[Date: 19th July
Time: 4: 00 pm
Location: a small house within the woods]

The house loomed in darkness, as if the night itself had draped it in a heavy shroud. Even the last streaks of sunset couldn't pierce the shadow over the doorway—it faced the deep stretch of the night sky, swallowed by a blackness so thick it seemed to eat the light around it.

Inside, the silence was suffocating. Not peaceful, but the kind that made the air feel too still—too expectant.

A lone figure stepped forward, her movements careful, hesitant, each step echoing on the wooden floor. She stopped beside a motionless shape sprawled on the boards. Her breath caught in her throat. Kneeling, she reached out with trembling fingers, the pounding of her heart loud enough to drown out reason.

"Miyasi... come on. You can't be dead. You can't!" Her voice cracked, breaking into a scream. "What the heck!" The words tore from her chest, sharp with panic and anger, and ricocheted off the bare walls.

Then—
A voice. Not Miyasi's. Not anyone she recognized.

She went still. Her head snapped up, eyes darting to the edges of the dim room, searching for movement. The uniform she wore—a crisp white shirt, a red checkered skirt, and a red blazer—suddenly felt too tight across her shoulders. Her pulse thundered in her ears.

"I don't think she's dead either," the voice said, calm and close enough to make the hair on her neck stand up.

Adrenaline surged through her. She shot to her feet in one swift motion, her grip tightening around the blade in her hand. "Who is it? Who's there?! Hanae! Leiko! Einosuke! Go check right now!" Her tone was sharp enough to cut.

The unseen speaker didn't flinch. "Who is Haruko? You?" The steps that followed were slow, deliberate—like they had all the time in the world.

Her fear tangled with rage. "Why do you care? Who the heck are you?! How did you get in here?! Show yourself!"

Somewhere in the gloom, Kavei let out a quiet sigh, almost tired. He knew the darkness still cloaked him completely. With a small flick of his wrist, a warm glow spread through the room, pushing the shadows back.

The light switch.

The girl blinked against the sudden light. Her gaze found him—and sharpened instantly, hard as tempered glass. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice steady now, though suspicion dripped from every word.

Kavei didn't look away. "Someone who just found out your little secret," he said, his tone as calm as if they were discussing the weather—though his eyes told her he already knew far more than she wanted him to.

The small wooden house groaned against the wind, its walls thin enough for the cold to seep straight through. The air inside smelled of mildew and dust, the floor soft in places where rot had eaten at the boards.

Kavei stood near the doorway, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the four figures huddled in the corner—Haruko, Hanae, Einosuke, and Leiko. The once-cocky sneers they wore at school had faded into tight, uneasy stares.

Henkai's phone lit up in his palm. Without looking away from them, he thumbed the call to Yukina.

"Ma'am," he said, his voice low but sharp, "we found her captors. The bullies. All four of them. Out here in the woods."

A pause. Her breath caught on the other end. "You're sure?"

"They practically led us here," Henkai replied, glancing at Kavei, who gave a small, knowing nod. "This is where they kept her. In a mansion before this, then here. She's been gone six days now."

Kavei shifted his weight, scanning the dim corners of the room. "Tell her about the code," he murmured.

Henkai pressed the phone tighter to his ear. "And ma'am... the messages Miyasi sent—'HA,' 'SOS,' 'HELP'—it was all about them. She was telling us without telling us. The intials of her classmates and their hometown."

On the other end, Yukina's silence stretched, broken only by the faint crackle of the line. When she spoke again, her voice was steadier, sharper. "I'll handle the rest. Just keep them there."

The call ended.

For a moment, the only sound was the wind rattling the loose straw in the walls. Outside, the forest loomed dark and endless, but inside, the air was thick with something heavier—justice closing in.

The night felt heavy when Kavei finally stepped away from the chaos. Reports were filed, statements recorded, and the harrowing pieces of Miyasi's ordeal had been laid bare for all to see. Still, exhaustion wasn't what pushed him forward now. Something else drove his steps—a quiet insistence that he needed to see her with his own eyes.

By the time he reached Saira's house, the sky had settled into a deep, bruised indigo. Police cars still lined the narrow street, their lights muted now, no longer flashing but casting the faint sheen of authority over the neighborhood. Inside, the air was warm, thick with the scent of tea and the undercurrent of tears.

Saira and Miyasi sat close together on the couch, their shoulders brushing, their eyes rimmed red. They looked fragile in a way that wasn't just physical—like glass that had been cracked but somehow still held together.

The moment Saira spotted him, her voice broke into a trembling sob.
"Thank you, thank you so, so much, Kavei! You're an amazing detective!"

He gave a soft laugh, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Haha... Miyasi-nee's the clever one here. She saved herself."

It was the cipher that had saved her. Decoding it was a hassle but it wasn't hard once the pattern was figured. English original letters for the existing numbers and then a mix of Kanji for the initial and the ending letters of the formed words.

Miyasi looked up at him, almost startled by the credit being pushed back onto her. Her voice was quiet but steady. "It wasn't all that. You still figured it out... I just typed whatever I could to throw them off. I guess they were too stupid to notice. Or maybe I was just lucky."

"Whatever it was," Kavei said gently, "it's over now. Let it go. Saira-nee cried her eyes out for you... and believe it or not, so did your parents."

That last part made Miyasi's breath catch. Her fingers tightened around the blanket in her lap, her voice barely a whisper. "My parents...?"

Kavei nodded, meeting her gaze with a softness she hadn't expected. "Yeah. You should talk to them. Clear the air." He stepped back, his hand already reaching for the door. "I'll head out now. Stay safe."

From the investigation so far, Kavei knew Miyasi had a sore relationship with her parents because she figured they didn't pay attention to her. But that wasn't true. Both parties assumed the other didn't like them, but neither decided to talk it out. A fragile relationship.

He had just turned when her voice called him back, quick and urgent.
"Kavei-kun!"

He stopped, glancing over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

Her lips curved into something faint but sure. "Thank you... Detective."

For a moment, the room seemed to still, the word lingering like a drop of ink in water, slowly unfurling in his mind. He didn't answer—just gave a small nod and let the quiet stretch.

But inside, something had shifted. Hearing her say it was like a weight and a challenge all at once. Detective. The title felt both earned and unfinished. And with it came an unshakable thought—if Miyasi could be taken for something so senseless, what about Aroshi? Was she somewhere, too, leaving clues that no one had yet seen?

A knot of determination formed in his chest.

'I'll find her,' he promised himself. 'Not just Aroshi. But Daichi too. And whoever else needs finding.'

His fingers curled into a fist as he stepped into the night, the air cold against his skin.

'I definitely will.'

[Location: Shinagawa
Time: 11:00 PM
Date: 19th July]

The air in the small room felt thick, as though the walls themselves had soaked up the weight of what had happened a night before. No one spoke at first. The faint ticking of the wall clock seemed louder than it should have, each second stretching longer than the last.

Kavei was the first to break the silence. "Miyasi-nee," he said, his tone steady but curious, "when did the bullying start?"

The question seemed to land heavier than he intended. Miyasi's eyes flickered to his, holding there for a moment as if gauging his sincerity. There was no pity in his face, no trace of the kind of hollow sympathy people sometimes wear when they think they're being kind. Just quiet attentiveness.

She gave a small nod toward the couch. "Sit," she murmured. Saira and Kavei moved closer, settling beside her. Miyasi took a breath that trembled just slightly before she began.

"After spring break," she said, voice soft but unshaken. "They didn't like that... even though I kept to myself, a very rich girl decided to befriend me." Her gaze shifted to Saira. "You're wealthy, beautiful, smart, and people listen to you. Haruko-san had her eye on you for a while, but everything shifted the moment you spoke to me."

Saira's lips parted, guilt rushing into her expression. "So... it was my fault?" she whispered.

Miyasi reached for her hands immediately, giving them a firm squeeze. "No, Saira-chan. This isn't on you. Maybe it was just... meant to happen. Maybe I was supposed to get bullied. Maybe I was supposed to be kidnapped. Because look at what came out of it—I found the love of my parents again... and the love of my best friend."

Her smile was faint but warm, the kind that carried both gratitude and acceptance. Saira's breath hitched, and she fell into Miyasi's arms, shoulders shaking as tears spilled freely.

While holding her friend, Miyasi lifted her gaze toward Kavei. He met her eyes, and there was something there—understanding, respect, maybe even a hint of kinship. She gave him a small nod before speaking again.

"And maybe," she added softly, "the police weren't meant to find me... so that a capable detective like Kavei-kun could." Her lips curved slightly. "In the end, we helped each other."

Kavei leaned back, staring at the ceiling as if trying to puzzle out the universe's strange sense of timing. "You're an awfully optimistic person," he murmured.

Silence returned, gentler this time. Saira wiped her cheeks, straightening in her seat but still leaning into Miyasi's side. Kavei seemed to retreat into his own head for a while, his gaze far away.

It was Miyasi who broke it again. "But I think it's brought you to a decision, Kavei-kun."

He gave a faint nod. "Right... it has."

Saira tilted her head. "What kind of decision?"

His eyes focused again, the softness in them now edged with determination. "I'm ready to find my friend."

There was a pause before Saira spoke. "Your friend?"

"Yes," Kavei said, his tone firm but gentle. "Remember how you once offered to listen to my story? When you said you could help me. Is that still open?"

Her smile was small but unwavering. "Of course."

The three of them were tucked away in Saira's bedroom, the late night light spilling through lace curtains and bathing the room in a rosy moon glow. Every corner held a trace of her personality—fluffy pillows piled high against the headboard, the faint scent of jasmine from a candle still warm, and framed photos of better, lighter days.

They sat cross-legged in a small circle on the bed, knees brushing now and then, a closeness born not just from space but from the weight of what was about to be said. Kavei's voice was steady at first, almost careful, but the story he carried had sharp edges, and each word seemed to scrape against his throat as it came out.

He told them about Aroshi—not just her name, but her laugh that could crack through the dullest day, her habit of leaning forward when she was excited, the way her eyes seemed to catch every flicker of light. Then, how one ordinary morning after a planned outing became anything but. She didn't show. No text. No call. Just absence—wide, cold, and growing heavier by the hour.

He spoke of the frantic trip to the police station, the stale air inside, the clack of a typewriter in the corner, the hollow assurances from officers who promised they'd "look into it." He painted a picture of Aroshi's parents too—faces lined with exhaustion, their voices trembling even when they spoke in whispers, holding onto hope like it was a fraying thread. And then came the day the case was closed, slammed shut without the courtesy of a conclusion, leaving every wound raw and unhealed. Claiming she was dead from a frail evidence.

But Kavei didn't stop there. He let the thread of his own life unravel—his strange, complicated upbringing, the Swalens who had taken him in and given him something resembling a family, Shiraka who had shaped his skill and discipline, and the shadowy path that eventually led him to work under Itsuhara. He mentioned Kai and the others, little glimpses of the tangled web of people in his orbit.

His words filled the room, not as confessions but as pieces of himself he hadn't shared so openly before. Saira sat quietly, her gaze steady, while Miyasi's hands rested lightly in her lap, fingers curling and uncurling as if to absorb every word. Neither rushed to speak, to smooth things over, or to offer the easy comfort of "it'll be okay." They just listened, letting the silence between sentences carry weight instead of awkwardness.

By the time his story reached its end, the air felt different—lighter in some places, heavier in others. Whatever had been bottled up in him now hung in the space between them, acknowledged and unhidden. And somewhere in that quiet, unspoken pact of understanding, a new determination sparked: they weren't going to let Aroshi's name fade into the dust of an abandoned case.

Saira sighed and leaned back on her bed, tossing a pillow at him. "Gosh... if this was a comic, you'd definitely be the main character, Kavei."

That earned a sudden laugh from him — not a polite chuckle, but the kind that bubbles up and refuses to stop. He doubled over slightly, one hand over his mouth, shoulders shaking.

"What the hell was that? Haha— oh man—" he gasped between bursts, eyes glinting with some private amusement.

The girls stared at him as if he'd just grown a second head. "W–why are you laughing so much?" Saira asked, her voice caught between concern and curiosity.

He waved it off, straightening and clearing his throat. "Nothing, nothing. Just— thanks for listening, you guys."

Miyasi's lips curved into a soft, reassuring smile. "It's no big deal. We're happy we could help in any way."

"Sure. I should start calling you guys 'Neechan,' huh? It's been good getting to know you. See you around," Kavei said, pushing himself off the bed and making for the door.

Saira lifted a hand in a small wave. "We'll be here if you ever need us."

He'd barely started down the spiral stairs — one foot on one step, the other already halfway to the next — when a sharp voice stopped him.
"Kavei-kun! Wait! Stop!"

He twisted back, eyebrows lifting. "Yeah? What's up?"

Miyasi stood at the top landing, both hands gripping the white railing, her expression sharper now — not angry, but focused. "I was thinking... since you've decided to dig deeper into your friend's case... can we help you?"

He stilled, caught off guard. "Help me?"

"This time," she pressed gently. "You want to do this right? We won't barge into your investigation if you don't want us to. But there are other things we can do — things that need piecing together. We can still be part of that."

The thought seemed to pull him inward for a moment, his gaze dropping to the steps. "Miyasi-nee," he began slowly, "some things are just meant to be left alone. But... as just some random kid, I can't do everything. I might be able to deduce facts and events, but there are things out of my reach. Information. Financial support. Medical help. There's a lot I can't get on my own."

Miyasi's eyes softened, but her resolve didn't falter. Before she could speak, footsteps sounded behind her. Saira appeared, leaning casually against the railing, but her tone carried weight.

"Then let's start somewhere and gather what's needed along the way," she said matter-of-factly. "If we just stand here talking about it, we're wasting time."

Kavei straightened fully, turning to face them both. His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge of respect in it. "Miyasi-neechan. Saira-neechan. I request your assistance." He dipped his head in a short, solemn bow.

Saira stepped off the last stair to stand beside him, her expression mirroring his seriousness. "And we accept," she said, her voice firm.

For a moment, the air between them felt charged — not heavy, but full of promise.

Next: Main Case Arc