Scene 1: A New Day
The alarm went off with a constant, piercing beep, shattering the calm of the morning.
Still half-asleep, Kaito reached out and silenced it. He lingered for a few seconds with his eyes closed, listening to the silence of his flat. At last, he sat up and walked to the kitchen.
He switched on the coffee maker, and as the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, he turned on the television to catch the morning news. The presenter was talking about road accidents and local politics, but Kaito barely paid attention.
His mind inevitably drifted to the night before. The thugs, the fight in the alley, the fact that one of them had escaped. And, above all, the phone he had managed to snatch from the last one before he fled.
"Things like that aren't left to chance… if they were carrying a mobile, perhaps it was used to receive instructions."
He took a sip of coffee, feeling the caffeine begin to clear his head, when his phone vibrated on the table. He glanced at the screen: Satoru.
'Yes?' Kaito answered, his voice deep.
'Kaito, you need to come right now,' Satoru said, serious, without even greeting him. 'I've been going through the phone you gave me last night.'
Kaito straightened. 'You found something?'
'Yes… and you're not going to like it. There are encrypted messages, but I managed to crack them. The next attack is tonight, at nine o'clock. Address: Gion Street, near the Higashiyama district. This isn't a coincidence.'
Kaito set the cup down on the table, his gaze hardening. 'I'm on my way.'
Scene 2: Preparations
Satoru's house was as it always was: papers everywhere, computers running, and several screens displaying lines of code and maps of Kyoto. Kaito walked in without much greeting, straight to the point.
'Show me what you've got.'
Satoru swivelled in his chair towards one of the screens. 'The phone you gave me had a simple unlock pattern, so getting in wasn't difficult. I found encrypted conversations with an unknown number. They used a basic substitution system—nothing I couldn't break.' He clicked, and the screen displayed a chat window. 'This is the last message received: "Target confirmed. Saturday, 21:00. Gion, Kyoto. Clean."'
'"Clean"?' Kaito repeated.
'Probably means there'll be no police presence… or that the area is already under their watch. Either way, it's a notice of execution.'
Kaito folded his arms. 'And if this message was on the phone, it means the thug who escaped… or his superiors… know that I have a lead.'
'Exactly,' Satoru replied. 'And if that killer with the bloodstained lips fetish is behind this, it's likely he's already anticipating that you'll go.'
Kaito's stare was cold. 'Which means tonight… could be a trap.'
'Or an opportunity,' Satoru added. 'But don't go alone.'
Kaito shook his head. 'You know I work better that way.'
Satoru sighed. 'At least keep your phone on and call me if something happens. Don't be an idiot.'
'I'll try,' said Kaito, though his tone promised nothing.
Scene 3: An Unexpected Encounter
He left Satoru's house and walked towards his car. The morning was clear, but Kaito couldn't shake the weight pressing on his chest—a warning of imminent danger. As he turned the corner, he came face-to-face with a familiar figure.
'Aiko?' he said, surprised.
She was dressed casually, headphones hanging around her neck, a small shopping bag in her hand. On seeing him, she gave a slight smile.
'Hello, Kaito. You look… tense. Something wrong?'
'Nothing you should worry about,' he replied, avoiding her eyes.
'You've been like this a lot lately,' she said, tilting her head slightly. 'Are you sure everything's all right?'
'Just a case. Complicated.'
Aiko studied him for a moment longer, then smiled softly. 'I've got the day off. Why don't we grab something to eat? You could do with switching off for a bit.'
Kaito opened his mouth to refuse, but the genuine expression on Aiko's face stopped him. He sighed. 'All right.'
Scene 4: An Honest Conversation
They ended up in a small ramen shop, warm and fragrant with the smell of broth. Sitting across from each other, Aiko watched him as he scanned the menu.
'You look tired,' she remarked.
'It's nothing,' Kaito repeated, though it sounded mechanical.
'Kaito, listen…' Aiko rested her elbows on the table. 'You're not the only one who wants to catch criminals. Everyone in the agency is here for that. You don't have to do it alone.'
Kaito looked up, surprised at her firm tone.
'I know you think that if you carry it all yourself, it'll turn out better… but it's only destroying you.'
He stayed silent. There was something in those words that struck deeper than he cared to admit.
'I'll think about it,' he said at last, without much conviction.
Aiko smiled, though her eyes showed she knew he wouldn't change overnight. 'That's all I wanted to hear… for now.'
The conversation shifted to lighter topics. They ate, talked about trivial things, and eventually parted ways in the street. Aiko wished him luck and told him not to get into trouble.
Scene 5: The Fateful Appointment
Back at his flat, Kaito sank onto the sofa. He thought about what Aiko had said, about the solitude he imposed on himself, and about how perhaps that attitude was pushing everyone away.
His thoughts were cut short by an alarm from his watch. He checked the time: 20:20.
'Damn,' he muttered, getting to his feet.
He grabbed his coat, made sure his gun was with him, and set off towards the address Satoru had given. He drove without stopping, parking a street away. Gion was lit by paper lanterns, a blend of traditional houses and discreet establishments.
At 20:55, Kaito stood before the indicated house. He rang the bell. Nothing. He waited, rang again. Silence.
'I don't like this…' he murmured.
After five minutes with no answer, he decided to act. He forced the lock and slipped inside, closing the door behind him. The interior was dark, save for the blue flicker of a television in the lounge.
There, seated on a sofa, was a woman. The glow from the screen cast unsettling shadows across her face. She neither moved nor spoke.
Kaito stayed in the doorway, his hand close to his weapon.
"Something's not right…", he thought.
'Ma'am… are you all right?' he asked cautiously.
The woman did not reply.
And just before he took another step, a faint creak on the floorboards behind him made Kaito turn, his heart pounding in his chest.