Pray For The Broken Blue Shoelaces

Intro

"You have kept us waiting for three days and this is what we get!? That's IT! I'll sue you all! My nephew almost lost his wits because no one believed him! No one even gave a damn on what he endured! I swear, Mr. Officer, and I hope your child will endure the same humiliation my nephew has endured!"

Tension rose inside Inspector Kyuzo Shiranui's office. No one, not even him, tried to control the fumes emitted by a middle-aged spinster who broke into his office to sue everyone: the police, even the school where her nephew studies. For she couldn't believe how they made them hope for nothing after a certain investigation where here nephew got involved.

"Please, Madame," one officer tried to stop her from moving too violently, "calm down! We can't solve anything if you--"

"The point is that YOU DIDN'T SOLVE ANYTHING AT ALL!" the woman's voice choking up. "You've made it too long so that homo teacher will have a time to escape! What were you doing during that time, heating up your asses, drinking coffee, laughing your crap off!? TELL ME! What were you doing!?"

No one could actually answer her. But if you will ask Insp. Shiranui, he really did everything he could to solve the case, it just so happened that they let the culprit slip in their hands. He knows that the spinster will keep on squirming and causing a scandal if he will assure her that they are now after the culprit--which is true. And he is hoping for a good news after this.

Until the woman's cellphone rang. She squirmed herself away from the officer who was holding her to get her phone. To her surprise when she saw the number in her caller ID, she immediately push the receive button to answer the call.

"Takumi?"

<Auntie,> the voice on the other line was shaking and almost grasping for breath, <are you...in the Police Office now...?>

"Y...yes..." and why is he asking where she is?

<Please...Auntie,> Takumi begged, <no more... Stop it...>

"W-what do you mean? Why is your voice like that?" hearing her nephew's voice that rough made her feel nervous that he wanted to rush to their house at this moment.

But Takumi didn't answer her straight. <I decided...not to file any charges anymore...>

"WHAT!?"

<It's no use,> he was shaking. <Especially...if I'll just find out that he escaped...>

"How did you--"

<I saw it... On TV...>

"T-Takumi, listen," the aunt couldn't control her trembling body, "if you will do that, you won't be able to get the justice you deserve--!"

<That's okay... In the first place...I wasn't able to get the justice I deserve...>

"Don't tell me you're giving up!"

<Auntie, please,> he was sobbing, <I'm tired... I just...want to...>

And he couldn't contain his sobs anymore. His words couldn't be understood via telephone alone.

The aunt was shaking with anxiety, she wanted to go home right now. "Takumi," she called again, "are you at home?"

Takumi's sobs were his answer.

"Hang on there," as she glared at Insp. Shiranui, "I'll be at home right away," she didn't hang up, instead, she put a bluetooth headset to connect to her phone sho she could still get in touch with her nephew whom she feared something is wrong with him.

She faced the officers again--this time, with such a disdain look that she wanted to kill every single one of them, starting with the Inspector. "Look what you've done!" she roared. "My nephew just called, and do you know what he said? He decided to withdraw the charges. Yes, you heard me? HE JUST FREAKING GAVE UP! Thanks to you, he won't be able to face the stage again!"

"Why did you let him!?" the head officer was shocked.

"Why wouldn't I? It's his right to give up! He's damn tired of all of your crap, you made us wait for too long!"

Only the woman's tears can be heard inside the office. Insp. Shiranui couldn't believe what his client just said regarding her nephew's decision. They have already solved the case and they are already certain who is the real culprit--yet they let it slip away and they let the victim wait in vain till he just gave up.

No one could even say a word, because how they will face the media if they weren't able to contain the prime suspect in a more secured cell. No one even has an idea on how they will explain to the public regarding the most bizzarre case that Insp. Shiranui has handled. Yet, despite this failure, it made him determined to forego this case even if he couldn't get any help from those who are involved.

But to the heartbroken aunt who has been taking care of Takumi since childhood, she had enough. She immediately went out of the office without saying goodbye, and rushed to their house, where she saw a smoke coming from her nephew's room.

"Oh my God...!"

She rushed to Takumi's room without taking her shoes off in a hurry. When she came to the door, she found it locked. She knocked hastily but the nephew didn't want to answer. He was just sobbing from the inside.

She immediately fetched for the keys and opened the door, and what welcomed her is the smoke coming from the room. It smelled like a burned livewire. When she came in covering her nose, there she saw Takumi curled up in one corner of his room, sobbing. Drops of blood can be seen on the floor. 

The smoke came from a broken television. She guessed that Takumi tried to destroy it while watching something. Maybe he just learned about the culprit's escape from a news report.

She immediately rushed to Takumi who had been pale for hours, and his tears were nonstop. "Are you with me?" she called him. "Snap out of it! TAKUMI!"

Only a few neighbors noticed the smoke coming from Takumi's house. They tried to barge in but the house was completely shut, like she doesn't want help from anyone outside of their world. One person will infiltrate...or it will be the ultimate end to her nephew's career...

In fact, her nepher's career is already ruined because of an unlikely incident that no one, not even Takumi, has expected it to happen.