to see any ties or extra information. Just then, another police officer walks in, pissing Ex off.

“Are you special investigator Ex Takahashi?”

“Who wants to know?” Ex says rudely.

“Relax. I’m just being asked to survey the police station.” The officer responds. “I need to know how you’re doing in the workplace.”

“I’m doing just fine.” Ex replies. “Now if you don’t mind, I was in the middle of something.”

Ex points to the files on his desk.The police officer takes a moment and then realizes that Ex is not one to have a friendly conversation.

“Very well.” The officer backs off. “Have a nice day, sir.”

“Tch.” Ex clicks his tongue.

When the door closes, Ex pours himself another small glass of scotch and then drinks it. Ex stands up, puts his hands in his pocket and goes to the window seal. He contemplates as he stares off. Every day it’s the same goddamn thing. Ex contemplates. These criminals never learn. Ex looks over to the files on his desk. That’s where I come in. He sighs. I’ll have to wait until later to work on this case anyway. My mom’s medical papers are due.

Ex takes out a folder from his satul. He puts the folder on his desk and sits criss-cross in his chair. He sighs before sliding out a paper that reads “Do Not Resuscitate Order” in bolded letters on the front.

“I hope this is what you truly want.” Ex states to himself.

***

“I won’t fill it out for you.” Ex refuses.

“Please.” His mother begs. “I can’t pick up a pen to do it myself. You’re the only person I trust to do this.”

“Signing one of these is basically signing your death contract. You can forget it.” Ex brushes off.

“Please, Ex. You have no idea what it’s like.” His mother’s voice trails off. “The pain...the suffering-”

His mother goes into a small coughing fit, catching him off-guard. She recovers quickly, relieving him. Ex clicks his tongue.

“Save your energy.” Ex says rudely. “I’ll sign the goddamn paper sometime next week.”

His mother gives him a small smile.

“Thank you.”

***

Ex sits in his chair with a pen in his hand and the paper still blank. I could just tell her I signed the papers when I really didn’t. Ex thinks to himself. Or, I can do it tomorrow. But what if something happens today?

Ex tosses the pen down and rubs his head.

***

Ex finishes filling out papers for a case he just finished not too long ago.

“Hey, Ex. It’s lunchtime.” Shusuke states as he enters Ex’s office. “Finish up the paperwork when you get back. You’ve been working heavily since you got here.”

“It’s my job.” Ex replies.

“I know. Just take a considerable break please.” Shusuke sighs. “I need my top investigator to be healthy.”

“I am healthy.”

“Just…” Shusuke sighs again. “Do what I say.”

“Yes, sir.” Ex replies in annoyance.

The chief sighs before walking away from Ex’s office. Ex sighs before getting up. He puts the glass that he’s been using all day for scotch in his satul along with his other papers. He closes his office door as he exits and walks out of the police building.

***

Ex stands at the threshold of his very pure white and very, very clean house. He turns on the light and closes the door behind him. The sound of faint water drowns out Ex’s thoughts as he stands in the shower. Hot, steaming water runs down Ex’s muscular (but small) frame and wets his hair. He leans emotionally on the wall in front of him. He keeps his right hand on the wall and uses his left hand to slick back his wet hair. After the shower, he grabs a towel and wraps it around his waist. He goes to the mirror and wipes a clear patch to see his reflection in.

***

Thirteen year-old Ex lays on his bed. His mother pauses by the threshold of his room and smiles at him.

“I’m so proud of you.” She states.

“Why? I didn’t do anything.” He says stoically.

“There’s not a moment that goes by that I’m not proud of you.”

“Why are you saying this?” Ex asks. “You’re scaring me.”

“One day,” his mother starts. “I won’t be here for you and you’ll have to take care of yourself.”

“Why wouldn’t you be here?”

“Because, Ex, life happens.” His mother said sadly. “Some people die earlier than others. The way I see it, whatever happens, happens. I don’t really care if I die. However, I’m terrified of leaving you alone in this world to fend for yourself.”

“Why would you do that?” Ex says, confused. “You’re not dead yet.”

“Not yet…”

***

“You knew then, didn’t you.” Ex sighs. “And you didn’t tell me. All you’ve done is cause me more pain.” Ex clenches his fists.

Back at his work, Ex is doing some paperwork. It’s now after dark as Ex closes the paperwork on another case.

“Paperwork is a load of bullshit.” Ex mutters to himself.

Just then, Ex’s phone goes off and he checks it. It’s a reminder telling him that it’s 8:00 p.m. Ex gathers the files and puts them in his satul.

“Looks like I’ll be working on it tonight.” Ex mutters.

Ex puts some baked goods in his satul for his mother. Ex leaves the police department and follows the sidewalk outside. He passes a homeless person sitting down on the ground and staring at him helplessly. Ex trains his eyes forward. He hears the person’s stomach growling as he walks by. Ex thinks for a second and then turns back, clicking his tongue in annoyance. He gets the baked goods out of his bag and tosses it to the homeless man on the ground.

“Thank you so much! Bless you!” The homeless man states happily.

“Whatever.” Ex says stoically. “Don’t mention it.”

Ex continues on the path towards the hospital. Ex arrives at the hospital in her room and sees a nurse fixing up the wires and a new tube connected to her mouth.

“What happened?” Ex asked.

“What?” The nurse replied.

“Why does she have a tube in her mouth, idiot?”

“No need for cruel words.” The nurse states patiently. “Your mother fell into a coma when you were gone. We had to connect a tube to keep her alive and breathing.”

The nurse finishes up on her clipboard and begins to walk out.

“If you need anything, sir, feel free to call me in.” She says kindly.

Ex nods and closes the door behind the nurse. He then stands next to his mother and stares blankly at her.

“I hope you don’t mind that I work here.” He states stoically.

Ex takes out his files and scatters them on the exceptionally large window seal. He glances at his mother before getting to work. He sits criss-cross on the window seal in front of his files and begins looking through them. Ex begins thinking about the case.

A 17 years old female...died of multiple stab wounds to the stomach. She was found near the Togetsukyo Bridge. Ex thinks. The last person to see her is a girl named Kasumi Yamazaki. She’s the same age as the victim and seems to have also been there when Kanai was captured. Why would the killers go through so much effort to capture someone just to murder them? Ex pauses for a moment. There’s something bigger going on here and Kasumi is my ticket to finding out what. If I can get to her and talk to her, maybe I can get something out of her. Police reports say that Kasumi wouldn’t speak. Not only that, but she refused to speak under any circumstances. Outright talking to her wouldn’t be the best way for me to approach this. I have to gain her trust, but how?

Ex focuses on the beeping coming from the machine tracking his mother’s heartbeat. He glances at her and then back at the file.

“Hmm.” Ex places his index finger just past his lips, the tip barely in his mouth as he thinks.

There are many ways to gain others’ trust. Ex flips to a picture of Kasumi that was taken the day she was questioned. But to gain her trust won’t be an easy task. I can try something, but I don't necessarily like it. However, if it’s going to solve this case, I’d be more than willing to do so. Ex grins to himself as he thinks of a brilliant idea. I’ll pose as a student going to her school. I’ll pretend to be a kind student, then gain her trust through friendship and get her to tell me what happened that night. That seems to be the most possible solution. I’ll use an alias because she doesn’t know who I am or what I look like. This should be a piece of cake if I execute this right. Now all I have to do is present this idea to Shusuke. If things go well, I should be able to start next week.

Ex stands and leans on the window seal. He stares outside as he thinks of a way to present his idea to Shusuke. Then a flashback comes to mind.

***

13 year-old Ex is seen on his bed with papers scattered everywhere. Ex’s mother walks back and then stops by his threshold to lean on it.

“Honey, you really should get some sleep.” She states.

“But I have to finish this project.” Ex says stoically. “I’m almost finished. Besides, I can’t sleep anyway.”

“Please try and get some sleep tonight.” She replies. “If not for yourself, then for me.”

“Alright, mom.” He says, annoyed.

“Can you promise me you’ll try?”

“I promise.”

***

Ex scoffs. “Even when you’re in a coma, you’re still mocking me to get some sleep.” Ex smiles warmly and looks at his mother through the reflection in the window. “Very well. Even if it’s only for a few hours.”

He sits back down on the window seal just as he was before, except now he’s leaning back against the side of the window seal.

“I won’t let you die.” Ex says to himself. “Not before I get to take you to the beach like you’ve always wanted. I’ll jump in your head and pull you out of that coma myself if I have to.”

Ex’s voice trails off as he tries and gets some rest.

***

“Why are you trying to run my life?! You’ve done nothing but ruin it the first time we met!” A voice echoes in the distance.

“Wh-what? Who is this?” Ex tries to ask.

“Why would you do this?!”

“Do what?” Ex questions. “What the fuck?”

“We have to do what we can for the people we care about!”

“Huh?”

***

When Ex wakes up, he stares out of the window for a moment before looking at his mother in the reflection of the window. Without saying anything, he gets up and puts on his suit-jacket. He gives his mother a sad and exhausted look before sliding his satul over his shoulder. He goes to leave the hospital room. Before leaving, he glances over his shoulder at his mother. He sighs, closes his eyes and steps out of the hospital room. He takes out his phone and looks at the time. His phone read 5:39 a.m.

When he shows up for work, he sits criss-cross in his desk chair and takes out his scotch and scotch glass while also taking out and reviewing Kanai Tokugawa’s file.

“So I’m really going to go through with this?” Ex questions himself.

Ex sighs before gathering the file and leaving his office. He walks down to Chief Shusuke’s officer and closes the door behind him.

“Takahashi.” Chief Shusuke says, looking up from his paperwork. “What brings you into my office today?”

“I have a plan to get Kasumi to talk.” Ex replies.

“Have a seat.” Shusuke gestures towards the seat across from his.

Ex sits criss cross in the seat across from Shusuke’s.

“It’s an undercover plan.” Ex says stoically. “I believe Kanai’s death was more than just a small incident and Kasumi is my ticket to finding the truth.”

“I see,” Shusuke responds. “Go on.”

“My plan is to pose as a student attending Kasumi’s school.” Ex explains. “It will take time, but if I gain her trust and friendship, it should be a piece of cake.”

“And if something goes wrong?” Shusuke proposes.

“Chief, I’m not a plan B kind of guy.” Ex replies. “If something goes wrong, I’ll find another way.”

“I see.” Shusuke says. “You seem confident in this plan, Takahashi.”

“Tch.” Ex clicks his tongue.

“When are you going to execute this plan?”

“The plan will begin tomorrow.”

“How long do you think it’ll take?”

“If I do it correctly, it should only take a few months.”

“Why do you think that Kanai’s death was more than a small incident?”

“Here.” Ex hands Shusuke the file. Shusuke takes the papers out and scatters them across the desk. “The file says that he was captured first and then killed.” Ex states. “The way I see things, why would someone put so much effort into capturing someone just to kill them? And another thing, Kasumi was there too. She was defenseless against them. They could’ve easily taken her as well, but they didn’t. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing. These two small details could be the key to something possibly larger.”

“I understand.” Shusuke agrees. “You have my support. However, I stated before, anything involving this case you’ll have to do on your own.”

“I know.”

“And keep it at a low profile that you’re doing this.” Shusuke adds. “I don’t want word leaking out that the case has been opened again.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sorry to bring up personal matters, Ex, but how is your mother doing?” Shusuke asks sincerely.

Ex pauses for a second and then frowns.

“She went into a coma yesterday.” Ex says dryly.

“I’m sorry.”

“Tch. Why should you be? She’s not dead.” Ex defends.

“The Takahashi’s are a tough family.” Shusuke states wholeheartedly. “I’m sure she’ll pull through. I wish you luck on this case, Ex. In the off chance that you do manage to find something larger, it might result in a promotion.”

“I don’t need a promotion.” Ex says. “If I find something important, I’ll be sure to tell you.”

“Keep me posted on this case, Ex. I would like to see how it turns out.”

“Sure.”

Shusuke fixes the files and hands them back to Ex. Ex stands up with the files in his hand and leaves the Chief’s office to go back to his own office. When he gets there, he shuts the door and goes to his desk. He fixes himself a glass of scotch and then drinks it.

“Time to gather up a disguise.” Ex says to himself.

Ex gathers up his things in his satul and goes to his clean, small house. When he gets inside, he turns the light on. He sets his things on the island in his kitchen and gets the bottle of scotch he keeps hidden away in the cabinet. He gets a scotch glass from the cabinet next to the one he got the scotch from and pours himself a glass before drinking it. He takes out the “do not resuscitate order” papers from his satul and stares down at them, taking a few extra drinks of scotch. He leans on the counter, still looking down at the papers. He closes his eyes and clenches his fists.

“I can’t sign these for you…” Ex voice trails off. He opens his eyes. “Dammit. What a shithead. Forcing me to make a decision like this. Tch.”

He huffs and walks away from the papers.

***

He’s in a small room without a shirt on and with sweatpants on, doing sit-ups. After doing an ample amount of sit-ups, he wraps his hands in tape and walks over to the punching bag.

“Fine mother.” He says angrily to himself. “If you want me to sign those dumbass papers, I’ll do it!” Ex punches the bag as hard as he can. He then plants a kick on the side. He straightens his posture and sets the punching bag to where it’s not swaying anymore. “Do you even realize that I'll have no one left? After you die, I’ll have no one!” Ex punches even more and then kicks with all his might, making the chain of the punching bag snap and send it tumbling to the floor. Ex then looks to the wall and goes at it with full force. After punching a hole through the wall, he carefully unwraps his hands. “Looks like you’ve won.”

Ex goes back into his kitchen where the papers are. He signs them reluctantly. He pours him some more scotch and drinks it.

“Now think of a disguise for tomorrow.” Ex thinks out loud.

Ex goes to his room and opens his closet. He takes out a school uniform that he keeps on hand just in case of undercover missions like this one. He then goes to his nightstand next to his bed and opens the top drawer. He picks out a pair of glasses. Ex is looking in the mirror with the school uniform on and the glasses on with his hair slicked back.

“Looks like it’s your first day of school tomorrow...Aiko Keiko.” Ex says to himself.

Ex walks to the hospital with his satul slung over his shoulder. He’s wearing his usual plain black suit. He arrives at the hospital and reluctantly takes out the “do not resuscitate order” papers from his satul. He turns them in at the reception desk and then goes up to his mother’s hospital room. She’s still connected to a breathing tube. Ex sighs before closing the door and making his way to the window seal where he sleeps for the night. Again. When he wakes up at around 5:30ish, he goes back to his house to take a shower and gets ready in his school uniform. He is walking through the school hallway at lunchtime. Once he enters, he scans the room to find a matching face to the mental picture of Kasumi he has in his head. Then he finds her sitting alone at a table in the corner.

There she is. He thinks. Time to begin.

Ex sits at her table.

“Hey.” Ex says.

“What are you doing here?” Kasumi snaps.

Ex scans her carefully in a way that isn’t noticeable. Right off the bat, I can spot a bruise peeking out front under her shirt on her right shoulder. Possible abuse? Maybe she got in a fight.

“Well, I saw you sitting alone and thought I might join you.” Ex looks at her sincerely. “Is that ok?”

“That’s fine.” Kasumi mumbles.

“My name’s Aiko. What’s yours?” He asks.

“Kasumi.”

“That’s a pretty name.”

“I guess so. Who are you?” Kasumi asks.

“I’m a new student here and I haven’t made any friends yet, so I decided to try to talk to you first.” Ex replies.

Who are you really Kasumi Yamazaki?