novelraw Chapter 27 Farewell
Chapter 27 Farewell
A few days later, at Fuji Cemetery in Shizuoka Prefecture.
"It's a good location. By the way, how did you convince your family that it's really okay to spend millions of yen on an outsider?"
Suzuki Shizue was kneeling in front of her daughter's tombstone, while Kamiya Gen and Kiha Yu stood at a distance. The former couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
This memorial garden is extremely expensive, after all, you can see Mount Fuji when you look up, and when spring comes, pink cherry blossoms should be everywhere.
If Kamiya Gen himself were a pure Japanese, he would consider whether or not to be buried here after his death.
However, there are no such plans at the moment.
If he achieves financial freedom, Gen Kamiya is prepared to resign.
Then I'd like to cycle around the world, and ideally die on the Aotai Line.
Muhe You was still reeling from the other person's 'betrayal of their partner' and was sulking. Upon hearing this, she glanced at Kamiya Gen and said defiantly:
"You didn't tell me about your plans the other day, so why should I tell you?"
"Uh...aren't you busy with work?"
"Going to work!" Muheyou said, stepping on his shoes and twisting her body.
"You knew perfectly well that I was at work specifically for this case, yet you sneaked off to devise a plan, pulled off a last-minute reversal, and single-handedly turned the tide in court. Do you think you're so cool?"
"Isn't he handsome?" Kamiya Gen teased, pulling his foot back.
"I felt absolutely nothing..."
Muheyou didn't even see the scene, so there's nothing wrong with what she said.
After saying this, she turned to look at Suzuki Shizue and whispered:
"You know, Ms. Suzuki must be very sad, right? How come she hasn't shed a single tear since leaving court a few days ago, and even now, at her daughter's funeral?"
"You ask me how I know...?"
Kamiya Gen actually knew.
With the murder of his daughter yet to be avenged, who could shed a tear, or rather, who would dare to shed a tear?
In Suzuki Shizue's eyes, the murderer who killed her daughter had already fled to some corner and started a new life.
She can still kneel calmly before the tombstone, but it won't be long before she travels all over Japan to find Takahashi Toru and tries to kill her enemy again.
After hesitating for a moment, Kamiya Gen spoke:
"I have something to say to her, could you please walk away a little?"
"???" Several question marks appeared on Muheyou's forehead.
Kamiya Gen reached out and pressed down on her hair, speaking as if coaxing a child before she could object:
"I already explained it to you beforehand, so you should at least respect your partner, right?"
After saying that, Kamiya Gen walked forward.
Muheyou didn't follow. She reached out and smoothed the hair on her forehead, then stood obediently in place.
……
"This location should be pretty good, right? Inspector Kihachi heard that you promised your daughter you would go see Mount Fuji, so you helped us choose this place."
Upon hearing Kamiya Gen's voice, Suzuki Shizue nodded:
"Thank you, Nao will definitely like it."
"But if she knew that her mother was still thinking about committing crimes after she died, she definitely wouldn't like it either," Kamiya Gen said.
Suzuki Shizue stiffened, then said bitterly:
"Officer Kamiya, what can I do? Am I just supposed to watch that man live on? I'm very grateful to you and Officer Kiha, but there are some things I have to do. If I can't find Takahashi today, then tomorrow; if I can't find him tomorrow, then the day after..."
Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a gritted teeth, her tone brimming with barely suppressed hatred.
Kamiya Gen sighed and pulled out a few photos from his pocket.
Avoiding Muheyou's gaze, he handed it over.
If possible, Kamiya Gen really didn't want to tell Takahashi about his situation at this time.
It wasn't that she was worried about Suzuki Shizue's ability to keep the secret, but rather that reporters would definitely contact her later, and she was afraid that someone with ulterior motives would notice something amiss, which would then put her in trouble.
But he simply couldn't stand seeing the other person in this state all the time.
Shizue Suzuki's gaze fell on the photograph, but she didn't react at first, as if she were looking at an object unrelated to herself.
Then she realized what was happening, slowly reached out her hand, and the cold paper made her flinch, but she immediately clenched it as if she had grasped a lifeline.
Her gaze swept over Takahashi Toru's face, over his twisted limbs, her lips moving silently as if she were saying something.
The wind grew stronger, making her hair dance wildly.
It sticks to your face like countless tiny needles.
"He's dead."
Kamiya Gen's voice was calm, devoid of emotion, "The day after your trial ended."
Shizue Suzuki's body began to tremble slightly, not from the cold, but from a certain emotion welling up in her chest that made her unable to control herself.
She gripped the photos so tightly that the edges were almost crushed by her fingertips.
"Detective Kamiya... what is this?" Her voice trembled.
"I did it."
Kamiya Gen spoke, his tone still calm and composed, "Don't worry, compared to your daughter, the pain he has endured is a hundred times, a thousand times, or even more."
He didn't say anything, but Suzuki Shizue could tell just from the photos.
For the sake of that phrase "a hundred times, a thousand times," Kamiya Gen must have done many things beyond the duties of a police officer—those dark, shady things.
"Then... Officer Kamiya, are you... alright?"
Kamiya Gen shook his head, revealing a peaceful smile:
"Don't worry, I've taken care of everything. All that's left are these few photos you have."
Takahashi Toru's body had long been dismembered and distributed to dozens of pigs at a farm near the house in southern Hatagaya.
Even if we were to leave aside this era of limited surveillance, and even a decade or more later, Kamiya Gen would not believe he would be caught.
—Just burn these few photos.
Thinking this, he handed over the lighter.
Suzuki Shizue accepted the gift with trembling hands, then turned her knees and kowtowed to him: "Officer Kamiya, thank you so much. On behalf of myself and my daughter..."
"If you want to thank me, don't do this. Nao is a lot like me when I was a child. I just did what I was supposed to do."
Kamiya Gen reached out and supported her, continuing,
"Besides, your commotion is too big and will definitely attract the attention of Inspector Muhe. She doesn't know I've done these things."
"Um……"
Shizue Suzuki nodded and glanced at the distant Mujigae.
He then turned around and set the photo on fire in front of his daughter's tombstone.
Japan does not have the custom of burning paper money at funeral gardens. Kamiya Gen turned to Kiha Yuzu and, ignoring her doubts, led her away.
"Let's go outside and wait for Ms. Suzuki," said Gen Kamiya.
Muheyou didn't understand the situation and subconsciously nodded and said "Oh."
But I still couldn't help but look back.
wisps of black smoke rose up, circled around the top of the tombstone, and then disappeared.
The wind picked up a bit more after the two left.
Suddenly, in the quiet cemetery, all the birds were startled and took flight.
The mother's long-suppressed wailing echoed throughout the area.