Viola sororia

The murky riverbank smelled of decay. The victim was a male in his early 40s, reported missing by his wife three days prior when he failed to return home before 7 PM. Now, he lay beneath a blue plastic tarp, pulled from the river.

Lieutenant Nani Hirunkit let out a heavy sigh as he stepped over the mud and pulled back the sheet. A dark, unmistakable mark ringed the corpse's neck- probably rope strangulation.

"Send me a copy of the initial findings. ASAP," Nani ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Fourth replied.

He just got off his break and this welcomed him.

Miles away, the rapid clatter of keys echoed. Sky Wongravee stared intently at glowing monitors, dissecting the digital footprints of a suspect in a recent kidnapping case.

Three years ago, he once had offhandedly offered to take a crack at a case for his former professor. In two hours, he did the job successfully.

After hours of painstaking work, Sky hit a key on his text-to-speech device. A flat, synthesized voice filled the room, "I'm done. I found the suspect's location."

Thanks to the extra detail in his report warning that two other accomplices were involved, tactical units ambushed the hideout, safely rescuing the victim and arresting all three men.

Inside the hospital, Nani's composure was shattered. Grabbing Force by the collar with trembling hands, he screamed in raw desperation, tears streaming down his face.

"He'll survive, right? Tell me he will!" His voice broke as he sank to his knees outside the emergency room, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Tell me he'll survive... He cannot leave me." Overwhelmed by the events, he collapsed onto the cold floor.

On the other side of the closing emergency room doors, slipping away from consciousness, Sky weakly turned his head toward the hallway. A fragile, raspy murmur forced its way past his lips.

"N-nani... y-ou're... safe."

As darkness took them, one quiet question echoed into the void.

In this life, will I ever hear you say you love me?