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Chapter 26 - Whispers in the Silence.

It wasn't long before a loud knock echoed through the house, cutting through the heavy silence like a blade. A commanding voice followed from behind the door.

"Open up! This is the police!"

Haruki wiped his face with both hands, then pushed himself up onto his trembling feet.

He began to walk toward the door, but before leaving the room, he cast one last glance at his father's hanging body.

His eyes held a mix of sorrow… and something else—something much deeper, beyond what his young mind could comprehend.

He shifted his focus back to the door. His small feet padded across the wooden floor as he made his way toward it.

Standing before the tall wooden door, he reached up with both hands, gripping the cold metal handle and slowly pulling it open.

Behind the door stood two policemen and a paramedic, and just beside them—Himari.

The moment the door opened, she rushed forward, wrapping Haruki in open arms, pulling him tightly to her chest as if he were her own son, Fuji.

"Oh, sweetheart…"

Her voice trembled with worry and warmth. She gently pulled his head back to look into his face, carefully inspecting him.

"Are you okay?"

Those words stirred something deep within Haruki.

And before he even realized it, tears began streaming down his cheeks again.

His bottom lip quivered, his whole frame trembling—as if the weight of the world had finally shattered whatever was left of him.

Himari's heart softened at the sight of the little boy sobbing uncontrollably, as if the weight of the world had collapsed onto his tiny shoulders.

She pulled him tightly into her arms, letting him pour all his sorrow into her embrace. His tears soaked through the fabric of her shirt, but she didn't mind.

She leaned down, whispering gentle, soothing words into his ear—hoping, somehow, to mend the deep wound that grief had carved into his heart.

"Shhh… shhh… I'm here. It's okay… I'm here."

One of the officers pushed the door open with his hand, the creaking sound echoing through the quiet house as he stepped inside, followed closely by his partner and the paramedic.

They could immediately tell that the child was in no condition—mentally or emotionally—to answer any questions.

One glance at the boy was enough—they understood. No questions would be asked today.

The officers began to spread out through the house, searching for the father who had committed a crime against himself.

Eventually, they found him—in Haruki's room.

The room the boy had once called his safe haven.

The lead officer let out a long, heavy sigh, his eyes fixed on the lifeless body hanging above.

Then he lowered his head slightly, turned to his partner, and spoke in a firm, solemn tone.

"Help me get him down… so the medic can take a look."

The assistant nodded, obediently following the order.

The two officers carefully lowered Nagisa's body, gently placing it on the floor, lying flat on his back.

The paramedic began checking his temperature and blood pressure, trying to estimate the time of death.

As for Himari—she was immediately overcome with nausea at the sight of the corpse.

Without hesitation, she took Haruki with her and moved to the living room, choosing to wait there until the investigation was finished, ready to follow any instructions.

The two officers stood near the body, quietly speaking to one another.

It was the assistant who spoke first.

"Sir, did you see the report we received a few days ago?"

The other officer brought a hand to his chin, rubbing it thoughtfully as he tried to recall which report his partner was referring to.

He mentally scanned through the recent cases—then it clicked.

He replied in a serious tone.

"You mean the strange disappearance case?"

"Yes, yes… they say he was one of the traffic officers assigned to the district. He went missing two weeks ago—no body, no accident, nothing. The investigation is still ongoing… but there's been no evidence."

The officer sighed sadly, lowering his head in thought.

He remained silent for only a moment before speaking again in a reflective tone.

"I wonder what really happened to him…"

The paramedic raised his head, glancing toward both officers. He adjusted his glasses, pushing them up the bridge of his nose, then straightened his posture.

Both officers turned to him with curious eyes. The first officer spoke with a professional, composed tone.

"So, what did you find?"

The paramedic ran his fingers through his hair, then tilted his head slightly toward the hallway—making sure the child wasn't nearby—before shifting his gaze back to the officers.

"It's clearly a case of suicide. Based on the body temperature, I'd say he took his life about three hours ago. I've collected blood samples… to check for alcohol levels."

The officer turned his head, his gaze settling on Nagisa's lifeless body, his thoughts sinking into what kind of torment the man must have endured to bring himself to such an end.

He then raised his hand, placing it on the paramedic's shoulder, and said with quiet appreciation.

"Good work. Let's move him to the ambulance."

He shifted his eyes back to his partner, fixing him with a firm look, and gave a direct order—his tone leaving no room for refusal.

"Secure the area with tape. We'll need to conduct a preliminary investigation."

The assistant raised his hand in a formal salute to his superior, then retrieved the necessary equipment and began taping off the area with yellow police tape, securing the scene from any interference.

But before the paramedics could carry the body through the front door…

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Thank you for reading! If this moment touched you even a little , please consider adding it to your library.💐

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