Underneath the Red Trees

CHAPTER 86: CALM AFTER THE STORM

"We are here today at the trial of Mr Akira Soma for the murder of reclusive philanthropist Katsu Akano only three months ago. Authorities believe that Mr Soma murdered a Ms Ai Nakamura and a Mr Hachiro Sagawa on the same night. The victims have no known relation. It is believed that Mr Soma used two different murder weapons. The revolver used to kill Mr Sagawa was found, however, no murder weapon has been found for the other two victims. Police believe that Mr Soma used some sort of sword by the wounds on the bodies of Ms Nakamura and Mr Akano. Due to the lack of one of the murder weapons or motive the Public Prosecutor's Office predict that this will be a difficult trial.

"Mr Soma has also been charged with the double homicide of his parents Dr Toshio Soma and Mrs Mi Soma. The couple went missing over ten years ago and so did Mr Soma. He was thought to be dead. However, the police were able to make a break in the cold case when Mr Soma was caught while threatening the young man who witnessed his murder of Mr Akano with the same revolver used to kill Mr Sagawa. The witness has chosen to remain anonymous and has yet to agree to testify against Mr Soma."

Behind the reporter, the courthouse doors opened. Akira Soma was forced out, held by two police officers. He grinned at the camera. An eerie, malicious grin.

"We have just received the news that Mr Akira Soma has pleaded guilty to five counts of murder in the first degree and one count of attempted murder as well as illegal possession of firearms. He has been sentenced to death by hanging and is now being escorted to the detention facility in Tokyo to await his execution on death row."

Touma put the TV off. There was a nasty feeling in his stomach. Three months had passed. The trial hadn't been long. Today was the first hearing. Touma hadn't even had to testify, Akira immediately pleaded guilty. He had not wanted to testify. He and Satoru were responsible for two of those murders.

Akira's smile stayed in Touma's mind. And it would forever be ingrained there. The memories were not something Touma could ever forget, but he felt that eventually it would get easier. Slowly, but surely it would get simpler, until it was effortless. Akira was never coming back for him.

And now, after so many years and two lifetimes and an almost never-ending struggle, he was free of the accursed Akano name.

Touma's phone rang. "Hello?" he answered.

"Hello. Am I speaking to a Mr Touma Kirigaya?"

"Yes."

"My name is Shigeru Arita. I am Mr Katsu Akano's attorney." Touma's gut twisted. What did he want? "Would you mind coming to my office? I have urgent business with you."

Touma shuddered. He said, "All right. Can I get an address?"

"Yes. Of course. It's..." Touma wrote down the address on a piece of paper. "I will set an appointment for tomorrow at noon. Is that all right with you?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Are you sure about this?" Hayate was beside him.

Touma nodded. "I am. I need some sort of closure."

The office floor was small. There were stacks of documents on three desks in the front room. Shigeru Arita was a short, round man. He welcomed them into his office, which was in the back room. It was less cluttered.

Touma and Hayate sat down in front of Mr Arita's desk.

He smiled at them. "Now, Mr Kirigaya. As Mr Akano's attorney, I am also the executer of his will."

"My... er... Mr Akano had a will?"

"He did." Mr Arita opened a folder. "Actually, Mr Akano never considered setting up a will until a couple of months ago. I have been urging him to do so since I became his attorney as Mr Akano possessed an enormous sum of assets. I don't know how he acquired it all. And I had always assumed he had no family."

"Why did he decide to set up a will?" Hayate asked.

Mr Arita shook his head. "He never told me why. He did tell me that he was leaving everything to someone he considered very dear to him. That's you, Mr Kirigaya."

Touma's eyes widened. "Me?"

Mr Arita smiled. "Yes. Oh!" he exclaimed. "Your inheritance does come with a condition, I'm afraid."

"Which is?"

Mr Arita took out an envelope that laid at the top of the folder. "He wished for you to read this." He handed the envelope to Touma. "Only then can you inherit his vast fortune."

Touma took the envelope with a shaky hand. "Right now? Here?"

"Mr Akano insisted that I witness you reading it."

Touma shuddered as he opened the envelope. He recognised Katsu's eloquent handwriting:

My beloved son, Yuuki,

I do not know how I might have died. However, I am aware that my death is inevitable. I have done many terrible things in my life. I am aware that my death is not undeserving. I have committed many atrocities. And at times I was not the best father to you.

I witnessed your death. Losing you was too much. I had already lost your mother years before. I do not know if you knew, but the day you ran away, I found Airi in the cedar forest. It broke me, mostly because I knew it was on me. I should have been less lenient with Daisaku. And I should have accepted, far sooner, that he was just like my father, Hideyoshi.

Losing you was not something that I could welcome. So yes, I did force you into a cycle of reincarnation. I am ashamed. However, I will never regret what I did. A chance to reconcile with you is all I ask for.

I do not doubt that you desperately wish to reawaken your Tenko. As I am writing this letter I realise you might have already done so, but in case you have not, this is how:

You need the blood of Pandora's Box, of Dashi. And you will need the help of any other King. I believe Hayate Igarashi can help you with that, simple enough. The Spirit Beast will know the rest. After you have performed the ritual, you need only call to her. Eventually she will awaken. Trust in yourself, she will come to you. She chose you for a reason.

In my life there were many terrible days, but only two great days. The day I met your mother was the first of them. And the day I met you was the second.

Everything I did was for you and Airi. I loved you both dearly, far more than I was ever able to love your brothers, though I have been loath to admit that.

You are, and always will be, my favourite son. I love you dearly, as only a parent is able to.

Your Father, Katsu.

Touma's knuckles turned white as he clutched the paper. His eyes glistened with tears.

He wished he could tell his father he knew. He knew Katsu loved him. He wished he could tell Katsu he had been a good father to Yuuki. He had been the best he could be.

But he couldn't. It was too late for that. Katsu was gone for good. He would never be able to tell him anything again.

Nevertheless, for the first time since Katsu died, Touma found that he dearly, deeply, missed his father.