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Chapitre 5

Kiba wondered what had gone wrong. If he were thinner and slightly cuter, he would probably look completely different now—Kiba thought to himself. Unfortunately, Kiba's robust physique and imposing appearance had altered his true nature.

His hair was as coarse as wire, his cheeks were unusually prominent, and his square face complemented his strong body. Whether he wanted it or not, it certainly made Kiba grow into a man who matched his appearance. Although he had not lost his meticulous and methodical nature, those around him had never demanded such weak qualities from him.

In addition—the times were also at fault.

Kiba thought that the times had indeed had an impact. Most of the young people who had to spend their youth during the unfortunate wartime era shared the same misconception as Kiba. That is, for them, talking to a woman was like being under some kind of spell, instantly rendering them speechless—Kiba couldn't be 100% sure this was nonsense.

But all of the above are actually just excuses.

The problem still lies in the clumsiness of the lumberyard.

Seeing my friend's example, this is the only thought I can come up with.

For example, his comrade-in-arms, Tatsumi Sekiguchi, suffers from depression and social anxiety; he's an unassuming novelist. Yet even someone like him, with his depression and social anxiety, has had romantic relationships and even gotten married. Furthermore, the reclusive antiquarian bookstore owner, Akihiko Chuzenji, already had a wife when they first met.

How did these unremarkable friends, neither handsome nor wealthy, meet the women who could become their partners? And how did they get along? This is the kind of knowledge that Kiba lacks.

He doesn't know how to meet women or how to interact with them.

What exactly did they talk about with the women who later became their wives?

Kiba has a good sense of humor, and although it doesn't match his appearance, he's quite skilled at negotiation. Perhaps because of this, Kiba, who isn't popular with women, is quite popular among the women in the entertainment industry.

Detectives often have opportunities to interact with these types of women due to the nature of their profession. Kiba, naturally skilled at questioning, can glean all sorts of information from their less-than-happy lives. When interacting with them, Kiba sometimes speaks with sympathy, sometimes with a lecturing tone, and sometimes with an air of empathy, helping them solve their problems. Therefore, whether the women are bar hostesses or prostitutes, Kiba is very popular. And the smell of alcohol on their breath is a perfect match for the tough-guy Kiba.

But this is not quite the same as being in a relationship; it's just an extension of work.

Kiba wasn't made of stone; he certainly couldn't live like a saint. He had also had close relationships with women. Although his profession prevented him from being too promiscuous, several years ago he frequently frequented brothels. Incredibly, when the object of his affections was a prostitute, Kiba seemed to have a curse lifted and could handle it with ease, but when the object was an ordinary person, he became completely helpless. No, even with prostitutes, he couldn't act freely outside the establishment. For Kiba, this was nothing more than a virtual romance born from the labels of a bar hostess and a prostitute, and the title of a detective.

No, it's not just about romantic relationships, it's the same in everyday life.

Criminal, victim, policewoman, shop assistant, friend's wife, family member, other person—as long as he is still labeled with these kinds of tags, it's perfectly fine. The moment those tags are removed, Kiba turns to stone in front of women.

Kiba thought to himself that he was like a candy box that had no candy inside.

The box was sturdy, strong enough to withstand external stimuli. Its surface was densely printed with names and promotional slogans intended for the world to see. But once opened, it was empty. The box existed to hold things, and Kiba wondered what reason an empty box could possibly have.

Even with this awareness, Kiba still doesn't know how to live a fulfilling life.

Kiba believes he has not wasted his 35 years, but in the end, he has only been increasing the thickness of the cardboard boxes and adding new tops.

Thinking about it this way, my rough, square face looks even more like a box.

Women, fearing being spied on, are inherently curious about the secrets of others. For some reason, they seem unable to satisfy themselves with merely seeing the surface. Kiba struggles to answer questions about his inner self, making informal interactions with others extremely difficult and troublesome.

Perhaps, subconsciously, Kiba was avoiding this type of interaction.

But things might change if a third party could forcefully arrange for the two to meet—Kiba thought. In fact, several of his colleagues had married suitable partners this way, and although they constantly complained, they lived relatively happy lives. Unfortunately, none of Kiba's family or relatives were actively trying to find a spouse for their son, who was past marriageable age, so Kiba had never participated in any matchmaking events.

However, it is unreasonable to resent one's parents and relatives because of this.

Thus, without realizing it, Kiba became a man who could only fall in love under the premise that it was absolutely impossible for them to meet or date.

—Twisted personality.

Yifa thought so too. No, Kiba didn't consider Shima to be unique or extraordinary; he believed anyone who got stuck in a rut would have their personality twisted to that extent. Besides, Kiba had never thought about these kinds of questions while chasing criminals around.

It's only on days and at times like these that I think about these things. Looking at the pale profile of the girl next door, I feel increasingly filthy. And the degree of my twisted ego gradually increases.

Kiba's encounter with that actress—his unrequited love—of course takes place in a movie.

Kiba often goes to the movies.

The film industry has appeared vibrant and energetic in the past two or three years.

At the outset of the Korean War, many individuals who had been expelled from the film industry due to the anti-communist movement (Note: In 1950, General MacArthur, Supreme Commander of the United Nations High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, ordered a series of actions to expel communists and their supporters from various companies, government agencies, and other workplaces in Allied-occupied Japan, resulting in the unemployment of over 10,000 people) began independently establishing film production companies and making movies around the end of last year. This resulted in a significant boost to the industry as a whole, with major companies producing new films, which unexpectedly performed well at the box office.

Last year, Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon" won some international award, and at the same time, domestically produced full-color films were released. With the lifting of import restrictions on foreign films, masterpieces were screened one after another. Even small cinemas that previously only showed reruns, though of varying quality, now regularly screened new films. Cinema has evolved from a simple way to pass the time to the king of mass entertainment.

Many friends are surprised that Kiba enjoys watching foreign films, assuming he's a staunch believer in traditional Chinese culture. Perhaps it's Kiba's boxy face that leads to this misconception. But that's not the case at all. This spring, Kiba watched *Les Enfants du Paradis* (a classic 1945 French film directed by Marcel Carnet, meaning "Children of the Top Floor") twice, and he's also looking forward to Gary Cooper's (1901-1961, a famous American actor who won two Academy Awards, known for films like *The Sniper*, *For Whom the Bell Tolls*, and *Noon*) new Western, which will be released in September. In short, whether it's a foreign film or a domestic one, as long as it's interesting, he's fine with it.

But Kiba's favorite genre is still the stale, unchanging period films that preach good and punish evil (i.e., period movies; hereinafter referred to as "period films").

Kiba loved period dramas, a love that had lasted since childhood. Of course, like many boys his age, Kiba also admired strong and great soldiers and generals. But more than these, characters like Raiya, the toad-riding thief (a reference to the Chinese Edo-period novel *Raiya the Hero*, published 1839-1868, whose adventures revolve around Raiya riding a giant toad and using magical abilities to fight against the demon thief Orochimaru) and the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi (1584?-1645, a strategist and swordsman of the early Edo period) resonated with him more. Perhaps it was the straightforward and simple rules of works that promoted good and punished evil, or perhaps the absurd plots allowed him to forget the worries of reality.

In the tangled and unpleasant real world, period dramas boldly proclaim a simple structure of good and evil. Even as an adult, Kiba still finds solace in them, which is why he watches period dramas more often after becoming a policeman.

Kiba first met that girl in a movie, a third-rate period action film called "The Constable Girl, The Iron-Faced Group's Bloodstained Chronicles".

Since it's called a sequel, it naturally has its own main story. There was indeed a movie called *The Constable Girl*, which Kiba had seen. The story tells of a princess from a feudal domain (note: during the Edo period, feudal domains were headed by daimyo, and the chief retainer was a minister under the daimyo who managed political affairs). She was entrusted to the care of a constable in Hatchobori (note: a district in Edo Castle where the Edo Town Magistrate's Office was located, where constables resided). However, the constable was later caught up in a coup plot and murdered. Despite being a woman, the princess rose up to fight her enemy, but the enemy turned out to be her own father. In short, this film is a tearjerker tragedy. Kiba, who has always enjoyed moving tragedies, was curious about how a completed story could continue, so he went to see the sequel. But it was practically nothing; aside from the basic premise of a young girl punishing a villain, it was a completely unrelated story.

Moreover, even the lead actress has been replaced. A completely new face has appeared on screen.

Later, I heard that the original lead actress had become too famous and threw a tantrum, refusing to act in this kind of third-rate film, so they had no choice but to temporarily cast a newcomer. In that case, the original lead actress of "The Constable Girl" has indeed been frequently seen making appearances in various places recently.

However, this bold decision brought unexpectedly good results. While the newcomers were cute, their acting was terrible, their lines were delivered flatly and emotionlessly, and the plot was absurdly childish. Although the film itself was a bad movie, the girl holding the fishing rope and shouting...

The scene where the line "You bad guy, surrender!" is particularly eye-catching, and this scene has become very popular.

For some reason, this scene was truly memorable. Kiba even thought at the time that perhaps the close-up shot reminded him of someone he knew. He thought she looked a bit like Mrs. Chuzenji, but looking back, she wasn't that similar. The actress had a mole on the lower right side of her lip, which made her look exceptionally sexy.

This is how Kiba met actress Minami Kinuko.

No, it should be said to be the beginning of a love affair that could be discussed freely even though it was impossible to meet or date.

Minami Kinuko became famous overnight because of this film.

Later, Kinuko continued to star in several entertainment films, which Kiba watched.

They even shamelessly bought stills from the show.

It's still tucked away in the police handbook.

Perhaps it suited the audience's tastes, but Kinuko's popularity soared. Soon, she rose to become a leading actress in art-house films. When Natsume Soseki's *Sanshiro* was decided to be adapted into a film, Kinuko successfully landed the role of Satomi Miyako. The production company, distribution company, and director were all top-notch.

Minami Kinuko became a big star.

Just as her popularity reached its peak, Minami Kinuko suddenly announced her retirement from acting. This happened right after the premiere of *Sanshiro*—last summer. Kiba wasn't exactly sad, nor was he happy or heartbroken; his feelings were very complex. A year later, Kiba unexpectedly saw her name again. In a worthless magazine he'd bought as information about the incident, there was a report about Minami Kinuko.

—The missing female celebrity indulges in lust every night.

Unlike the sensational headline, the content wasn't particularly obscene. It simply stated that the truth behind Minami Kinuko's sudden retirement from acting was that she eloped with her former follower, and that she was now living in seclusion with him near Musashino. Of course, the veracity of this report is still questionable, but judging solely from the content, her residence seems to be Kiba's current home—Koganei-cho.

Hearing that the person he admired had a boyfriend, a normal person would probably feel disappointed, but Kiba's heart leaped with joy. Since it was originally a hopeless love, the thought of that person being so close and within reach made him involuntarily happy, and even a little serious. What a twisted personality.

I had thought about that briefly back then.

That's why Kiba likes Koganei.

The police handbook tucked in his pocket still contained a photo of Minami Kinuko; a man well past thirty should feel ashamed of this. He wondered what the young patrol officer driving ahead would think if he knew—he'd probably scoff. And what if the fourteen-year-old girl sitting beside him, head bowed, found out? How could he explain himself? Thinking of this, the embarrassed Kiba could only remain silent.

And so, the interior of the car remained dominated by silence.

Kiba glanced at Raiko, then pretended to be oblivious as he recalled Kinu's photo.

Minami Kinuko——

Silk?

So that's how it is, she's like silk.

I've never seen it anywhere before.

Teak Kanako and Minami Kinuko are essentially made from the same mold.

Just as they discovered this fact, the car arrived at the hospital.

It was just as sweltering outside the car, but the croaking of frogs had ceased. Kiba superimposed his twisted longing for Kinuko with Kanako's pitiful state.

A chill ran down my spine.

I wonder if Jia Cai Zi is still alive.

This hospital wasn't a private clinic, but it wasn't a large hospital either. Although it was too dark to see the whole exterior, Kiba was certain that the hospital's facilities couldn't provide the most comprehensive and urgent treatment for a seriously injured patient.

The dimly lit nightlight emitted a faint, unreliable glow, like that of a dying firefly. The indistinct words "Emergency Exit/Exit" came into view.

Kiba moved forward without hesitation, with Raiko close behind. She was silent and unresponsive, only a slight vibration in the air; perhaps she was still trembling. Kiba felt as if the police handbook tucked inside his back pocket—no, to put it bluntly, the photo of Kinu tucked inside—was being exposed to the girl behind him. He instinctively moved to the right, letting Raiko go first.

Raiko walked silently past the wood yard with a solemn, almost prayerful expression. Behind her, Fukumoto remained unchanged, standing motionless with a dog-like face.

Kiba tossed his head, gesturing for Fukumoto to go first. Fukumoto pointed at his own nose, his eyes wide. Perhaps he had only intended to drop them off and then return immediately. But seeing Kiba's stern expression, as if he suddenly understood everything, the timid young patrolman silently and quickly walked past Kiba.

The two had already walked ahead, but Kiba still couldn't shake off the guilt on his backside.

Turning around, I saw the shimmering moonlight.

What I sensed was the moon's gaze.

The corridor was deserted. Except for the emergency lights, it was pitch black. Around the corner, I saw light coming from what appeared to be a nurses' break room, perhaps the night shift room. After knocking, I opened the door to find a thin, middle-aged nurse drinking tea.

"Are you a family member?"

"No, they're police."

Kiba didn't produce the manual. Instead, he pointed to Fukumoto, who nodded in acknowledgment. The nurse didn't even look at Fukumoto, her gaze sweeping towards Raiko as she said:

"And who is this? The patient's sister?"

"No, we're friends."

After hearing Kiba's words, the nurse showed a hint of surprise and affection.

Led by the nurse, the three went upstairs to what appeared to be a waiting area at the back.

There were five eight-seater chairs lined up side by side in the room. There was a large door on the right; the nurse pointed there and said:

"The patient is undergoing surgery, please wait here. I will bring the family members here if they come."

"How is it now? I'm asking,"

They called out to the nurse who was about to leave.

"Should I call it an illness—or is there any hope?"

"Patients who can't be saved won't undergo surgery, but..."

The nurse slowly turned her head to one side.

"In short, we can only provide emergency treatment for now; that's all the equipment we have here. If we don't transfer her to a major hospital quickly—she probably won't survive until dawn."

Kiba thought, "If we can only hold on until dawn, there's no hope of recovery."

"Besides, I only saw the patient briefly when he first arrived, so I don't know the details. In addition to fractures of the femur and upper wrist, there are complex fractures of the spine and pelvis. And—it seems the clavicle and ribs are also broken. So the lungs may be damaged. There is severe abdominal bleeding, perhaps internal organ rupture—well, we can't know which organ is damaged without surgery—fortunately, the head is intact. Oh dear, I'm so sorry I said these things with the patient's friend present. Anyway, the doctors are doing their best to save him, so don't worry."

After hearing these words, it would be a miracle if he wasn't worried. Even someone with little medical knowledge would be uneasy after hearing what she just said. Fortunately, Lai Zi was still in a daze and seemed unable to properly understand the nurse's words. No, he probably didn't hear a word she said at all, just standing there dumbfounded.

"In short, we've done everything we can. We're currently looking into which hospital to transfer to. If the family comes, please convey this message to them. The doctor should come and give us a more accurate explanation after the surgery."