Hidden Secrets

Chapter 18

Yaten sat motionless in his dimly lit office, enveloped in a haze of cigarette smoke that made the air impenetrable. The only beam of light struggling through the sparsely closed blinds revealed an array of notes covering his workspace like a mosaic. His fingers slid over the cool sheets in the file in front of him, as if trying to finally grasp the missing puzzle pieces. Yet, the truth remained elusive.

In the past few days, he had tirelessly gathered information, but so far, they were just loose ends stubbornly refusing to form a coherent picture, pushing him to the brink of madness.

After Minako's funeral, Chiba hastily departed for America, and Yaten couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just a coincidence. A week later, Chiba returned to Tokyo, engaging in social obligations as if nothing had happened—everything seemed inconspicuous so far.

But what drove Chiba to fly across the ocean again shortly before Taiki's engagement celebration? Yaten felt that the facade was showing cracks. Rei, his sister, confirmed that Mamoru wouldn't return until after New Year's, and yet he appeared at the party. Something must have happened, something that abruptly cut short Chiba's stay.

Yaten's goal was clear; he had to know what had transpired in America. A deep sigh escaped him as he fixed his gaze on the world map on the wall, with New York marked by two red pins.

Sparks of hope ignited within him when he learned through a bug a few days ago that one of Chiba's men would return from America today. His men had a clear order to arrest this man. Zoisite, a close confidant of Chiba, should know something. Yaten was highly motivated to persuade him to reveal his knowledge, whatever the cost.

The drawer creaked softly as he opened it again and pulled out another file—this time, Minako's accident file. The sight of the pictures still sent a chilling shiver down his spine. Her completely burned-out car wrapped around a tree was one thing. Another depicted the crime scene, and the third showed the charred body beyond recognition. Carefully, he flipped the pages. His eyes now lingered on the autopsy report.

Case Number: X3546Z - 50/09/30 Date and Time of Autopsy: 09/30; 2:06 PM by Dr. S. Tomoe Victim Identification: Female, Caucasian, approximately 20 years old Height: 162 cm

Cause of Death: Severe injuries from a frontal collision (car accident) General Description of the Corpse: The body suffered severe injuries due to a car accident. The remains were nearly completely burned, making precise identification difficult.

DNA Analysis: DNA remnants were identified, indicating Minako Tsukino.

Dental Status: The assessment of dental status for precise identification was not possible due to facial and oral region damages caused by the accident.

Description of Injuries:

Face and Head: Severe skull injuries, including multiple fractures in the facial skull area. Fractures in eye sockets and nasal bone were identified.

Neck and Chest Area: Massive trauma in the neck and chest area from the seatbelt. Rib fractures on the right side with accompanying injuries to the lungs and heart. Bruises and abrasions in the chest area due to the belt impact.

Lower Extremities: Multiple fractures in both legs, especially in thigh and shin bones.

Internal Organs: Significant damage to internal organs from impact and heat exposure from the fire.

Skin and Soft Tissue Injuries: Almost complete burning of the skin on the entire body. Extensive soft tissue damage from heat and fire exposure. No fingerprints could be taken for identification.