As he was approaching the last stairway leading to the small corridor in front of his apartment, he noticed a figure leaning against the wall, sitting on the cold concrete floor.

  It was Kenta.

  He looked asleep.

  Takashi froze.

  Just as he was about to turn back the way he had come, Kenta suddenly stood up, his eyes wide open.

  “Where were you?!” he shouted.

  “Shhh…” Takashi tried to calm him down.

  “Don’t shush me!” Kenta yelled again.

  Takashi took a long step forward, grabbing his arm while searching for his keys in his pocket.

  “You’ll wake up the whole building.” he said quietly.

  His calm tone only made Kenta angrier.

  “Where were you?” Kenta snapped. “I called you a million times. I was worried sick.” His voice trembled. “Your neighbor said you went out. Why didn’t you answer my calls?”

  Takashi’s hand was trembling as he tried to unlock the door.

  Finally, the key slid into the lock.

  He held onto Kenta with one hand.

  “Come inside.” he whispered. “You’ll wake everyone.”

  “I don’t care.” Kenta snapped.

  “I’ve been sitting in front of your apartment since nine o’clock. I need an explanation.” His voice shook with anger and fear. “And don’t you dare lie to me. You’ve been acting strange since the night you were wounded.” He tried to pull Takashi’s arm away. “Tell me what’s going on!”

  “Come inside.” Takashi said again, tightening his grip.

  He pulled him into the apartment and closed the door behind them.

  “I’ll tell you everything.” he said. “Just…stop shouting.”

  His voice cracked.

  He had never seen Kenta this angry before.

  Kenta snapped back, pulling his arm from Takashi’s grip.

  “Tell me, what’s going on with you?” he shouted. “I was worried sick, and now you’re telling me to calm down?”

  Takashi swallowed.

  “I can’t tell you anything while you’re acting like this.” he said quietly. “And…I’m sorry for what you’re about to hear, but I had to do it. No matter what.”

  Kenta’s face drained of color.

  He stepped back, placing his hands on his hips, fear flashing in his eyes.

  They stood in the middle of the room, face to face, both breathing heavily.

  “What did you do?” Kenta demanded. “Tell me!”

  Takashi swallowed.

  “That night…when I was wounded” he finally began. “I lied to you when I said I didn’t remember who saved me.”

  He looked straight into Kenta’s eyes, waiting for his reaction.

  Kenta didn’t move.

  So he continued.

  “The man who saved me…was the same man I saw in that house that night.” His voice trembled slightly. “He’s a member of the organization.”

  Kenta’s eyes widened, but Takashi didn’t stop.

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  “When he saved me, I saw my father’s necklace around his neck. Yesterday, when I came to the office, I searched for him in the police records.” He clenched his fists. “And I found him.”

  Silence.

  “Tonight, I went to a bar in Shirogawa to look for him.”

  Takashi exhaled sharply.

  “Say whatever you want.” he said quietly. “Yell if you need to.” His voice cracked. “But I had to do this.”

  Takashi walked to the sofa and sat down heavily, as if all the strength had drained from his body.

  Kenta remained standing.

  Silent.

  “And why didn’t you tell me?” he finally asked. “Why did you lie?” His voice trembled with shock and disappointment. “After all these years…you still don’t trust me?”

  Takashi lifted his head slowly.

  “It’s not about trusting you, Kenta.” he said quietly. “It’s because I know you.” He looked straight at him. “Would you have let me do this if I had told you?”

  That caught Kenta off guard.

  “And…I was afraid he wouldn’t talk to me if I wasn’t alone.”

  Silence again.

  “So you found him?” Kenta asked finally, his voice calmer now.

  “Yes.” Takashi nodded. “He was close to my father, Kenta.” His voice softened. “He knew him.”

  “So…what happened to you?” Kenta asked. “You look like a walking corpse.” His tone was calmer now, but the worry on his face was impossible to hide.

  “Someone punched me in the stomach during the fight.”

  “The fight?”

  Kenta’s face flushed red with anger again.

  “What fight?” he snapped. “Is there anything else you’re hiding from me?” He pointed a finger at Takashi. “Takashi Mori, I swear to you, if you ever do something like this again-”

  He stopped himself, breathing hard.

  “You’re making me furious.” he continued. “What if something had happened to you? Do you ever think before acting?” He shook his head. “You’re stubborn as a mule.”

  Takashi let out a quiet laugh.

  “Are you laughing at me?” Kenta asked, still pointing at him.

  “I’ve never seen you this angry.” Takashi said softly. “But I knew you would understand.”

  He knew Kenta too well. The moment the lecturing began he knew he had lowered his guard.

  Kenta smiled too.

  “Don’t ever do something like this again.” he said. “I almost reported you as a missing person, you know.”

  He sat down beside Takashi on the sofa.

  “I need coffee.” Takashi said, standing up and heading toward the kitchen. “Do you want one too?”

  “Yes, please.” Kenta replied, leaning his head back against the sofa. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a train.”

  Takashi turned on the kettle.

  “So…” Kenta said after a moment. “What actually happened tonight?” He glanced toward the kitchen. “Did you talk to him? What did he say?”

  “Yes.” Takashi answered. “We talked for a long time.”

  He paused briefly.

  “He didn’t say much about himself. Or about my father. Only that he had been close to him.”

  Kenta waited.

  “And?” he asked.

  Takashi spoke casually, as if he were talking about something ordinary.

  “He agreed to help me.” “To give me inside information.”

  Kenta lifted his head from the sofa.

  “Just like that?” he asked. “And you trust him?” His voice tightened. “What if he’s lying? What if he’s trying to lure you in?” He shook his head. “Did you even think about that?”

  Takashi stayed silent for a moment.

  Then he walked to the table and brought the coffee over.

  “I don’t know why” he said quietly, “but I do trust him.”

  He placed the cup on the table in front of Kenta.

  “Here’s your coffee.”

  Then he sat down beside him.

  “There’s something in his eyes…”

  He stopped for a moment.

  “I can’t explain it…but I’m going to trust my instinct.”

  He took a sip of coffee and exhaled slowly, the warmth spreading through him.

  “You don’t have to do this alone.”

  Kenta leaned forward, taking the coffee from the table.

  “You know I’ve got your back.”

  “I know.” Takashi said quietly.

  “You’re the only person I can trust with this, Kenta. And I need to tell you something important…something I’ve suspected for a long time.”

  He set the coffee cup down on the table and turned his whole body toward him.

  “Sota confirmed my suspicions?” Kenta interrupted.

  “Sota?”

  “Yes. His name is Sota Hayami.” Takashi continued.

  “That night when we went to search the house…”

  He paused.

  “They already knew we were coming. That’s why we didn’t find anything.

  I’ve suspected for a long time that someone at our station has been leaking information.” Takashi said quietly.

  “That’s why no one can know about this. We need to be careful.”

  He looked at Kenta seriously.

  “I’ll meet Sota again once I’ve recovered. Then we’ll figure out what to do next.”

  “So…you’ve already decided to go through with this?”

  Kenta’s voice shifted from calm to serious.

  “Yes. I’m sure.” Takashi replied.

  “They’ve been playing with us for a long time. It’s time to take them down.”

  He clenched his jaw.

  “This isn’t just about my father anymore.

  Now I’m certain he was betrayed too.”

  He lifted his gaze, determination burning in his eyes.

  “I’m ready for this like never before.”

  “Then I’m with you.” Kenta said, his voice firm with determination.

  Takashi smiled.

  “I know you are.” he said softly. “Finish your coffee. You need to drive me to the hospital today, I have to get my wound checked.”

  He paused, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

  “Maybe you’ll meet Dr. Akiyama again. You said she was beautiful when you saw her at the hospital.” He shrugged lightly. “Even though she’s not exactly a fan of mine… maybe you’ll have better luck.”

  “Why are you saying that?” Kenta asked, surprised. “What happened with her? Last time she was very nice.”

  “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.” Takashi said with a faint smile.

  “Dr. Akiyama and Sota know each other.” Takashi said. “He brought me to her apartment tonight when my wound started bleeding after the punch.” He shook his head slightly. “I was just as surprised as you are.”

  He started walking toward the bathroom.

  “I’m going to take a shower.”

  He closed the door behind him, leaving Kenta standing there, completely stunned, still trying to process everything he had just heard.