The ticking of the clock on the wall felt unbearably loud as Hana and I sat in Sasaki’s office, waiting for him to finish with Harada.

My hand throbbed, a dull ache where my fist had connected with Harada’s smug face, but the pain wasn’t the worst part.

It was the guilt gnawing at me, the realization that I’d let him get to me.

I stole a glance at Hana.

She was quiet, her usual calm exterior now clouded with an unreadable expression.

Her hands were clasped tightly on her lap, her eyes staring ahead but unfocused.

I knew the mention of Kento had shaken her too.

Before I could say anything, the door swung open, and Sasaki stepped in, closing it behind him with a sigh.

His face was unreadable as he walked around his desk, sat down, and looked at us.

For a long moment, the silence hung heavy in the room, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on all of us.

Sasaki leaned forward, rubbing his temples before speaking.

“Well, that was quite the show, Keisuke”

He said, his voice tired but stern.

“You realize what you did in there could’ve blown this whole case, right?”

I tensed, feeling the weight of his words, but he didn’t sound angry, just disappointed.

“I know”

I muttered.

“I lost control. I shouldn’t have—”

“You shouldn’t have”

Sasaki interrupted, his voice sharper now.

“But I get it. Harada’s a real piece of trash, and I don’t blame you for reacting the way you did. But you can’t let him or anyone else get under your skin like that. We’re here to do a job, not settle scores.”

Hana finally spoke, her voice soft but firm.

“Keisuke knows that. We both do. But what Harada said… it wasn’t just a dig. He knew. He knew about Kento, about Nagasuki Mitsuo.”

Sasaki’s expression darkened at the mention of that name.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he looked between us.

“That’s the part that bothers me"

He said quietly.

“Harada didn’t give us much, but he knows more than he’s letting on. He’s connected to Nagasuki, no doubt about that.”

I felt my stomach knot at the sound of the name again—Nagasuki Mitsuo.

The man responsible for Kento’s death.

The name had haunted me for months, the last piece of the Shima-Kai.

And now, the man who had taken my partner from me was within reach.

But Sasaki wasn’t finished.

“I pressed him after you two left”

Sasaki continued, his tone growing more serious.

“But Harada’s playing games. He gave us nothing concrete. Claimed he was just following orders, said Nagasuki’s people are pulling the strings, but he wouldn’t say where they are or what they’re planning.”

He sighed, leaning forward again, his hands resting on the desk.

“He’s a pawn in this, no doubt, but a dangerous one. And Nagasuki’s the real target. He’s been quiet for a while, but if Harada’s involved, it means he’s moving again.”

I could feel my pulse quicken.

Stolen story; please report.

The pieces were starting to come together, but every new piece just made the picture more dangerous.

“So”

Hana said, her voice steady but with an edge to it.

“What’s our next move?”

Sasaki’s eyes met hers, and for a moment, he seemed to weigh his options.

Then, with a firm nod, he spoke.

“Our priority is finding Nagasuki. Harada’s small fry compared to him. We’ll keep him under surveillance, but the bigger fish is out there. From what I’ve gathered, Nagasuki’s setting something up. He’s been quiet for too long, and when guys like him go quiet, it’s never a good sign.”

Sasaki paused, his gaze shifting to me.

“Keisuke”

He said, his voice softening slightly.

“I know this case is personal for you. Kento was… well, he was family to all of us. But you need to stay focused. We can’t afford any mistakes, not with someone like Nagasuki in the mix.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“I understand. I won’t let it happen again.”

Sasaki studied me for a moment before continuing.

“Good. Because we’re going after him, and it’s going to take everything we’ve got. Nagasuki’s not the kind of guy who leaves trails easily. He’s slippery, smart, and dangerous. But if Harada’s connected, then we’ve got a thread to pull.”

I leaned forward, the fire in my chest reigniting.

“What’s the plan? How do we find him?”

Sasaki tapped his fingers on the desk thoughtfully.

“First, we keep the pressure on Harada. He’s not talking now, but we’ll keep working him. Eventually, he’ll slip up, or his people will. Meanwhile, we dig into everything we know about Nagasuki—contacts, old associates, safehouses. He’s got to be hiding somewhere.”

Hana nodded.

“We need to cast a wide net. His crew’s been quiet, but they’ve got to resurface sooner or later. We’ll track down anyone who’s worked with him in the past, see if they’ve heard anything. And if Harada knows something, we’ll squeeze it out of him eventually.”

Sasaki glanced at her, a look of approval in his eyes.

“Exactly. We’ll hit the streets, lean on our informants, and see what we can shake loose. But be careful. If Nagasuki gets wind that we’re onto him, he’ll go even deeper underground.”

I could feel the weight of the task ahead, but there was no turning back now.

This was the break I’d been waiting for, the chance to finally face the man who’d taken Kento from us.

But I had to stay calm, stay focused.

I couldn’t let emotion cloud my judgment.

“Alright”

Sasaki said, standing up.

“You two get some rest. I’ll update you if anything new comes up. We’ll regroup tomorrow and go over our next steps.”

As we stood to leave, Sasaki called out after me.

“Keisuke”

He said, his tone softer now.

“I know this is hard. But remember, we’re all in this together. Kento wouldn’t want you to lose yourself over this.”

I turned back, meeting his gaze.

“I know. And I won’t.”

Hana and I left Sasaki’s office, the tension still hanging between us.

As we walked down the hall, she finally broke the silence.

“You okay?”

She asked, her voice quiet but full of concern.

I nodded, though the storm brewing inside me was far from settled.

"Yeah. I just… I wasn’t expecting it to hit like that.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, just walked beside me, her presence calming in a way I hadn’t realized I needed.

Then, she spoke again.

“We’ll get him, Keisuke. Nagasuki won’t get away with this.”

Her words were firm, and though she didn’t say it directly, I knew she was speaking for both of us.

This wasn’t just my fight—it was hers too.

“I know”

I replied, my voice steady now.

“We’ll find him.”

But as we made our way toward the exit, I was stopped by an officer who leaned in and whispered.

“Chief Matsuda wants to see you.”

I paused, feeling a cold sensation run down my spine.

Yuuto Matsuda, the head of the station, wasn’t a man who gave out compliments—or even casual conversations.

If he wanted to see me, it wasn’t for small talk.

“I’ll see you tomorrow”

Hana said, reading the tension in my face.

She gave me a small nod before heading off.

I turned toward the chief’s office, my heartbeat quickening as I walked down the corridor.

Matsuda was known for his hardline stance, a guy who didn’t tolerate mistakes.

And right now, after everything that had happened, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

When I knocked and stepped inside, Matsuda was sitting behind his desk, his piercing gaze already fixed on me.

He didn’t bother with pleasantries, just gestured for me to sit down.

“So”

He said, his voice low and steady.

“You’re Keisuke Mori.”

I nodded, feeling his eyes bore into me like a drill.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

“I remember you from before. You were that jobless, aimless man… that Kento was guarding right? Barely scraping by, wasting your time.”

The words stung, each one like a punch to the gut.

I felt my hands clench into fists on my lap, but I forced myself to stay calm.

Matsuda didn’t stop.

“I have to admit, I was shocked when Sasaki vouched for you. Almost disgusted, if I’m being honest. A guy like you, suddenly turning over a new leaf and putting on a badge? It didn’t sit right with me.”

He leaned forward now, his gaze unflinching.

“But here we are. You’re in this department now. And whether I like it or not, you’re one of my officers.”

I held my breath, unsure where this was going.

“Sasaki trusts you.”

Matsuda continued, his tone shifting slightly.

“And Sasaki doesn’t throw his trust around lightly. So, I’ll trust his judgment… for now. But let me be clear—this isn’t some redemption story. You’re still on thin ice, Mori. Prove me wrong. Do something worth the badge you’re wearing.”

The silence that followed was suffocating, but I nodded, my jaw tight.

“I won’t let you down, sir.”

Matsuda studied me for a moment longer, then gave a curt nod.

“Good. Dismissed.”

I left his office, my chest tight with a mixture of anger and determination.

I’d expected something like this, but hearing it said out loud brought everything back.

The doubts, the stigma of my past—it was all still there, hanging over me like a shadow.

But I’d prove him wrong.

I’d prove all of them wrong.

By the time I got home, it was well past midnight.

The small apartment felt colder than usual as I flicked on the light, the weight of the day settling into my bones.

I tossed my jacket onto the couch and headed into the kitchen, opening the fridge more out of habit than hunger.

The phone rang, and I glanced at it, recognizing the name flashing on the screen.

Aiko.