"Humanity is like a treasure; it cannot be possessed by all. You may have a heart, but it is worthless if it beats with the coldness of stone."
On the night of March 2, 1900, around 9–10 PM, Manabu was heading home after buying groceries, planning what to cook for dinner that night. As he walked through the dimly lit streets, his eyes caught a familiar jewelry store. A memory surfaced of Mion. She had once liked a pair of earrings displayed in the window, which were slightly expensive. He had thought about getting them for her but never had the chance. Neither Christmas nor her birthday had passed with him getting the earrings for her. Manabu sighed, pushing the thought aside. Maybe next time. If he could save some money from his newly acquired part-time job and borrow a little from his fixed deposit and savings, he might be able to buy them for her—a small, thoughtful gift. With that resolve, he continued on his way home.
Past that night, at 1 AM, Leon met Mion, accompanied by Kenzo. Under the dim glow of the streetlights, close to the school park where Naomi had been killed, they walked around while discussing. Mion listened to Leon carefully. Leon began his story, explaining how it all happened.
"My dad and I came back from Lafiaza last October. We had lived there for seven years, but after my mother passed away, my dad decided to move back to Feropia. I was admitted to Detens Scholars High School and college shortly after. My dad is a former investigator; he and Mr. Kenzo had graduated from the same university years ago and were good friends. My dad had developed a blood phobia from interacting with gory scenarios and couldn't stand it, so he quit and became a teacher instead. When we returned to Feropia, Kenzo and my father planned a small get-together, and we arrived in Christina Town for The Christmas Eve."
Leon's expression darkened. "On December 25, in the evening, we stopped near a shop to get some snacks and stuff. Kenzo was running late. My father was talking to him on a phone call while I stood by the car outside. That's when I saw Naomi and her father, Futaba, walking down the opposite footpath. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until I noticed an old man with a big beard in a brown jacket following them suspiciously; his face was covered by an onlytime mask. My instincts told me something was off and fishy. I just knew something was definitely wrong. I followed them without telling my father, just in case; I've always been like this. For five or six minutes, the old man kept following them, but nothing happened. Just when I thought about turning back, near the park, I saw it happen." His voice broke slightly. "The old man pulled out a sharp knife and stabbed Futaba in the chest several times. Naomi, who was next to him, screamed loudly and tried to escape, but she probably couldn't make it. I rushed to my dad as quickly as I could."
Mion's eyes widened in shock, her heart pounding. Leon continued, "Forgive me, Mion. I was there at the moment, but I couldn't save them. I ran back to my father as fast as I could. Fate was such a bitch; no one was there. Not a single bastard was there to save them. By the time I reached back, Kenzo had arrived, and I explained everything. We rushed to the park, but by then, the old man had disappeared. Futaba was already dead from the stab wound, blood pouring out. But Naomi was still alive; she was breathing. My dad called an ambulance immediately. Police horns and ambulances drew many people there. I stayed with her the whole time, thinking we could save her if we reached the hospital in time, but she didn't make it. Time of death: 8:12:30 PM. When the doctor said those numbers, I felt lost. Dead inside."
Tears welled up in Mion's eyes, but Leon leaned closer, wiped her tears, and tried to calm her.
"But how did you know it was Hojo?" she asked.
Leon told her he had actually seen his face that day. He informed Kenzo, and they reviewed the CCTV footage of the area, but unfortunately, "The camera couldn't capture his face clearly. He had hidden his face very precisely, probably memorizing the camera locations. It was well planned. The guy also left a Santa toy to make it seem like a serial killing case. We didn't give up, though. I wanted to bring justice to Naomi. I can never forget those numbers the doctor whispered; they still echo in my ears. I'll bring her justice, I thought. When I joined the school, I immediately recognized him—Hojo Tetsuya. I was certain it was him. I told my father and Kenzo, but since we had no solid evidence—the CCTV footage didn't capture his face clearly—we decided to stay silent. If Hojo had mistakenly sensed that we knew his truth, he might have escaped."
Leon looked at Mion, guilt evident in his eyes. "Forgive me, Mion. I kept this secret from you. I tried to tell you sooner, but you wouldn't talk. And I was afraid. I thought you would hate me for keeping this hidden from you for so long."
Mion slowly looked at him, eyes filled with tears. She grabbed his hand tightly and showed her gratitude. She thanked him for at least telling her the truth. But she still had one question. She hesitated but asked, "Why, Leon? Why did Hojo want to kill them?"
Leon looked at Kenzo, seeking permission. Kenzo sighed without speaking. Leon took it as approval. He turned to Mion and wiped her eyes with his thumb.
"Every action has its reasons, and every tragedy has its origin," Leon began, explaining from the beginning, when Hojo was just an ordinary man.
"Seven years ago, in Narurami, a district of Feropia, there was an encounter involving a notorious criminal named Mado Tetsuya, Hojo's only and beloved younger brother. Unlike Hojo, a respected man, Mado was a low-class criminal, always seeking shortcuts to earn money, begging for help from his brother, or doing illegal things for satisfaction, never trying to improve himself. Despite Hojo's efforts to steer him away, Mado got involved in a dangerous gang fight. Things took a turn when they killed a police officer in a brutal shootout. The entire police department was after them, and Mado's name was added to the most-wanted list along with his deal buddies. Desperate to save his brother, Hojo fled with him to Christina Town. Hojo had owned a few apartments where Mado sought shelter for months. But the police tracked him down. Mado had to run for his life on July 4. While escaping a police chase, he broke into Futaba's apartment and begged for shelter. But Futaba refused to let him in. The police surrounded the building. Just then, Naomi returned from her tuition. In desperation, Mado grabbed her as a hostage and threatened Futaba to let him in. But Futaba didn't like it, not one bit. And he did what any father would do."
Men are strange creatures. Men can run from a war to save their own lives. Men can shamelessly beg for their lives and can also give up their lives. But when it comes to their family and children, they can become the wildest predators; they can do anything to protect their family. And that's exactly what Futaba did. "He strangled Mado without a second thought and pushed him from the seventh floor. Without hesitation or remorse, he killed Mado Tetsuya on the spot."
Mion covered her mouth, trembling. She knew about the incident but hadn't known it was Hojo's brother.
"The newspapers printed the news everywhere. The incident broke Hojo completely; he stayed depressed for months in his brother's absence. But in the end, he decided to take revenge. At first, he killed Mado's friends because he thought they were the root reason Mado turned out like this. Then the officers working on the case."
Leon listed the victims' names. First, Joyce—29 years old, female officer, head of the case, who had shot Mado in the leg. She was killed a year later. Next, Ramemodo—aged 57, involved in the operation, was killed three years later, six months after his retirement. Kanao—aged 21, the officer who submitted the names of the criminals, including Mado's, to the wanted list, enabling the encounter. And finally, after seven years of patience, Hojo killed Futaba and his innocent daughter, our Naomi. "The reason Hojo waited so long was that he was afraid he might get caught. If he kept constantly killing people, the chances of being caught would have increased. He knew that, so he stayed silent and played cool."
Mion clenched her fists, anger boiling within her. "But Naomi wasn't at fault! And what Dad did was what any father would do to protect his daughter! What Hojo did is unjust!" Her voice cracked, tears rolling down her cheeks. "If Hojo loved his brother so much… why didn't he kill himself instead?"
Leon, comforting her, placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Humans find salvation in revenge rather than forgiveness. It's not about justice; it's about satisfaction. That's our nature, that's what we are. Even though it was his brother's fault, he needed someone to blame. And he chose an innocent child and her father."
Mion started crying, her body trembling with sorrow and rage. Leon wiped her tears gently. He tried to help her, but before he could say more, Kenzo grabbed Leon by the collar.
"Enough talking! It's almost 3 AM. Let's go home. And Mion, if you need anything, call me or the department. We're here for you 24/7."
Leon gave her a small smile and said, "Bye, Mion!" before leaving with Kenzo.
Mion stood there for a while. Everything she had learned brought her nothing but deep hatred, darkening her expression. As she slowly walked back home, she whispered under her breath, "If you loved your brother so much… why didn't you kill yourself? 'Humans find pleasure in revenge rather than forgiveness? It's our nature.' Maybe that's very true."
The next morning, Manabu arrived at school late, as usual. The period had already begun. Their first period was physics, so Daima let him in. Leon waved his hand with a smile. Mion was in class, but she was quiet. Leon noticed her long face. He approached her during the lunch period, along with Manabu. They asked if she was alright. She said she was fine, just a little headache. Leon smiled, advising her to rest properly, leaned close to her ear, and said, "Don't overthink; everything will be fine. I'm here for you."
Mion smiled a bit and nodded. Manabu smiled and went to the cafeteria. Everything seemed fine. However, the next day, Mion was absent. A flicker of concern crossed his mind. During the lunch break, Leon approached him with a casual air but a hint of concern in his voice. "Do you know where Mion is? She didn't come today."
Manabu didn't know. He thought she was unwell, since she had mentioned a headache yesterday—nothing serious, he thought. But he still felt like seeing her. As they spoke, Taiju and Mai walked over, their faces beaming with a certain glow.
"We're officially dating," Mai announced, and Leon's face lit up with a grin. He patted Taiju on the shoulder. "Finally! So, when's the wedding?"
Taiju blushed, scratching the back of his head. "Huh!? Wedding!?"
Manabu chuckled while Mai mentioned their plans for a date later that day. But then Taiju asked about Mion. None of them were sure. Maybe she was sick. Taiju suggested Manabu check on her after school. "You should go and check on her after school."
Manabu thought the same, but that day, he had to attend a club meeting. So, he tried calling Mion instead, but there was no answer.
Another day passed, and still no clue; he tried calling her but got no response. Concern gnawed at him, and he decided to visit her home. When he reached her apartment, the door was locked. She wasn't home either. Another day passed, then another. A week went by like this, and Mion's absence became a gaping void. Something was definitely wrong.
Monday morning, March 13, 1900—Manabu arrived at school, yawning and rubbing his eyes. As he walked in, he noticed a group of police officers standing outside the school gates. His brows furrowed. What's going on? His concern grew; he was worried about Mion. In the classroom, he dropped his bag and immediately went to Taiju's section to ask about the situation.
"Hey, do you know what's happening?"
Taiju shrugged. "No idea. They've been here since early morning. Looks serious."
Soon, the first period began. Mr. Daima entered the classroom, but he wasn't alone. A police officer followed him inside. Mr. Kenzo stood outside, peering in through the window with a grim expression. Manabu was shaking; he just hoped it wasn't related to Mion. His gaze shifted to Leon, who was sitting with his head buried under his arms, sweat trickling down his temple. He looked unusually stressed—an abnormal response. The police officer stepped forward and announced, "Your school's respected principal, Mr. Hojo Tetsuya, was killed last night. And the prime suspect is Sayuri Mion."