Reminder of the Heart: A Detective's Case - Chapter 1

Jun Matsumoto is the best detective in the Tokyo Police Department. He’s solved over 150 cases within the last couple of years and is currently the age of 24. He may look young but he’s a genius when it comes to investigating scenes and solving issues. A lot has happened to him in the past which made him a loner and not trust a lot of people. Lately, his cases have been really intense and recently received one about a female college student who’s been put under the witness protection by the FBI.

Jun looked at the case file. The client was named Mao Inoue (real name), placed under the name of Kira Namato (in the witness protection program), and she was born in Tokyo, Japan where Jun lived. Her profile interested him a lot as he read further. She’s an only child and a target of many business corporations. The Inoues were a rich family, famous for winning legal cases since they were a family of Prosecutors. Due to their winning streaks, many convicts and business people despised them since some were innocent from their cases. Since they have gotten many threats and assassination attempts, they decided to put Mao into the witness protection program so she would not be harmed. Her parents can never contact her because of it and continue with their daily lives.

Mao, intelligent and beautiful, is 21 years old. She was the valedictorian of her high school class, majoring to become a Defense Attorney (opposed to her parents), and is very active in sports. If she wasn’t hanging out with friends, she was always at home researching and studying hard since she wasn’t much of a party person. The best way to describe her: ‘She’s tough but has a lot of heart and willing to help others.’

When Jun turned the page, he saw a picture of Mao. She looked exactly like his girlfriend who was killed 4 years ago. His eyes widened and quickly closed the file. Flashbacks came to him: pool of blood at her apartment, signs of torture, strangled… he didn’t want to remember. Jun closed his eyes and reminisced about the case she helped him with and why she was killed. He got up from his chair and went to the office of the Police Chief: Abe Tsuyoshi. When he got there, he knocked on the door.

“Come in….” Chief Abe responded.

Jun opened the door and then closed it after entering.

Abe looked up, “Did you get the case I sent you?” Then he noticed Jun’s look after he mentioned the file, “Are you okay?”

Jun looked at him, “I cannot take this case, sir.” He sat down, putting the case on his desk.

“What are you talking about? This is perfect because Mao needs some sort of protection.” Abe exclaimed.

“First of all, I’m a detective! I’m not some bodyguard for a girl who’s had assassination attempts. Two, I can’t take this case because…” Jun stopped and wasn’t going to explain.

Chief Abe opened the file up and realized the girl in the picture looked like Jun’s deceased girlfriend, “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it earlier.” Abe sighed and closed the file. There was an awkward silence until Chief Abe broke it, “Actually, it’s not my choice, Jun.”

Jun arched a brow, “What do you mean?”

Abe crossed his arms, “Her parents specifically want you to watch her and investigate around while protecting her.”

Jun exclaimed, “WHAT? Does Mao herself know anything about this?”

Abe shook his head, “Put it this way. She doesn’t know anything about you. I’m sorry but you have to be on this case, Matsumoto. Her parents will be angry and since you’ve already read the file, I wouldn’t want to go against their wishes.”

Jun sighed and shrugged, “Okay, I’ll do it but this is going to bug me till this case is over, sir.”

Abe nodded, “At least take a liking to Mao. I’ve met her because of her parents and she’s a sweet girl. Don’t reject her just because she reminds you of your former girlfriend.”

Jun stood up and bowed, “Thank you, sir!” Then he left the room and shrugged again. ~ Oi! I don’t know how I’m going to deal with this! I have to take this case or it’s my ass on the line! ~

Shun Oguri and Shota Matsuda are Jun’s closest friends in the Police force. The two are part of the Forensics Department and known for helping Jun crack a lot of cases due to their amazing abilities of figuring out evidence. Shun noticed Jun wasn’t happy as he walked out of the Chief’s office. He tapped Shota’s shoulder and pointed. Shota looked up from his work and noticed Jun as well.

“Should we talk to him later?” Shun asked.

Shota looked at Shun, “No. If he’s upset, he will either tell us or be by himself. You know how he is ever since Yukie’s death.”

Shun sighed, “Agreed.” He went back to work.

Jun surprised them and visited, wanting to talk to someone, “Hello.”

Shun looked up, “Oh… what a surprise. What brings you here?” Shota looked up as Shun asked.

Jun leaned on a table with his hands on his pockets, “I have a new case but I’m not thrilled about it much.”

Shota was still working, but responded, “It must be bad if you’re refusing the case. Is it about a cute girl?”

Shun decided to take a break from his work and paid attention to Jun.

“Yes. She is cute. A couple of things bug me: they want me more as a bodyguard instead of finding clues and -” He answered.

Shota cut him, “….that doesn’t sound bad… you get a break a bit…”

“….she looks like Yukie…” Jun continued.

Shun and Shota looked at him simultaneously.

“You serious?” Shun’s eyes widened.

“Well, it makes sense why you really don’t want to take this case.” Shota responded.

“Since her parents want me to guard her, I have no choice in the matter.” Jun replied.

“Who are they that they recommended you?” Shun wondered.

Jun looked up, “They’re the Inoues.”

“You mean the famous Prosecutors who haven’t lost any court cases?” Shun knew about them because he read their books and kept up with news.

Jun nodded, “Their daughter is in the witness protection program and lives on her own. Lately, she’s been getting threatening e-mails, phone calls and being followed around her apartment. This means that someone knew she’s in the witness protection program and will do anything to get her for ransom. Her real name is Mao Inoue.”

Shun sighed, “I know her…”

Jun was shocked, “What? I never see you with a girl.”

“No no! We’re not like that. I met her while helping out the investigators on one of the cases with her parents. I was wondering who you were talking about and I admit that she does look like Yukie. We’ve been talking for the past 2 years but mostly over the internet and sometimes by cell phone.” Shun explained.

Jun thought of something and spoke, “You call her on your cell phone from time to time?”

Shun nodded.

“I wonder…” Jun looks at Shun, “What if someone could hack into your calls and get her number… or…. someone wanted to be close to her in order to get her information?” He crossed his arms, “I know I haven’t started investigating yet, but I’m already thinking it’s someone from this police station.”

Shota gave Jun a weird look, “If you’re suspecting us, then you’re crazy. I don’t know who Mao is and I’ve only heard about her parents.” He shook his head. Jun looked over at Shun after.

“Hey! Why would I hurt Mao? She’s really nice and I’m friends with her. I would never do anything to her! If I really had a motive, then what would it be? I have a girlfriend and I have money….” Shun exclaimed.

Jun grinned, taking off the serious look, “I love to make you guys squirm…”

Shun and Shota look like they were about to fall over. They both grabbed pencils and threw it at Jun.

Jun protected himself with his jacket, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to suspect you guys at all. It’s just me. You know that! Besides, I’ve known you guys for a long time.”

Shota glared and went back to work.

Shun sighed, “I understand. Still, you’ll like Mao and I know it’s going to bug you but you have to deal with it. You dealt with other cases.”

“I know. I miss Yukie and this is not helping, ya know?” Jun replied.

Shun nodded, “I know. Who knows? You may fall in love Mao not because she looks like Yukie.” He winked.

Jun rolled his eyes, “I suppose. All right. I have to jet and meet Mao… well Kira is her new name. So, I will talk to you guys later.” He left after.

Shun went back to his work, “Think some thing will happen?”

Shota replied, “When it comes to Jun, something ‘always’ happens. It wouldn’t surprise me if he fell for the girl.” He looked at the test tube he was examining.

Shun thought about how Mao felt under the circumstances she was in because he talked to her. ~ Would she fall for Jun? I’m curious why he was chosen instead of some random person to be her bodyguard and it wouldn’t seem like the parents would contact the police department for it. Hhhmm… it’s all too strange. ~