Chapter 5: A Father's Vow

"Mr. Takashiro? Are you okay, Mr. Takashiro?" The man in white clothing leaned closer, his brow furrowed with worry, searching Kaito's eyes for signs of understanding.

Kaito blinked hard, trying to clear the fog in his mind. Just moments ago, the man's voice had sent shivers down his spine. Now, all he saw was a worried doctor, his eyes filled with concern, peering at him.

Delusions swirled in his mind. With the weight of what happened to him and his daughter hanging heavy, fear clung to him like a shadow, creeping into his thoughts uninvited.

Unable to form words, he just blinked. The doctor swiftly turned, calling a nurse. "Mr. Takashiro? Can you hear me? Is there any pain?" The urgency in his voice was clear.

As nurses gathered around him, their concerned faces jolted him back to reality. "My body hurts. But other than that, I think I'm fine," he managed to reply, his voice weaker than he hoped.

"Good to hear that," the doctor said, relief softening his features. "We've run several tests to ensure you're safe. We'll tell you the results later. If you need anything, we are here to help. For now, just rest," he instructed gently.

He gave a faint nod and sank back into the hospital bed, the sterile sheets cool against his skin. The reality of his beloved daughter being gone still felt unreal, like a nightmare he couldn't wake from.

With a firm squeeze of his eyes shut, determination surged within him. Justice for his daughter's death would be his mission. No matter what it took or who stood in his way, he vowed to avenge Mina.

Lost in these thoughts, the door swung open, and two police officers stepped in. "Good day, Mr. Takashiro. It's good to see you awake," one said, his tone respectful. "If you can cooperate, we're here to help. We'd like to gather information about the incident with you and Mina Takashiro. But if you're not ready, we understand. We'll keep watch over you for your safety," he added, his voice steady and polite.

He shook his head, refusing to accept anything beyond this moment. Tomorrow? Forever? Those words felt empty. All he craved was to avenge his daughter quickly. The thought of tracking down the group filled his mind, a dark suspicion that they were part of a large syndicate.

"I will cooperate fully with you. This is exactly what I want—justice for my only girl's death," he declared, his voice steady and firm. "I am ready to share my story and help in any way I can," he continued, determination shining in his eyes.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Takashiro. Our condolences, and we truly appreciate you talking with us." The officer signaled another colleague to join them, and the atmosphere shifted into that of a formal interview, questions waiting to be asked.

"What were you doing at that place, Mr. Takashiro?"

"My coworkers and I decided to go to a KTV bar. It was Friday night, and we hadn't had fun in a long time. At first, I hesitated, but I wanted to fit in with them. Knowing I might be home late, I called my daughter to say I was out with friends. She didn't reply or answer my calls. Of course, I got worried. I didn't know if she was home from the university yet. So, I left her a voice message," he recounted, pieces of the night flooding back.

The officers scribbled notes as he spoke. "If you were at the KTV bar and didn't know where Mina Takashiro was, how did you end up seeing your child?"

"I saw Mina by accident. I was seated beside the glass panel when I noticed her walking by on the street outside the KTV bar. Without thinking, I decided to pick her up so we could go home together," he explained, his heart racing at the memory.

The officers met his gaze, their eyes searching for more. "Aren't you curious why a college student like her would be in a place usually filled with working adults?"

His brows knitted together as he nodded slowly. "Oh, for sure! I thought about that, sir. I know my daughter well; she's an introvert and avoids unfamiliar places. So, I was shocked to see her there. That's why I followed her. My coworker Mori even asked where I was going. I told her I saw Mina."

"So you followed her? Why didn't you just go up to her?"

He understood the officers were only doing their jobs. He had to share all he could. "I didn't mean to follow my daughter. I trust her completely. I was just curious about why she was there. I wanted to run to her so we could go home. But then I was frozen in shock when a man walked up to her. They looked familiar, and he had his hand on her waist. Mina doesn't let strangers touch her."

"When you saw that man, why didn't you just walk over and ask Mina who he was?" the officer pressed again.

He thought back to that moment, his brow furrowing deeper. "My instincts pushed me to follow them. Something felt very wrong about that man. If I went to Mina right away, I wouldn't learn who he was in her life. I guess I was being judgmental too. That man's clothes were inappropriate. He looked possibly high on drugs. He just gave off bad vibes."

"If you felt that way, wouldn't it have been smarter to walk up to Mina Takashiro and stop whatever bad intentions that man might have?"

He felt a flash of annoyance. "I know you're just doing your job, and you're doing it well. But, respectfully, sir, I don't like the tone of your question. No matter how careful someone is, a person with bad intentions can still slip through. When I sensed something wrong with that man, I rushed to catch up with them. Everything happened so quickly; I could barely keep up. They turned down an alley, and as I struggled to follow, I overheard some bystanders talking. I could tell they were talking about that man and my daughter."

"We're just doing our job, Mr. Takashiro." His voice softened, sounding sincere. "What did you hear from the bystanders?"

"They talked about the guy with my daughter. I found out his name was Ryo. I learned he was always with a different woman each week, like he had a 'flavor of the week.' Last time, he was with a sexy woman, but now he's with an innocent college student, Mina. Right there, it's clear that man has a bad reputation. I got mad. I knew he was a trouble for my daughter,"

"What did you do then? What happened next?"

He recounted every detail of what happened. Nothing was left out. He didn't share too much or too little; he gave a full picture of the events.

"I suspect this is a big syndicate controlling that area. Our city is modern, so it's strange that there's no signal in that alley. They likely have tight control over the place," he said, voicing his concerns.

"We haven't received complaints like that. But I'll send someone now to check if it's true that there's no signal in that area. If we can prove what you said, it looks like we're dealing with a large organization," 

He faced the police, courage filling him. "I don't care how small or big they are. They must be held accountable for Mina's death. I'm sure my daughter isn't their only victim. I'm certain many people have died by that group's hands!"

"Please calm down, Mr. Takashiro. You can trust that we'll do everything we can to solve this case. For now, please rest. We will need your cooperation. Regarding Mina, her body is in the morgue and is being handled. The government will assist you with her funeral," they said, standing and tucking away their notes.

He felt a slight relief wash over him. But he knew he wouldn't find peace until he acted on Mina's death. "Thank you very much," 

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Takashiro. We'll do our best, and again, our condolences," 

As they exited through the door, he leaned back against the hospital pillow, feeling exhausted. Suddenly, the door opened again, and he was shocked to see the woman standing before him.

"Masumi? What are you doing here?"