He couldn’t sleep the whole night after his last conversation with Sota.

  You and your tongue, Takashi, he thought, fixing his tie in front of the mirror.

  I’ll give him a few days to calm down. Then I’ll look for him again.

  The thought made his expression soften, just for a moment.

  He left his apartment holding onto that belief.

  Everything is going to be fine.

  As he entered the office, Takashi spotted Kenta immediately. He was talking to one of his colleagues.

  Takashi took a deep breath and walked straight toward them. He greeted both of them politely, then turned serious as he looked at Kenta.

  “Do you have a moment?”

  he asked quietly. “I need your help with something.”

  Sensing the tension, the colleague nodded, excused himself, and walked away without asking questions.

  Kenta turned to Takashi, curiosity written all over his face.

  Takashi slipped an arm around Kenta’s and gently pulled him aside.

  “I have something to tell you,” he said under his breath.

  “What is it?”

  Kenta asked, now even more curious.

  Takashi exhaled sharply.

  “I think I screwed up badly last night.”

  Kenta stopped walking and turned fully toward him.

  “What did you do?”

  Takashi glanced around, then nodded toward the balcony.

  “Let’s go outside. I’ll tell you everything."

  “What were you thinking?”

  Kenta asked, disbelief sharp in his voice.

  “Going there in the first place?”

  They were both leaning against the metal railing on the balcony, cigarettes burning slowly between their fingers, the city stretching out beneath them.

  “I don’t know,”

  Takashi admitted after a moment. He exhaled smoke slowly.

  “I just… needed to see if he was okay. To know whether he was in danger.”

  Kenta turned his head slightly, studying him.

  Kenta let out a long stream of cigarette smoke through his nose and mouth, then turned and leaned back against the railing.

  “I don’t think you screwed up that badly,”

  he said after a moment.

  “But…”

  He glanced at Takashi.

  “I do think you’re getting more attached to him than you realize.”

  Takashi turned his head toward him.

  “I don’t know,”

  he admitted quietly.

  “Is that bad?”

  Kenta took another drag, slower this time.

  “It can be.”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  His tone was calm, almost detached.

  “If you start caring too much, you’ll hesitate and that’s how everything falls apart.”

  Kenta’s words were ruthless, but every part of them made perfect sense.

  And he was right about one thing.

  “You’re not like your father,”

  Kenta went on quietly.

  “And you must not become like him… not if you want to finish this.”

  Takashi finished his cigarette and tossed it into the trash.

  “I don’t know if I can stay detached anymore,”

  he said quietly, pulling another cigarette from his pocket.

  “It feels like I’m betraying my father’s love for him… using him like this.”

  Kenta threw his cigarette away sharply.

  “I don’t think you understand this at all, Takashi,”

  he said, his voice rising.

  “Sota knows exactly what he’s doing.”

  He turned to face him fully.

  “He’s using you as a tool...just like you’re using him.”

  Takashi stiffened.

  “I’m not saying you shouldn’t care,”

  Kenta continued, more controlled now but no less firm.

  “But you have to know the limit.”

  He pointed subtly between them.

  “You’re already standing with one foot inside this mess. And he warned you...once you start, there’s no way back.”

  Kenta’s gaze hardened.

  “He doesn’t want your sympathy,”

  he said quietly.

  “He wants you to finish the job.”

  Takashi tossed the half-smoked cigarette into the trash and leaned back against the fence, stretching his legs out in front of him.

  “Yes… everything you said makes perfect sense,”

  he said quietly.

  He crossed his legs and rested his hands on the fence.

  “But do you really think he’s not offended?”

  He turned his head toward Kenta.

  “That I didn’t mess this up?”

  “Maybe a little,”

  Kenta admitted, looking at him.

  “But I don’t think it’s enough to make him change his mind.”

  He paused, then added more carefully,

  “And… you could apologize. In your own way. I don’t know. You know him better than I do.”

  Takashi nodded slowly.

  “Yes… I think I should find him.”

  He hesitated.

  “But I don’t think he’ll be at the bar. Not after what happened last night.”

  He fell silent for a moment, his jaw tightening.

  “They beat him up pretty badly.”

  “So how do you plan to find him, then?” Kenta asked.

  Takashi stayed silent for a moment, thinking.

  “I’m sure Dr. Akiyama knows where he lives,” he said finally.

  He glanced at Kenta, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

  “Will you come with me after our shift?”

  He nudged him lightly with his shoulder.

  “I know you’re dying to see her.”

  “I told you...don’t tease me like that,”

  Kenta muttered, but he was smiling too.

  Then he sighed.

  “But… if you want me there, I’ll go with you.”

  He pushed himself to his feet and zipped up his jacket.

  “Now let’s get back to work,” he added.

  “It’s freezing out here.”

  It was almost seven o’clock when they entered the hospital, hoping they would still find Dr. Akiyama there.

  Takashi approached the reception desk, greeting the woman behind it.

  “Good evening.”

  Kenta stood just behind him.

  “Good evening, gentlemen,”

  the receptionist replied politely.

  “How can I help you?”

  Takashi stepped a little closer.

  “We’re Detective Mori and Detective Ishida. We’re looking for Dr. Akiyama. Is she still in the hospital?”

  The woman’s expression turned more serious.

  “She is. Please wait a moment, detectives. I’ll check if she’s in her office.”

  She hurried away.

  The moment she was out of earshot, Kenta leaned closer and whispered sharply,

  “Oh my God, Takashi. Why did you introduce us like that?”

  Takashi blinked.

  “Like what?”

  “She probably thinks we’re here to arrest her,” Kenta hissed.

  “Why would she think that?”

  Takashi frowned, genuinely confused.

  “We had to introduce ourselves. What’s wrong with that?”

  Kenta closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  “You really don’t know how to talk to people,”

  he muttered.

  Before Takashi could reply, the receptionist returned.

  “Dr. Akiyama is waiting for you,” she said politely.

  Her voice cut off Kenta’s lecture instantly.

  Takashi knocked on the office door.

  It opened almost immediately.

  Dr. Akiyama stood there, face to face with him.

  “Good evening, Mr. Mori,” she said, her eyes searching his.

  “Is everything all right?”

  Her tone carried urgency,

  she clearly wanted to know why they were there.

  “May we talk inside, Doctor?” Takashi asked quietly.

  “Of course. Come in.”

  She stepped aside and opened the door wider.

  “I’ll wait here,”

  Kenta added quickly.

  “Good evening, Dr. Akiyama.”

  “Good evening, Mr. Ishida,” she replied with a polite smile.

  The door closed behind them

  “Please, sit down, Mr. Mori,” she said, gesturing toward the chair.

  “Is everything all right?”

  Takashi pulled the chair back and sat, waiting for her to take her seat as well.

  “Dr. Akiyama…” he began, then paused.

  “Did you see Sota last night?”

  “No,” she answered immediately, her brows knitting together.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Nothing serious,” Takashi said quickly, lifting a hand in reassurance.

  “At least… not exactly.”

  He hesitated for a moment before continuing.

  “Last night, I saw him outside the bar. He got into a fight.”

  He exhaled slowly.

  “I stepped in before it got worse, but he didn’t want my help.”

  Dr. Akiyama’s expression tightened.

  “He didn’t come to see me,” she said quietly, relief and concern mixing in her voice.

  “That’s why I came here,” Takashi continued.

  “I wanted to ask you something.”

  He hesitated again, choosing his words carefully.

  “Do you know where he lives?”

  She looked at him sharply now.

  “I won’t pressure you,” Takashi added quickly.

  “If you think this would put him in danger, I’ll drop it immediately.”

  He lowered his gaze for a moment.

  “But I’d really like to check on him. Just to make sure he’s all right.”

  Dr. Akiyama remained silent for a long

  moment.

  “He lives here… in town,” she said finally.

  Takashi’s eyes widened.

  “In town?” he murmured, almost to himself.

  Dr. Akiyama reached for a piece of paper and quickly wrote something down. Then she stood and held it out to him.

  “Here,” she said softly. “This is his address.”

  Takashi took the paper and stood up immediately.

  “Thank you, Doctor. I’ll go see him right away.”

  He turned toward the door, already moving, but she followed him a step.

  “Tell him to call me,” she added.

  “I want to know if he’s all right.”

  Takashi nodded.

  “I will. I’ll make sure he does.”

  He opened the door.

  “Goodbye, Dr. Akiyama.”

  “Goodbye, Mr. Mori,” she replied, standing in the doorway.

  Then she glanced past him and smiled faintly.

  “It was nice to see you again, Mr. Ishida.”

  Kenta nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. His ears turned red.

  “Did you get the address?”

  he asked as they walked away.

  “Yes,” Takashi replied, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

  “He lives here, in town.”

  Kenta hesitated for a moment.

  “It was nice to see you, Mr. Ishida…” he repeated quietly.

  “What do you think she meant by that?”

  Takashi glanced at him, then grinned.

  “I think she was trying to tell you she likes you.”

  “No… I don’t think so,” Kenta muttered, lowering his head.

  “She never talks to me like that.”

  Takashi laughed softly.

  “Then you must’ve made a strong impression,” he teased.

  “You’re special, Mr. Ishida.”

  “And I just nodded,”

  Kenta said, clearly disappointed.

  “She probably thinks I’m stupid.”

  “I’m sure she does,” Takashi replied instantly, grinning.

  “Absolutely hopeless.”

  Before Kenta could protest, his phone started ringing inside his jacket, cutting off the moment.

  “Yeah?” Kenta answered.

  A pause.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “No, I didn’t see anything.”

  Another pause.

  “Okay… I’ll check it right now.”

  He lowered the phone slowly.

  “Is everything all right?” Takashi asked, watching his expression change as they stepped outside.

  “It was Ryo,” Kenta said, his jaw dropping.

  Takashi stiffened.

  “What did he say?”

  Kenta swallowed.

  “He said the plan worked.”

  He lifted his gaze, eyes wide.

  “It’s all over the news.”