The shrill cry of the alarm tore him from a light sleep. Kaito fumbled for the bedside table, grabbed his phone, and silenced it with a single swipe. Just as he was about to set it down, the screen lit up with a notification: a message from Reiko.
Come at once. I have an important mission.
Kaito sat up without complaint, dressing with the mechanical routine of a man who had done it thousands of times: black shirt, dark trousers, jacket. He pocketed his keys and stepped out.
Agency – Morning
Reiko was already waiting by the door, arms folded, an expression that mixed urgency with gravity.
'Follow me to the office.'
Kaito stepped in behind her. The room was as it always was: half-drawn blinds, desk lamp casting a muted glow, and the aroma of coffee barely masking the scent of old paper. Reiko sat, opened a drawer, and drew out a photograph along with a file.
'Look at this.' She handed it over.
Kaito took the photo: a woman with a kind face, a faint smile, and hair clumsily tied back.
'Her name was Ayaka,' Reiko said, resting her elbows on the desk. 'She lived with her son, Yūma, fifteen years old. No husband.'
'And now?' Kaito asked, still studying the picture.
'The boy's in an orphanage.' She paused, as if weighing her words. 'At the scene we found something… peculiar. A white letter with a kiss of blood.'
Kaito looked up.
'A kiss?'
'Bloodied lips. Hers. They cut them off… and the tongue as well.'
Kaito ran a hand through his hair. For an instant, Rina's face flashed before him, vivid, as if the day he'd found her had come back to life.
'The boy?' he asked, voice lower now.
'Since he arrived at the orphanage, he hasn't spoken a word. Severe trauma. The officers believe he saw something… but it's impossible to get anything out of him now.'
Kaito set the photo back on the desk.
'I'll go to the house. Then to the orphanage.'
Reiko handed him a set of keys and a slip of paper with a handwritten address.
Ayaka's House – Dusk
The neighbourhood felt heavy, with neighbours murmuring in their doorways, some lowering their gaze as he passed. Kaito climbed the stairs, unlocked the door, and a faint shiver ran down his spine.
In the kitchen: dried bloodstains on the walls, shattered glass across the floor. Each step crunched over tiny fragments. He went through the rooms without finding anything noteworthy… until he reached the boy's. On the floor, a dark, dried pool.
He fought back… and wounded him, Kaito thought. That's why he didn't kill him.
The light outside was fading. He left, locked the door, and drove to the orphanage.
Higashiyama Orphanage
The secretary greeted him from behind a small reception desk.
'Yes?'
Kaito produced his badge.
'Detective. I need to speak with Yūma.'
'Since he arrived, he hasn't said a word,' she replied in a lowered voice. 'But… if you insist…'
She led him to a small room with a simple bed and a narrow window. On the edge of the bed sat Yūma, his gaze fixed on some invisible point.
'Leave us alone,' Kaito said.
Once the door shut, Kaito sat beside him.
'Can you speak?'
Silence.
'I need to know what happened… or if he said anything. I'll find whoever did this, but I need your help.'
The boy didn't react. Kaito sighed.
'If you can't speak because of the trauma, that's fine. But I promise you, I won't rest until I find him.'
Suddenly, the child broke down in tears.
'Why… why did it have to be my mum?'
Kaito let him lean on his shoulder.
'I know how you feel. And I promise you… he'll pay for it.'
As Kaito rose to leave, Yūma stopped him.
'I've… got something.'
From the pocket of his hoodie, he pulled out a crumpled sheet. Kaito took it: columns of zeros and ones.
'What's this?'
'He gave it to me… the man.'
Kaito pocketed it.
'Thank you. I promise I'll find him.'
In the Car – Nightfall
Driving home, Kaito lit a cigarette, letting the smoke fill the cabin. His eyes flicked to the paper on the passenger seat.
'Binary…' he murmured.
He recalled an old case, years ago, when this sort of code had tormented him for weeks. Only one man had been able to crack it: Satoru.
He dialled his number.
'Satoru, it's Kaito.'
'Well… it's been a while since you've called. Another impossible favour?'
'I've got a sheet with binary code. I need you to decipher it. It's urgent.'
'It's always urgent with you… how urgent are we talking?'
'Urgent enough to mean catching a killer before he strikes again.'
Satoru was silent for a moment.
'Fine… bring it over. And if you can, bring coffee.'
Kaito allowed himself a faint smile.
'The usual. I'm on my way.'
Satoru's House – An Hour Later
'You haven't changed a bit,' Satoru said, letting him in. 'Still smelling of tobacco and trouble.'
'And you still talk too much.'
'Insult me and I won't decode a thing,' Satoru quipped, leading him to the desk.
Kaito handed him the sheet.
'This was in the hands of the victim's son. The killer gave it to him.'
'Straight to the point…' Satoru studied the lines. 'Yes, binary. Easy to recognise, not so easy to interpret.'
'Can you do it quickly?'
'Of course… if you stop breathing down my neck.'
Kaito huffed and went to sit on the sofa, switching on the television. Kazuma appeared on the news, being escorted to the courthouse. He changed the channel: a fictional anime about spies and thieves.
'You still watch this stuff?' Satoru called from the desk.
'Clears my head. Though it reminds me a bit too much of my real life.'
'You should be charging royalties then.' The sound of rapid typing filled the room. 'This code… it's odd. Not pure binary — there are breaks, as if it's meant to throw someone off.'
'Can you handle it, or should I find someone better?'
'Shut up and let the genius work.'
Fifteen minutes later, Satoru spoke again.
'Done.' He handed over the deciphered sheet.
Kaito read it: Friday 17 – 22:00 – [postcode].
He checked the time: 21:30. The place was twenty minutes away.
'Damn… it's tonight.'
He sprang to his feet.
'Thanks, Satoru.'
'If you come back alive, next time you're buying me a proper dinner.'
'Done,' Kaito said, rushing out.
Crime Scene – 22:00
The door stood open, handle broken. Inside, a woman lay motionless on the floor. Beside her, a hooded man was placing a note and a letter bearing a bloodstained kiss.
'Stop!' Kaito shouted, drawing his gun.
The man turned, met his gaze, and bolted through the window. Kaito gave chase, but within seconds the figure had vanished into the dark.
He pulled out his phone.
'Reiko… call the police. Now.'
He didn't go back inside. Instead, he got into his car and drove home. He placed the letter on the table. Another code. But this time, he decided to wait until morning before going back to see Satoru.