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[Bang Bang] - [Nancy Sinatra]

Propelling himself away from the interrogation table, Shotaro stormed toward the exit, slamming the door shut with a resounding thud.

He moved swiftly to draw the blinds, cutting off any view into the room, and systematically disabled all surveillance and communication devices that linked the interrogation rooms to the outside world.

Returning to the table, Shotaro positioned himself directly in front of Ni-ki, his voice urgent and laden with frustration. "My case theory was almost right," he began, "except for one crucial detail: Vienna didn't kill anyone. When you arrived at the scene, Hana was already dead. You assumed Vienna was responsible, which led you to set up your plan—the choice of the burial site, the actions you took to impersonate the raincoat man. Everything was meticulously orchestrated according to your strategy. But then you discovered that the real killer wasn't Vienna; it was someone else entirely."

Ni-ki's lips remained firmly pressed together, his face a mask of stoic calm that had persisted through countless rounds of interrogation. His demeanor was unshaken, revealing nothing of the inner turmoil or thoughts he might have.

Shotaro's voice was laced with desperation. "please. Just this once, trust me."

But his pleas fell on deaf ears. Ni-ki's gaze was cold and detached, his eyes revealing an impenetrable wall of mistrust.

"I understand," Shotaro continued, frustration seeping into his tone. "I know neither of you trusts me. I don't have time to explain the complexities of the legal system right now, but Riki I'm your only chance. I want to help you, more than anything. I need to help you!"

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice. "Do you realize the length of the prison term you'll face if you confess to the four counts of rape committed by the raincoat man, as well as the murders of Hana and Taki? Even with leniency for cooperation and a willingness to reform, you could be looking at twenty to thirty years behind bars. That's a lifetime, almost twice as long as you've been alive! And that's if we're lucky. In the worst-case scenario, you could be sentenced to death!"

Ni-ki remained silent, his expression an impenetrable mask of calm. Shotaro's words seemed to bounce off, as if Ni-ki was locked in a world of his own.

Undeterred, Shotaro pressed on, his voice tinged with urgency. "And what about Vienna? Do you really intend to be forever separated from her?"

Ni-ki's composure cracked just slightly. He spoke for the first time, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of resignation.

"Even if I can't be with her, even if I can't see her again, I'll accept it."

Shotaro seized the moment. "But don't you want to be with her? Don't you want to be by her side, even if it's just for a little longer? Don't you wish you could finish your time in prison quickly and return to her? Even if you can't be with her physically, She's alone right now—don't you want to ensure she's protected?"

Ni-ki's lips tightened into a thin line.

"You took the weight of this entire situation upon yourself, but what about her? She doesn't trust me. She doesn't trust the police. The only thing she believes in, the only thing she clings to, are your words."

Ni-ki's chest rose and fell with the turbulence of his emotions, but his face remained a study in stoicism. Despite the visible struggle within him, he stayed silent, his resolve as unyielding as ever.

Suddenly, Ni-ki's mind drifted back to a distant memory. He recalled a time when he had shared his deepest wish with Vienna.

He had confided in her, telling her of his most fervent desire and making her promise to help him achieve it.

No matter how challenging her path might become, she had vowed to stand strong, to persevere, and to help him realize his wish.

Shotaro's voice cut through Ni-ki's reverie. "You like Vienna, don't you?" he said, his tone soft but intense. "So do I."

"Please," Shotaro implored, "believe that I will use every resource, every ounce of my effort to protect her."

Ni-ki met Shotaro's earnest gaze without flinching. There was a moment of silent understanding between them, a shared sense of desperation and resolve. Yet, in the end, Ni-ki simply turned away from Shotaro, his face etched with resignation.

"Thank you, Officer. But there's no escaping this. No matter what you do, you won't be able to save us."

Shotaro's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why? What do you mean?"

Ni-ki's response was definitive, cutting off Shotaro's pleas. "I want to speak to my lawyer. I have nothing more to say."

With that, the interrogation came to an abrupt halt, leaving Shotaro in stunned silence.

The final discussion was set for 8 AM, but Shotaro was nowhere near ready. His mind was a tangled mess of unanswered questions surrounding Ni-ki's case.

Desperate, he sprinted to the restroom, the cool tiles underfoot offering a momentary grounding.

He turned on the sink and splashed icy water onto his face, the shock of the cold barely piercing through his mounting frustration.

Leaning heavily against the sink, Shotaro forced himself to take deep breaths, trying to steady his racing heart. But despite his efforts, his heartbeat drummed furiously in his chest, a relentless reminder of the chaos he faced. He had been poring over the evidence for hours, with nothing making sense.

It was 3 AM, and every attempt to make sense of the case seemed to lead nowhere. The evidence was scattered, each piece seemingly at odds with the rest.

Just when he was about to give up, a sudden realization hit him like a bolt of lightning. The pieces of the puzzle began to click into place.

With a surge of clarity, Shotaro rushed back to the investigation room, the urgency of his breakthrough driving him forward. He knew he had finally found the key to solving the case, and with renewed determination, he was ready to confront the truth that had been eluding him.

Asahi had just opened the shutters to the car repair shop when he saw a car speed into the shop and screech to a halt right in front of him. Without a moment's hesitation, Shotaro jumped out of the vehicle and confronted Asahi.

"Besides the residence that the police scoured earlier, does Taki have any other residences or places he stayed at?"

"Why are you asking—"

"Do you want to save Riki?" Shotaro cut in sharply.

Seeing the gravity in Shotaro's expression, Asahi didn't push further. Instead, he quickly moved to the front passenger seat of Shotaro's car.

"I'll direct you," he said, urgency in his voice.

Amidst the chaotic disarray of Taki's belongings, Shotaro felt a familiar pang of anxiety and frustration wash over him. The place was a mess—so overwhelming that he wasn't sure where to start. He scanned the cluttered room, his gaze landing on the hanging rack.

The space where clothing once hung might have been occupied by raincoats, adding to the growing unease.

Shotaro took a moment to align his thoughts. If Taki was indeed the one responsible for Hana's murder, he would have been at the crime scene. As a result, his clothes and shoes should have shown signs of blood or mud from the crime scene.

The constant use of raincoats likely served to protect his clothing from becoming tainted, as Taki wasn't wealthy enough to replace his wardrobe frequently after each crime.

Next, considering the murder weapon: it was confirmed to be a knife, which Ni-ki had claimed was discarded into the river.

However, if both Vienna and Taki had inflicted injuries on Hana, why did the forensic pathologist only find a single wound on her body? This discrepancy needed to be addressed, revealing a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Shotaro was jolted by a sudden revelation. The oddity of the "single wound" should have struck him earlier—it was too significant to ignore.

Emerging from Taki's disheveled apartment, Shotaro seized Asahi by the arm. "Did Riki and Taki ever buy or possess identical or similar knives?" he demanded.

Asahi looked momentarily bewildered.

"Answer the question," Shotaro pressed.

"How'd you know—" Asahi began, but was cut off when Shotaro spotted a forensics team arriving and heading towards the stairwell.

Without hesitation, Shotaro rushed down the stairs, barking instructions as he passed them. "Apartment 301. Search for items like clothing and shoes."

Hopping into his car, Shotaro sped back to the police station, urgency etched into every corner of his mind.

He paced the empty corridor of the interrogation area, his frustration palpable. His watch read 10:30 AM. Time was slipping away faster than he could keep up with.

The door to the interrogation room swung open, and a security guard stepped out, his face a mask of practiced neutrality. "You'll need to wait a bit longer. The suspect's lawyer hasn't arrived yet."

Ignoring the guard's caution, Shotaro barreled past him, intent on confronting Ni-ki. The guard lunged to stop him, but Shotaro, with a determined look, brushed him off.

"I'm not here to harm the suspect. I need to get in now. It's critical."

Shotaro took a seat in front of Ni-ki, his breath still uneven from the brief scuffle. The intensity in his eyes conveyed the urgency of the situation.

Finally, Shotaro broke the silence, his voice soft and reassuring. "Are you worried that we might wrongfully accuse Vienna of a crime she didn't commit?"

Ni-ki's eyes betrayed a flicker of vulnerability.

"I'm right, aren't I? You're being overly cautious. Last night, when I presented my case theory regarding Hana's murder and the raincoat man, there was a brief moment—just a fleeting moment—when you almost confessed, wasn't there? The prospect of a lifetime behind bars, of having every trace of freedom stripped away, is daunting. No one would remain unaffected by such a fate. "

He continued "When I assured you that I wouldn't let anything happen to Vienna if she was innocent, you considered telling me the truth. During that exchange, you revealed your deepest fears—that you saw no way out, that no matter what I did, you believed I couldn't save either of you."

The lawyer's frustration was palpable. From the very start, he had been discontented with taking on this case.

Appointed by Ni-ki's uncle, he faced an uphill battle. Ni-ki's adamant readiness to plead guilty to multiple crimes seemed to render any defense futile.

Yet, the relentless pressure from Ni-ki's uncle meant that he had to endure the mounting stress daily. When he saw Shotaro speaking with Ni-ki without his presence, his irritation surged.

"Get out. My client doesn't want to see you. What you're doing is a breach of protocol!"

Shotaro tried to explain, but the lawyer's push towards the door left him with no opportunity. As they struggled, a calm and decisive voice broke through the commotion.

"I want to retract my confession."

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