Hi, guys! This is my first fanfiction for this fandom. I have watched and forgot about this anime for a long time but one day, when I was lazing during my day off, I was scrolling the list of anime series and that's when I binged on watching this anime again. I ended up too attached with Gino and his character development (that was unexpected since I was a fan of Kougami) so ideas for Psycho-pass fanfictions naturally came up. Just to clarify; the plot for this story is mainly taken from season 1 but there will be differences and might be taken from other seasons and the movie as well. You will see what are the differences the moment you read this chapter. Last but not least, English is not my first language so I am sorry for any mistake ><

CHAPTER 1

He should know it from the moment she said she could get along with the enforcers.

He should know it the moment he arrogantly said that the wise should learn from history while the fools would learn from their experiences.

Because at the end of the day, it was him who had his hue turned too cloudy to the point of it could not recover. It was him who turned out to be the fool who learned from his experiences with the worst way possible.

What could be worst than the fact that your own father who you spent your whole youth by hating him, turned out to be your saviour before he let out a last breath?

Just like Matsuoka Tomomi said, Ginoza was his son before he was his inspector. It was bound for the veteran to prioritize his son's life first before obeying his inspector's order to catch Makishima. With a smile on his dead body, dying for his only son was the best moment ever for him.

But not for the son, Ginoza.

He still remembered the moment clearly even whenever his mind dared to recall the day, the alarm in his ward would be deafening, notifying all the therapists that his Psycho-Pass was in danger.

That the last memory of his father had always driven him insane.

Which was insulting since Masaoka's sacrifice for him was supposed to be the stepping stone for him to live his new life and move on. It was unfolded from how desperate the old man was as he protected Ginoza until his last breath.

"Sorry, Gino-san. We lost that Makishima," Kagari had to inform the bad news from his communicator in a situation like this. As if the fact that Kougami and Kagari suddenly saw the glimpse of Makishima and immediately stormed out of their sight was not unpleasant enough.

"What? What the hell are you doing!? You ran out of our sight so sudden and that's what you had to inform us!?" he said. His voice echoed in the laboratory.

"Look, we're trying, Gino-san! It's not like we ran because we wanted to escape..."

"No matter what, you guys are still latent criminals! I have to take the precautions so that..."

"Hey, Nobuchika. Calm down, won't you?" Masaoka rested his hand on Ginoza's shoulder but was immediately dodged. Instead, Ginoza's green eyes were still piercing Kagari's from the communicator. His anger was tested more when there was no sign of apology from the enforcer for acting recklessly without his approval.

Instead, Kagari was staring back at him. With how tight and straight-lined his lip turned into, he mentally challenging Ginoza to insult him directly instead of using textbook words to conceal the fact that he always looked down on latent criminals.

"Come back to us this instant!"

"Ginoza-san..."

He lifted his head from the communicator, only to find a certain pair of stern brown eyes stared at him with disapproval. Akane's face and whole demeanour were generally not intimidating on daily basis but with how soft but determined her voice was and the way she was standing on her spot while holding a dominator, she looked like a different person.

"I always respect you as my senior. I know you want to avoid problems at any cost but for the time being, let's solely focus on catching Makishima Shogo alive or dead. I believe Kougami-san and Kagari-kun genuinely want to catch him too and not because they want to escape. If anything happens, I will fully take the responsibility had they done something illegal."

He froze, still holding Akane's eyes before averting his ashamed gaze to Yayoi and Masaoka. It was just a quick move but he knew them well enough to tell what they were thinking of him.

They were getting sick of his scepticism for Kougami when he and the man had worked together the longest and even started as best friends during their school days. They shared the same thought with Kagari who shot 'just stop,' phrase with their respective eyes.

His therapist was right. He should seek therapy as soon as possible instead of being here with them. He claimed that Akane was a rookie inspector who would have a lot on her plate had he chosen to leave temporarily for a treatment but this situation had proved otherwise.

She could manage this situation just fine. None of them needed him here.

"Let's split in two. I will inspect the control room. Ginoza-san, please check the university's lab," Akane said. This time her voice was calmer which defined her attempt to sooth the tense circumstance a bit and even it was already tense.

It was unusual but natural. Unlike her innocent and easily flustered demeanor, Akane knew what she was doing this time. She predicted and guessed Makishima's plans and movements just as precise and sharp as Kougami. Ginoza knew he should focus on the case instead of being petty but he could not help but feeling worried about how each day passed, she had walked more and more into Kougami and Masaoka's path.

One by one... why people always had to be part of his life temporarily and left as if he had no meaning for them?

"I will go with Inspector Tsunemori. If we work with Shion at Headquarters via the main security console, we might be able to get access to the security cameras here," Yayoi supplied.

He knew what to expect when Yayoi and Akane would be together this time.

"Then, we'll be in charge of chasing that man down, huh?" The playful voice, followed by a teasing look from Masaoka was not amusing at all. Rather, he mentally snorted at the idea of working in a team with an enforcer who had been the reason why his childhood and school life had been upside down if it was not because Kougami who had saved him from the bullies.

Their teams in Division 1 had always been definite. Despite Kagari always whined that he wanted to be in the same team with 'cutie' a.k.a Akane which Ginoza could not care less, the enforcer and Yayoi always chased down the criminals with him. The reckless 'troublemakers', Kougami and Masaoka would be stuck with Akane which might be wrong of him to split them in such a way because now, the inspector also ended up as reckless as them.

"Hey, no need to make that face. It was the men who have to do the dirty job, you know," Masaoka made his way to one of the doors which Ginoza had no choices but followed his lead.

"I have a question to ask," Ginoza declared suddenly when seconds passed but no words were exchanged between him and Masaoka. Eyes were trained to be alert to his surrounding, his hand was holding his weapon tightly but all his ears wanted to listen to was Masaoka's answers.

"Here and now? What is it?" Masaoka said nonchalantly.

"Tsunemori being that way... is it because you convinced her to let Kougami and Kagari to do things on their own without an inspector supervising them?"

Even without the hints of Masaoka's shoulders suddenly froze or the grip around his weapon was tightened, Ginoza knew that his father did not expect him to guess that much.

"Me? Come on, Nobuchika. Cut me some slack. Do you think I don't have anything better to do other than pushing an idea into an inspector? She's smart enough to distinguish what are the proper or improper orders for enforcers like us."

"It's because that really sounds like you, Enforcer Masaoka," he said. Almost instantly and simultaneously, they stopped walking, still did not face each other. "You and Tsunemori believe that Kougami was more cut out to catch Makishima since he's a daredevil who will take the law into his own hands as long as the evil was defeated as a result."

The answer that he had expected did not escape from Masaoka's mouth so he decided to push again.

"I see. Kougami is the one who you're relying to get the job done. You don't expect anything from me. You believe there is no way I can catch that Makishima, don't you?"

This time, his words earned a heavy sigh from Masaoka. The enforcer turned to him, a small but unreadable smile spread on his wrinkled face.

"Just so you know, Kougami is a latent criminal as well as an enforcer. He and I are cut from the same cloth so we have nothing to lose had something happened to us. Meanwhile, you're on a different path than we're. I truly think that's for the best. From the bottom of my heart."

If he could turn back the time, he would cling to Masaoka's words for his dear life. He would use this moment to patch up with his father. He would spend this moment to ask Masaoka what was that secretive smile for and was he really that thoughtful about him because he was on a different path or because...

He was Masaoka's son?

He wished he was not that dense and blind at that time to distinguish what Masaoka meant at that time.

But it was too late. Just like how he exclaimed and shouted desperately at Masaoka's dead body not long after that.

Shit, where the hell did he go?

Kougami looked around as he controlled his anxious breath. his dominator was still in hand, lifted readily just in case Makishima ambushed him from any direction. His lean body felt stuck with his wet shirt but that was obvious that it was not supposed to be his concern right now.

"Dad! Dad!!"

"Gino," as he exclaimed, his communicator beeped which indicated a call from Kagari.

"Yes, Kagari?"

"Kou-chan, it's an order from Akane-chan. Put that damn Makishima aside. Shion validated his location right now so come back here this instant! Pops... he is..."

The still shocked Kagari did not have to complete his words. The enforcer did not have to tell him where to come back because he already knew. He immediately turned off the communicator before storming as fast as his legs could carry him.

Gino... Pops...

It was too late, Akane thought. Failing to comprehend what happened to Masaoka and Ginoza, she almost dropped to her knees but caught by Yayoi who was expected to be much calmer. Eyes widened in horror and despondency while her body getting feeble. The dominator in her hand dropped to the floor, just like how her heart felt to see the scene unfolded before her.

"Gino-san, stop it... You're injured. We have to treat you first," Kagari said as he fought the tears that welled up in his eyes. Seeing Masaoka's damaged body and his smiling face once was more than enough. He did not need to see the dead body anymore. His eyes were forced to look at the inspector who he was mad at a moment ago.

The inspector who could not care less about his broken arm nor Psycho-Pass despite Shion had sent medical drones for him.

It was only for him since they were all just fine. When his body was hit by crates which were set as a part of traps, he knew it instantly.

Makishima Shogo, their target had targeted him and Masaoka from the beginning.

"Gino-san, knock it off, please... Pop is dead..." Kagari held the feeble body back but Gino, who still had the strength to push him aside despite his injury still embraced Masaoka's still frame.

"Please, Dad... just once... Please..." After hurting his throat for yelling too much, Ginoza was pleading to the man who he always looked down on. He was used to believe that the world did not need latent criminals but now, he was begging one of them to breathe again. More tears streamed down his face; a sight that was so unfamiliar for the rest of them who could only witness his breaking point but they were as upset as him.

Masaoka was like a father figure for them after all. He was way older than them but his skills, personality, experience were something deserved him admiration.

Meanwhile, Kougami who finally reached the space was the only one who had the strength to hold his dominator.

Gino... his Crime Coefficient...

Restraining himself from shaking too much, he lifted the dominator.

"Kougami-san..." Akane exclaimed, her pupils which initially dilated quickly sized up at the realization of what Kougami would do.

Aiming at Ginoza, how he wished what he heard was just a delusion.

Crime Coefficient is 190. An inspector registered at CID. Enforcement mode: Non-lethal Paralyzer.

No, it can't be...

"It's better now, Kou-chan," Kagari said anxiously. "Or else, who knows how high it will reach."

Kagari was right but...

His numbness was saved by a bright blue light and loud sound of familiar shooting.

And it did not come from his own dominator since he did not even pull the trigger.

Ginoza collapsed right away on Masaoka's body which sent Kagari and Yayoi to treat him right away.

He dropped down his dominator, eyes still stared at Ginoza's still body. At this rate, it was bound that everyone had their worry, attention and sight on Ginoza and his father so Kougami let them be.

After all, he never imagined that this would happen. Their duty as a public servant had trained him to be mentally and physically ready for dangers and all sorts of possibilities but with how cruel Ginoza's and Masaoka's states had become, all the training was thrown to the drain.

"You look... thinner."

Akane shifted her gazes to the two ex-inspectors. One with hesitant but caring demeanour which were always expressed since two months ago from Kougami but...

Just like Kougami had commented, the other man who was separated from them by a glass wall looked like a walking doll. Hands were stiff on his side. His eyes were not only empty but rather, penetrated through both of them.

But it did not mean he did not talk at all.

"What do you want?"

He did talk just to ensure their conversation went as fast as possible. He felt drowsy and dizzy just sitting and seeing both of them doing just fine while he was...

Institutionalized to treat his mental state.

"About the enforcer position for Division 1... Sybil wants you for the position. Ginoza-san, you have the aptitude for it and the rest of us do want to see you work with us again."

Akane never meant any harm to any person. She was the sweetest person that he had ever met in his life, probably until his death. She was smiling sincerely the whole time while Kougami... the fact that he was hesitating and not being the usual blunt and cheeky him had shown that the man felt sorry for what happened to him and wanted to support him but...

The same thing would happen. This was the third time they visited him and it was also the third time his stress level skyrocketed. It caused the red alarm which alerted the therapists right away.

It was also the third time Akane and Kougami had to leave the institution with despair and no small nor serious talking took place in the inspector's car.

Immersing themselves in their own miserable thought was much better at this point.