The smell of disinfectant was gradually carried away by the breeze from outside the window. Kira Yoshikage took a deep breath of fresh air. "I'm back. Good morning, Morioh!"
The main gate of Morioh Central Hospital slowly closed behind Kosaku Kawajiri. Many other passersby were also discharged, all of them now showing joy at having survived a disaster.
The procedures went surprisingly smoothly. The PSD and the police were eager for these "secondary associates" and "hostages" of the "bombing case" to disappear as soon as possible, to avoid further complications.
Iwakura Yusuke even sent someone to deliver a fruit basket to everyone, with a neatly written card wishing him a speedy recovery, and also a line: "Related issues have been properly handled, please live in peace."
Oh, and they also made everyone sign a non-disclosure agreement, prohibiting them from spreading any details they saw during this case, otherwise they would be treated as rumor-mongers and directly arrested.
Kira Yoshikage—no, now it was Kosaku Kawajiri—stood in the sunlight, carrying a simple duffel bag, and squinted slightly.
His body was still a bit weak, but his mind had never been so clear.
The plan succeeded. "Kira Yoshikage" had "committed suicide out of fear of guilt" under strict supervision. It was said that his death was extremely gruesome, as if he had exploded from the inside, and it happened in plain sight, right after he entered the Hospital.
The news spread throughout the Hospital and could not be suppressed. The authorities could only say that this bombing maniac might have also installed a bomb inside himself, and this terrorist attack was basically over.
All traces were erased. The news was constantly broadcasting messages like "Terrorist has been eliminated, martial law will soon be lifted," and the town was recovering from the panic.
"Everything is so beautiful. My new life, here I come."
He hailed a taxi, gave the address he knew by heart, and watched the gradually familiar street scenes outside the window. A strange sense of calm enveloped him.
This was not Kira Yoshikage's bloody, tense calm of a killer, but a kind of… peace integrated into the mundane world, a true tranquility.
The taxi stopped in front of a house with the name Kawajiri written on it. He got out of the car, his steps a bit unsteady, but with no sign of falling.
'Damn it, did I blow myself up too hard to imitate a weak image?'
A hint of regret rose in Kosaku Kawajiri's heart. To completely disguise himself as a victim, he had also used Killer Queen on himself, blowing up many of his muscles and causing some internal injuries to feign weakness.
But now it seemed he had overdone it.
Fortunately, he still had basic strength. He inserted the key he had taken from Kosaku Kawajiri into the lock and turned it.
The door opened.
The house was not neat and cozy; on the contrary, it was a bit messy.
The entryway was somewhat cluttered, with children's shoes and some sundries scattered around. A faint, slightly burnt smell, probably from overheated instant curry, wafted from inside.
A woman wearing an apron, her hair casually tied up, peeked out from the kitchen at the sound. It was Shinobu Kawajiri.
Her gaze swept over him, carrying a usual indifference and impatience, as if just confirming whether it was a salesperson at the door.
"Oh, you're back. There's still some instant noodles, you can make them yourself."
Her tone was flat and unemotional; she didn't even ask about the Hospital situation. Her gaze quickly returned to the kitchen. "Just in time, the fridge is empty, and I haven't bought dinner ingredients yet. Hayato is upstairs. You, never mind, I'll go buy them."
This was the treatment Kosaku Kawajiri usually faced, but Kira Yoshikage didn't care at all, just smiled and said, "Yes, I'm back."
He took off his shoes, placed them neatly, and even tidied up Hayato's carelessly placed shoes.
His reply made Shinobu, who was about to return to the kitchen, pause and cast a slightly surprised glance, but she said nothing.
Although they were husband and wife, in reality, they were merely the most familiar strangers.
Kira Yoshikage walked up to the second floor.
Next to Kosaku Kawajiri's bedroom was Hayato's room. The door was closed, and he had no intention of disturbing him. He simply walked past calmly and put his luggage back in the master bedroom.
'Hmm, so this is where that genius elementary school student lives. It's certainly better to eliminate him, but I was a bit too heavy-handed just now and accidentally blew up cinderella. Tsk, no choice. Her expression clearly showed she wanted to report me. It seems I'll have to think of another way.'
The master bedroom also had a lifeless neatness; it didn't look cozy, but always felt strange.
Kira Yoshikage pulled open the curtains, letting the afternoon sun pour in, then meticulously organized his clothes, each piece folded with sharp corners.
Sounds of Shinobu preparing to go out came from downstairs. Kira Yoshikage walked down the stairs.
"I'm going to the supermarket," Shinobu said, already having changed her shoes, her tone still flat.
Shinobu's clothes were still a bit disheveled; she had just tidied herself up casually and was about to leave.
"Wait a moment," Kira Yoshikage said, his voice not loud, but carrying an unquestionable authority, a tone that definitely did not belong to the original Kosaku Kawajiri.
Shinobu turned to look at him in surprise, her brow slightly furrowed. 'What's gotten into him?'
Kira Yoshikage walked forward and directly took the old-looking shopping bag from her hand, not paying much attention to Shinobu's reaction.
"I'll go with you. I just got discharged from the Hospital and need to move around a bit. And," he paused, his gaze sweeping over the kitchen, "I'll make dinner tonight."
Shinobu's surprise was even more evident, almost as if she had seen something incredible.
In her eyes, Kosaku Kawajiri was a boring, rigid, uninteresting man who should never do something without asking first.
The only reason they were together was the accidental appearance of their child, Hayato.
"Hmm." Kira Yoshikage didn't explain further, just opened the door. "Let's go."
On the way to the supermarket, the atmosphere was somewhat silent. Once at the supermarket, Shinobu, for some reason, felt that her husband was completely different.
Shinobu secretly glanced at her "husband" beside her several times. His walking posture seemed a bit straighter, and the lines of his profile were still ordinary, seemingly unchanged.
But his gaze was no longer elusive and shifty as in the past; instead, it held a kind of… calm focus.
He looked at the color of vegetables, the texture of meat, and even carefully checked the ingredient lists when selecting seasonings.
This kind of focus was something Kosaku Kawajiri had never possessed.
The shopping process was so efficient that Shinobu felt a little unaccustomed.
He was purposeful, picking ingredients quickly and accurately. He didn't seem to care much about the price, but his selection criteria were unusually strict.
The shape of potatoes, the ripeness of tomatoes, the clear eyes of fresh fish… he would inspect everything before choosing.
Shinobu followed behind him, her initial impatience gradually replaced by a strange curiosity.
She watched him put the selected, much higher-quality ingredients than usual into the shopping cart, and for the first time, she didn't complain about the price.
Back home, Kira Yoshikage immediately put on an apron and took over the kitchen.
Shinobu instinctively wanted to follow him in and say something, but he stopped her with a simple, "Leave this to me."
His tone was calm, yet carried a natural sense of command, making her instinctively stop and, for some reason, feel… a flutter she had never felt before.
Soon, the crisp sound of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, rhythmic and unhesitant. The sizzling of hot oil in the pan, the aroma of stir-frying ingredients… Shinobu sat in the living room, feeling a bit restless. This was too abnormal. Could a person change so much after a Hospital stay? Could it be that walking through the gates of death truly changes a person so profoundly?
A slight sound came from the stairwell.
Hayato was standing there, he knew not when, his small nose twitching slightly, looking towards the kitchen, his eyes filled with a scrutiny and doubt that belied his age.
"Strange, Dad's reaction today is completely different from usual. Something feels off."
Dinner time.
Three dishes and one soup were on the table, all meticulously prepared by Kira Yoshikage himself.
The pan-fried salmon had a crispy golden skin and tender, flaky flesh inside. The vegetable tempura was perfectly fried, well-drained, and not greasy at all. The cold spinach salad was refreshing and appetizing, and the miso soup was rich and flavorful.
Every dish looked like a picture from a restaurant advertisement, perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
Honestly, Kira Yoshikage's various talents were really excellent. If he didn't like killing and fetishized hands, he might truly be a good husband.
Shinobu looked at the dishes on the table, then at her husband across from her, who was calmly setting out bowls and chopsticks, and for a moment, she didn't know how to react.
"Ah, well, I'll eat."
Then she poured herself a cup of tea using her favorite tea set, and after pouring one for Kira Yoshikage as well, she began to eat silently, without a word, but her cheeks had become somewhat rosy.
Hayato sat down silently, picked up his chopsticks, cautiously observed his parents first, and then picked up a piece of salmon, taking a careful bite.
His eyes widened slightly instantly, he chewed a few times quickly, and then picked up another piece of tempura.
Kira Yoshikage tasted the miso soup himself first, nodding slightly, seemingly approving of his own cooking skills.
His eating movements were elegant and quiet, chewing thoroughly without making any unnecessary sounds, completely different from the former Kosaku Kawajiri.
The dining table was unusually quiet, with only the faint sounds of chewing and bowls and chopsticks gently clinking.
"...Does it taste alright?" Kira Yoshikage suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. He asked very naturally, as if it were just an ordinary family conversation.
Shinobu paused, then instinctively replied, "...Ah, yes, it's delicious."
She had never eaten such exquisite meals at home, and this was the first time she knew that Kosaku Kawajiri could cook.
"That's good," Kira Yoshikage nodded, continuing his meal, as if merely confirming a fact and not caring about it.
Hayato quickly shoveled down his rice, eating much faster than usual, but his eyes occasionally darted towards his "father."
He noticed that the position where "father" placed his chopsticks, the angle of his bowl when drinking soup, and even the number of chews, all showed a strange rigidity.
He couldn't help but frown. His father was usually quite irregular; it was impossible for him to chew each bite of food the same number of times like this.
Moreover, his father used to hate fish skin the most, always peeling it off and only eating the flesh inside. His mother might not have noticed this, but he had.
And now, he was even enjoying the crispy fried fish skin.
It was too strange.
Dinner ended in a subtle atmosphere. Shinobu voluntarily got up to clear the dishes. This time she didn't complain, and her movements were even a bit lighter.
Kira Yoshikage, meanwhile, got up, made himself a cup of tea, and sat on the living room sofa, watching the evening news.
He smiled happily as he watched the news report that Kira Yoshikage had been confirmed as a terrorist from a certain organization.
Everything seemed "calm," which was exactly what Kira Yoshikage desired.
However, as he held his teacup and quietly watched the evening news, Hayato stood in the shadows of the living room, also quietly watching him.
In those child's eyes, there was no longer the satisfaction brought by the meal, only an increasingly strong suspicion and wariness.
This dad was different in every way.
On the first day home from the Hospital, this difference was already so obvious that it couldn't be ignored.
Suddenly, Kira Yoshikage turned and smiled at him, startling him so much that he bolted upstairs and returned to his room.
Kira Yoshikage, meanwhile, smiled and continued watching television.