"I remember you came to see Aunt Kinna years ago, asking about a case's sentencing," Alex said, his voice steady. "Was that case tied to your crime?"
"Aunt… You're that kid from back then," Seiji Kubo muttered, frustration flashing across his face. "I forgot about you. All I could think about was getting that meddling Kujo woman…"
Slap! Alex's hand cracked across Kubo's face. "There was a bug on your cheek," he said coolly. "I got it for you. No need to thank me."
"You little brat!" Kubo spat, his eyes burning with hatred. "So what if the cops drag me back this time? I escaped once, and I'll do it again!"
He laughed, a venomous edge to his voice. "You saved your sister this time, but next time? I won't give you the chance. When I break out again, I'll kill you both and make Kinna Kujo regret it for the rest of her life!"
Kubo's hateful glare and his vow to harm Reiko triggered something in Alex. A young woman's lifeless face flashed before his eyes, her unseeing stare etched in his memory. The anguished cries of her parents echoed in his ears.
"It's your fault! If you hadn't convinced our daughter to testify, she'd still be alive!"
"That monster swore he'd get revenge, and you police promised to protect her! Look at her now—is this your protection?"
It was the deepest regret of Alex's past life, a wound shared by his entire police unit.
He fell silent for a moment, then spoke. "…Reiko, go call the police."
Reiko shot Kubo a fierce glare before hurrying into her parents' bedroom.
"Close the door," Alex called after her. "We don't want this guy's yelling messing up the call."
"Okay," Reiko said, shutting the door firmly.
Once the bedroom door was closed, Alex grabbed a towel from the bathroom and stuffed it into Kubo's mouth. Then he bent down and began untying the ropes around Kubo's feet.
Kubo watched, confused, unable to speak through the gag.
"You know," Alex said, a faint smile playing on his lips, "I used to call the Japanese police useless. But now? I'm starting to think their incompetence is a blessing."
His smile sent a shiver through Kubo, who seemed to sense what was coming. He thrashed, muffled cries escaping the towel. "Mmph! Mmph!"
"You shouldn't have said all that," Alex said, his voice cold. Ignoring Kubo's struggles, he grabbed the man's collar, dragged him to the staircase, and hoisted him up. "The mistakes I made in my past life? I won't repeat them in this one."
In Kubo's confused, muffled protests, Alex yanked the towel from his mouth and shoved him headfirst down the stairs.
Kubo let out a single, sharp scream before his head slammed into a step. His body tumbled down, rolling to a stop on the first floor, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle.
Alex exhaled deeply, staring at the lifeless figure. No need to check—he was gone.
"You're not getting away!" Alex shouted suddenly, pocketing the towel and slumping onto the stairs. His face contorted with feigned panic. "You…"
Hearing the commotion, Reiko abandoned her call and rushed out. "Onii-chan?"
"I-I didn't tie his feet tightly enough," Alex stammered, staring at her with a dazed expression. "He broke free and tried to run. I grabbed him instinctively, and then he…"
Reiko hurried to his side and gasped, covering her mouth at the sight of Kubo's motionless body below.
"It's my fault," Alex murmured, his voice shaking. "If I'd tied the ropes better, he wouldn't have…"
Seeing her brother so shaken, Reiko threw her arms around him. "Onii-chan, it's not your fault! He brought this on himself by trying to escape."
"Right, an ambulance!" Alex said, snapping out of it. He scrambled to his feet and ran to the bedroom.
Reiko had left the phone off the hook in her rush. A female officer's anxious voice crackled through. "Little girl, what happened? Is it the criminal…?"
"N-No, it's bad," Alex said, panting into the receiver. "The escapee broke free from the ropes on his feet and tried to run. I chased him, grabbed him at the stairs, and he lost his balance and fell. He's not moving! Please send an ambulance!"
"You're the little girl's brother? Don't worry, the police are on their way," the officer said, her tone soothing. "You caught an escaped convict. Whatever happened, it's not your fault."
Half an hour later, Inspector Samezaki arrived with Officer Megure.
"Alex? You're involved in this?" Megure said, startled as he surveyed the scene.
Samezaki stepped forward, examining the body. "It's definitely Seiji Kubo, the escapee."
"This weekend, I was planning to take the izakaya crew to the amusement park and bring my cousin along," Alex explained, sitting on the stairs. "After school today, I went to Teitan Elementary to pick her up…"
He recounted the events leading up to capturing Kubo, his voice steady. "After I sent Reiko to call the police, somehow he broke free from the ropes on his feet and ran for the stairs."
"I chased after him. When I reached the staircase, I…" Alex paused, his voice catching. "I grabbed him, and he lost his balance and fell."
"It's true!" Reiko said, clutching Alex's arm. "Onii-chan didn't mean it!"
Her testimony made Alex lower his head, his expression unreadable.
To the officers, it looked like guilt weighing him down, unable to face the body.
"It was an accident, Alex. Don't dwell on it," Megure said kindly. "This all started because of Kubo."
"You did nothing wrong," Samezaki added, patting Alex's shoulder. "Even we police sometimes face situations where a suspect dies during a chase. It's unfortunate, but we can't let that stop us from bringing criminals to justice."
(Chapter End)
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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