Matsuda Jotaro took the photograph and studied it intently for a long moment. Finally, he spoke. "He looks somewhat familiar. I might have seen him during a past tournament, but I certainly can't say I know him."
Hayashi Shuichi nodded thoughtfully and continued to flip through the remaining documents.
The witness was named Komura Shuji. It was his testimony that had placed Matsuda Jotaro at the scene of the crime.
Jotaro, sitting in the back, leaned forward to peer at the files in Shuichi's hands. When he saw the name, his eyes widened in surprise. "I know this Komura Shuji! He belongs to the same boxing gym as Kuroki Takeshi!"
"Are you certain?" Shuichi turned his head sharply.
"Yes!" Jotaro said firmly. "Kuroki and I have been rivals for years. I'm quite familiar with him and the people at his gym."
"In that case," Inspector Samezaki's eyes met Shuichi's in the rearview mirror, filled with sudden realization, "it's possible you were framed. They deliberately dragged you into this case so you wouldn't be able to compete in tonight's finals... ensuring the championship would go to Kuroki by default?"
Surprisingly, Jotaro shook his head. He took a deep breath, his expression resolute. "I don't think so. I know Kuroki—"
A faint, nostalgic smile touched his lips, and his gaze softened. "We've been fighting each other for over ten years. He's the type of man who would rather lose fair and square than ever resort to such underhanded tactics."
"People often have one face for the public and another for the shadows," Samezaki countered, shaking his head. "Even close friends can betray one another for profit, let alone a rival."
"You might have a point, but I still believe in Kuroki!" Jotaro remained steadfast in his conviction.
"In Komura Shuji's statement," Shuichi said, tapping his finger against a specific line in the file, "he only claims to have seen Matsuda-san in the park. He never mentioned any physical contact with the deceased. It could be that this truly is just a coincidence."
Metropolitan Police Department, First Investigation Division Office
Inspector Samezaki had already headed out with a team to track down the witness, Komura Shuji. He was clearly operating on the theory that Jotaro had been framed by his opponent's camp.
Officer Matsumoto had finished recording a fresh statement from Matsuda Jotaro. By the time he returned to the desk, Shuichi had finished his thorough review of the Bunkyo Precinct's files.
"Find anything? Any new leads?" Matsumoto asked, tossing his notebook onto the desk.
Shuichi pulled out a crime scene photograph and pointed to the victim's clothing. "Look at these stains on the body's clothes."
"These golden-yellow marks on the collar?" Matsumoto leaned in, squinting at the photo. "Probably just dirt. Isn't that normal for a crime scene?"
"According to the forensic report, these are machine oil stains," Shuichi analyzed. "They're concentrated on the collar, which suggests they were likely transferred there when the killer grabbed Takeda Yamato by the shirt."
"Couldn't he have gotten them on himself?" Matsumoto shrugged, playing devil's advocate.
"Takeda Yamato was a boxer," Shuichi countered, shaking his head. "His daily life and work wouldn't typically bring him into contact with heavy machine oil."
"Maybe he was fixing his car when it happened?" Matsumoto guessed.
"Look at the rest of his jacket," Shuichi pointed to the photo. "Aside from the collar, the rest of the garment is perfectly clean. If he were working on a car, it's highly unlikely he would only get grease on his collar and nowhere else."
"...That's a fair point," Matsumoto conceded, his interest piqued. He grabbed his coat from the back of his chair. "I'll go look into Takeda Yamato's social circle immediately. I'll focus on anyone who regularly handles machine oil."
"The killer managed to kill the victim with a single blow. He must be quite strong," Shuichi reminded him. "His profession is likely something physically demanding—perhaps an auto mechanic or something similar."
"Got it," Matsumoto promised, disappearing out the door with long strides.
The investigation report from the Bunkyo Precinct was ridiculously simplistic. Perhaps it was because of Komura Shuji's testimony; they had prematurely decided Jotaro was the killer and neglected to look into other avenues—such as the victim's personal relationships.
Seeing that the paper files had yielded all they could, Shuichi stood up to get some fresh air.
Nearly every officer in the First Division was a heavy smoker. The entire office was a thick, gray haze of nicotine that made his eyes sting. It was an occupational hazard; detective work was mentally draining, and many relied on cigarettes to stay sharp.
In his past life, Shuichi's work environment had been similar. However, in this life, he hadn't picked up the habit. While he could tolerate it mentally, his physical body found the atmosphere suffocating.
Just as he stepped into the hallway, he ran into Officer Megure, who was walking toward him at a brisk pace.
"Hayashi-kun! The Inspector asked me to find you," Megure said, huffing slightly as he wiped sweat from his brow. "Komura Shuji has been brought into the building."
"Take me to see him."
Shuichi expected the man to be in the lobby or a standard office, but to his surprise, Megure led him straight to the interrogation wing.
"Isn't he just a witness?" Shuichi asked, surprised. "Why is he here?"
"The Inspector suspects he might have committed perjury to frame Matsuda Jotaro," Megure explained. "He brought him here to put a little pressure on him. Sometimes a change of scenery helps the truth come out."
Megure led Shuichi into the observation room adjacent to the interrogation chamber.
The two rooms were separated by a one-way mirror. They could see everything happening inside the interrogation room, but those inside were left staring at their own reflections.
As soon as they entered, Shuichi heard Inspector Samezaki's voice boom through the speakers: "Speak up! Why exactly did you frame Matsuda Jotaro?"
"Was it to help Kuroki from your gym win? Or was it because you were the one who killed Takeda Yamato, and you're just looking for a scapegoat?"
Even through the speakers, Samezaki's roar was loud enough to make Shuichi's ears ring. It was far worse for Komura Shuji, who was bolted into the interrogation chair.
Having never faced such a terrifying situation, the man flinched violently. His face turned paper-white, and he blurted out instinctively: "H-how did you know I did it on purp—"
He cut himself off halfway through the sentence, realizing his mistake, and clamped his mouth shut. But it was far too late.
"Hmph," Samezaki sneered, leaning over the table to loom over Komura like a predator. "So you did deliberately frame Matsuda Jotaro!"
He slammed his hand onto the table with a deafening BANG.
"Do you have any idea that perjury is a criminal offense? You didn't just lie; you accused Matsuda Jotaro of murder!"
"I... I didn't say that!" Komura stammered, his voice trembling. "I only said I saw him in the park! I never said he killed anyone!"
"But the way you said it was intended to mislead the police," Samezaki said coldly. "You saw the match at the hall today, didn't you? Because of your lies, Matsuda Jotaro almost lost his chance to step into that ring!"
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