The story we started

[Could it be that this person is not actually Kousaka Kyosuke? Instead, he is a stand-in who looks very similar to him, and the real Kousaka Kyosuke has been replaced by someone else? ]

[“I… don’t want to face my sister’s disappointed eyes. I don’t dare to see her now.”]

[Kousaka Kyousuke slowly turned around and raised his head to face Gokou Ruri.]

【It was only then that Gokou Ruri could see Kousaka Kyousuke's eyes clearly.】

[His eyes were filled with gloom and loneliness, like two pieces of fragile glass. They looked like they belonged to a poor kid who was bullied and had his umbrella taken away and was hiding under a factory shed to avoid the rain, rather than a hero recognized by everyone.]

[Gokou Ruri had never seen such a weak Kosaka Kyosuke. In her impression, Officer Kosaka was always as strong as steel. Even though he was seriously injured countless times in battles with unconfirmed life forms, he never frowned even once. His eyes were like the blazing sun, exuding a will and courage that would never sink.]

[But now, the strong, unyielding Kousaka Kyosuke has disappeared, just like the steel armor has been dismantled, revealing the soft heart underneath, so helpless that it even makes people feel pity.]

[Being stared at by such a pair of helpless eyes like a child, Gogen Ruri was completely unable to say no. It is estimated that there is no woman in the world who can say "no" in the face of such eyes. ]

【"……Thanks."】

[Although Gokou Ruri didn't say anything, Kousaka Kyousuke already knew the answer from her eyes and smiled weakly.]

[The next second, he turned around, opened the door of the conference room, walked out and closed it, then walked to the end of the corridor without looking back.]

[The moment he turned around, the weak and helpless child disappeared, and the coldness of an Arctic iceberg filled his eyes again, covering up all the tenderness inside.]

[The god of war Kousaka Kyosuke is back again, and every step he takes is so firm, without any hesitation or confusion, as if the helpless boy who appeared in his eyes before was just an illusion.]

……

【Kanto Medical University Hospital, Tokyo. 】

[“That’s fine~”]

【Makishima Saori tied the bandage into a bow on Zaimokuza's chest and nodded with satisfaction.】

[“Thank you, Ms. Makishima!”]

【Zaimokuza quickly took the shirt that was placed beside him and put it on, covering his bandaged upper body, and smiled at Makishima Saori.】

[Although Makishima Saori is an absolute beauty, and they are alone in the same room, Zaimokuza gets goosebumps when he thinks of the way she looked at him when she was bandaging him, as if she was looking at a mouse waiting to be dissected on a laboratory bench.]

[“You’re welcome. After all, Mr. Zaimokuza, you provided me with very good information and anatomical materials~”]

[“Hahaha, it’s truly an honor for me…”]

【Faced with the beautiful woman's smiling face and thumbs-up, Zaimokuza could only laugh dryly a few times, forcing himself not to think about what the "anatomical material" actually meant.】

[“Hmm… Are you worried about something? Mr. Zaimokuza?”]

[Makishima Saori glanced at Zaimokuza for a few seconds, then spoke with some curiosity.]

[“Eh? Why do you say that?”]

[“Because Mr. Zaimokuza, the aura around you right now gives people a feeling of being a little heavy, which is different from my usual impression of you. The only explanation is that something has made you feel absent-minded.”]

[“This is a woman’s intuition. Don’t underestimate it~!”]

[“This is really… an amazing intuition.”]

[Makishima Saori smiled and stretched out her white and tender fingers and shook them, but Zaimokuza could only smile bitterly a few times, and then his expression became a little hesitant.]

[“Actually it’s like this…”]

[Gnashing his teeth, Zaimokuza told Makishima Saori what had happened before. 】

【“——”】

[As he continued to talk, the smile on the female doctor's face gradually disappeared, and she pursed her lips at the end.]

[“…I see? Kousaka-kun…”]

[She lowered her gaze and looked at the high heels she was wearing, her eyes moving around, and no one knew what she was thinking.]

[“Well… Mr. Kosaka chose to hold his ground. I don’t think his choice was wrong, but I can feel it.”]

[“Mr. Kosaka… He was in great pain. This pain far exceeded the pain caused by any injury he had suffered in previous battles, and it almost made him unable to bear the burden.”]

【Zaimokuza nodded, his face looking very serious.】

【“Hey, Zaimokuza-san.”】

[“How much do you know about Kousaka-kun’s past?”]

[Makishima Saori was silent for a while, then raised her eyes to Zaimokuza who was sitting opposite her and suddenly spoke.]

[“Hmm? Mr. Kosaka’s past?”]

【Zaimokuza was stunned for a moment at this question, then shook his head.】

[“I’m not sure. Mr. Kosaka never told me about his past.”]

[“Well, given his personality, he certainly wouldn’t talk about his past with people he doesn’t know well, but you two have such a good relationship, so the reason he didn’t tell you is probably because he didn’t want you to feel sorry for him.”]

[“Really… that idiot, he’s not sensitive where he should be, but he’s so sensitive where he shouldn’t be.”]

[Makishima Saori had an expression of "as expected" and slapped herself on the face speechlessly, with a crisp "slap" sound when her palm hit her face.]

[“Mr. Kosaka doesn’t want me to feel sorry for him? What’s going on? Did something happen in Mr. Kosaka’s past?”]

[Zaimokuza's eyes narrowed, and he felt that he had heard some information that should not be ignored.]

[“How should I put it…”]

【Makishima Saori's eyes suddenly became evasive at this moment, and she grabbed her hair and played with it in front of her chest in annoyance.】

[“Please tell me, Ms. Makishima!”]

[“…Okay, I’ll tell you. But don’t tell Kousaka-kun that I said that.”]

[She originally wanted to make an excuse to get away with it, but after seeing Zaimokuza's serious eyes, she finally sighed helplessly.]

[“How should I put this matter…”]

[“When Kousaka-kun was in high school, his father—”]

[“Died in the line of duty.”]

15. A Corner of the Truth/Sword of Civilization Overcoming Disasters 7-in- K

Although after this light screen appeared, Kousaka Kyosuke felt that the number of times he was surprised by it had far exceeded that of the previous video, and even exceeded the past ten years of his life, he believed that he had long been immune to it.

He is confident that no matter what news is revealed next, it will not cause him to have any huge emotional fluctuations.

——However, when he heard Makishima Saori reveal this new information on the light screen, Kyosuke Kousaka realized that he still underestimated his own emotional sensitivity.

Unprecedented shock filled every corner of Kousaka Kyosuke's body. He stared blankly at the heavy-faced "Makishima Saori" on the screen.

Just now...what did Makishima say?

Dad...died in the line of duty? In the future when I was still in high school? High school???

"Isn't that... the period I'm in now?"

Kousaka Kyosuke muttered to himself, his eyes gradually widening.

The next second, incomparable panic spread from the depths of his soul, and the biting cold almost completely took away the temperature of his whole body.

“——Dad!?”

He picked up the mobile phone beside him and dialed his father's number with trembling fingers without even using the address book.

Although Kyosuke Kousaka always complains about his father being too conservative and stubborn, and often complains that his father rarely attends his and his sister's birthdays, that is just appearance.

Kyosuke Kousaka knew from a very young age that the reason his father did not come to attend his brother and sister's birthday party was because as a criminal policeman, he was always busy with his work on the front line. The safety of many people depended on his father, and even the family was supported by his father alone, so how could he really have any complaints against his father.

Many people grew up looking at their father's back, and Kyosuke Kousaka is no exception. In his memory, his father's back has always been so tall and strong, like a pillar supporting the entire world of his brothers and sisters and their mother.

But what if one day, this pillar supporting the entire world collapses?

At this moment, he finally understood how Zaimokuza Yoshiki and Hikigaya Hachiman felt when they learned about the death of their parents and sister through the video. It was a feeling of suffocation and fear as if their entire hearts had stopped beating.

Chiba Prefecture, Takasaka family.

"husband……!?"

Kousaka Yoshino grabbed Kousaka Daisuke's collar with one hand and stared at her husband's face, which was as hard as ever, with panic in her eyes.

"It's okay. I'm here now, and it's something that will happen in the future, not now."

Daisuke Kosaka shook his head and comforted his wife softly.

Although the information revealed by the future "Makishima Saori" confirmed his previous speculation, even after learning of his own death in the future, Kousaka Daisuke's expression did not waver at all, and his expression remained as tough and unyielding as a stone washed by a waterfall.

Because he had already been aware of death since the first day he became a policeman. The only thing he couldn't let go of was how his family would live after he was gone.

What worries him most is his son, Kyosuke Kousaka, because if he is gone, he will have to support the family with his son's shoulders, which are a little immature compared to the future "Kousaka Kyosuke".

Ding-ling, ding-ling, ding-ling——

"Alas... Speak of the devil and he will appear."

The cell phone on the table rang. Kousaka Daisuke took the phone and sighed when he saw "Kousaka Kyosuke" on the screen. He answered the phone and put it to his ear.

"Dad, you—"

"I heard it, and I saw it. I wasn't panicking. Why are you panicking? You little brat!"

"You're so flustered just because it happened in the future. Learn to be calmer than your future self!"

Hearing his son's panicked voice coming from the phone, Kousaka Daisuke immediately put away his previous helpless expression and shouted with a frown.

He has always had great expectations for his son. Although he had said it impolitely before, the future "Kousuke Kosaka" has actually made Daisuke Kosaka feel very gratified.

And now, it seems that Kyosuke Kousaka still needs to go through more hardships.

[“Died in the line of duty? Mr. Kosaka’s father has passed away?”]

[After hearing the news from Makishima Saori, Zaimokuza was stunned. 】

[“Looking at your expression, I know that Kousaka-kun has never mentioned it to you.”]

[Makishima Saori looked at Zaimokuza and shook her head without any surprise, then sighed and said.]

[“When Kosaka-kun told you about his mother’s hospitalization, didn’t he ever mention his father? The reason is that his father died many years ago.”]

[“And he died in front of Kousaka-kun.”]

[“…Can you tell me the details about this matter, Ms. Makishima?”]

[“Of course, if it’s you, Mr. Zaimokuza.”]

[“——Maybe, I can help Kosaka-kun resolve the knot that he’s always had in his heart.”]

[She spoke the last sentence in a very low voice, so that even Zaimokuza, whose five senses were beyond those of ordinary people without transformation, could not hear it clearly.]

[“The story begins when Kosaka-kun was in his second year of high school. At that time, a very serious robbery incident occurred in Chiba Prefecture.”]

[“A robbery that happened in Chiba Prefecture? Could it be the ‘Bloody Weekend Robbery’? Was Mr. Kosaka involved in this incident?”]

[Speaking of this, Zaimokuza immediately recalled an incident in his somewhat yellowed memory that matched the name of what Makishima Saori said, and said with a stunned expression.]

[“So you’ve heard of this case, Mr. Zaimokuza? That’s right, after all, you were born in Chiba Prefecture, and this incident caused a sensation across the country at the time, not to mention Chiba Prefecture where it happened.”]

[Makishima Saori raised her eyebrows at his reaction and said with some surprise.]

[“I remember that at the end of this incident, the robber leader and several of his accomplices were shot dead by the police, and the rest of the robbers were brought to justice…”]

【Zaimokuza recalled the robbery he had heard about in the news and newspapers, and thought excitedly.】

[“Well, this is the only information we can get through normal channels. After all, this case was subject to severe news censorship, and what people outside know is the report that was polished and published by the media.”]

[A sigh escaped from her moist lips. The female doctor's expression inexplicably became a little heavy at this moment. The shadow of her bangs covered half of her fair face, creating a clear boundary on her face.]

[“What I am going to tell you next is not the polished version reported by the outside world, but the original and unmodified version, which is the true story of the case.”]

[“Listen carefully, Mr. Zaimokuza. Although the other robbers were shot dead by the police, the leader was not.”]

[“——The one who shot the robber leader was not the police who came to support him, but Kosaka-kun, who had not yet become a police officer at that time.”]

【"Varied--"】

[This unexpected truth made Zaimokuza stunned, and then he looked at Makishima Saori with a gloomy expression in front of him with disbelief. ]

[“You, you mean… Mr. Kosaka killed someone? When he was still in high school?”]

【Makishima Saori remained silent and nodded heavily under Zaimokuza's astonished gaze.】

[“…Yes, that’s one of the reasons why that case was subject to news censorship.”]