Looking For Murder
Don't Let Go of My Hands

At 8am Takagi was awake. Nurse Miu who checked her condition, immediately told Doctor Masao who was in his study.

"Doctor, Detective Takagi is awake"

"really?" They rushed to the ICU

The ICU Room

"Detective Takagi, are you listening to me?"

Takagi's eyes opened. The originally blurry view, gradually bright and clear.

"Please mention your name" asked Masao later.

"Fujimaru Takagi" he said softly

"You are now in Osaka University hospital. Do you remember if you had a stab wound?"

"Hospital? Yes, I am checking the victim. Suddenly something pushed me. Uh.." Takagi tried to lift his body.

"Lay down first, Detective. At this time you are not able to wake up" said nurse Miu.

"Detective. Your back injury penetrates muscle tissue and fat. And almost the heart. Because the movement you do makes the tissue open which causes blood to seep. You've lost a lot of blood"

"Oh. Maybe, when I hit that son of a bitch"

"The deep bleeding that happened, we've been stopped. Torn muscle tissue has also been repaired. If your condition improves and there are no complications, you can move to the hospital room" Masao explained.

"Oh. So. Thanks, Doctor"

After being observed for some time, Takagi was allowed to move to the inpatient room.

There are no concerns that require special treatment of Takagi wounds such as bleeding or drainage that does not stop with direct pressure after 5 minutes. Fever of 38 degrees centigrade or more, or shivering in the cold. Redness or swelling in or around the wound. Increased size or depth of the wound. Wound tissue that appears yellow, white, or black. A bad smell came from the wound. Pus flows out of the wound.

***

Takagi already occupied his inpatient room. The nurse who had just helped her move rooms, had just come out.

Tok Tok Tok...

The door to his room was knocked by someone from outside. Shortly after, the door opened. A beautiful woman with blond hair, blue eyes, wearing a dress above the knees with flowers entered gracefully. The smell of flowers instantly filled the room.

"Ai. I'm so worried about you. Thank goodness you're okay" He took a chair and sat by Takagi's bedside.

"Do you know where I'm from?" Takagi asked flatly

"I tried to contact your office. Because you didn't pick up my call"

"Oh. So yeah"

"Ai. How does it feel, does it still hurt ?"

"Little"

"Oh yes Ai. I brought fruits for you. Which one you want to eat, let me get it"

"Later. I don't want to eat anything yet"

"Alright then" With a disappointed face Rosanne put the fruit basket she carried on the nightstand next to Takagi's bed.

He touches Takagi's hand free from the infusion, but is quickly pushed aside by Takagi.

"Rosanne can I ask you a favor ?"

"Yes. Be able. What'sthat?" With a glowing face.

"Please don't call me that again. I don't like it"

Suddenly Rosanne's face turned gloomy.

"sorry. I'm used to it. What do I call you?"

"Just call my name"

"Alright if that's what you want. This morning I have to go back to Tokyo. There's a teaching schedule this afternoon"

"You better leave soon. So you're not late. Thank you for visiting me" Takagi raised the blanket to cover her entire body, left her head and hands outside the blanket, then closed her eyes.

Feeling her presence unwanted, Rosanne got up from her seat.

"I'm leaving. Hope you're cured soon" leaves Takagi soon. He hoped Takagi would hold him for a while beside him. But once he got to the doorstep, that hope was only hope. As soon as Rosanne closed the door from the outside, Takagi opened her eyes again.

"I hope you understand" muttered Takagi

Rosanne stepped quickly down the hallway. He rubbed the corner of his eyes that were slowly wet. Keiko, who also wanted to visit Takagi, passed the woman.

"Who is? " He rushed to Takagi's room. He knocked on the door and opened it.

Seen Takagi was sitting on his bed, trying to reach the fruit on the nightstand while grimacing. Seeing that, Keiko took the initiative to help her.

"Where do you want?"

"The apple teased me. I want to eat it"

"The knife doesn't exist"

"There was. Try to find among the fruits. Must have been Rosanne took him along"

Keiko followed Takagi's orders. He found the thing he was looking for. Then he sat down on the chair beside the bed and began peeling the fruit.

"So I ran into a lady gaikokujin*" Peeling the skin of an apple and cutting the red fruit, and giving the man a small cut.

"Oh. Rosanna. He came to visit me"

"Rosanne?"

"My ex-wife?"

"Oh.. I just saw him come out of your room with wet eyes"

"really? I just gently kicked him out. Maybe that's what makes him sad"

"Hm. So.." Without stopping its activity of peeling apples

"You just came?" Tanya Takagi switched the conversation.

"Yes. I stopped by my room for a while, checked out some files. I have some good news"

"What news?" Takagi asked curiously

"Miss Ayumi's DNA test is out. It's just like we thought"

"How did it work?"

"The DNA left on Miss Ayumi's body is identical to the DNA on Miss Cho's body. I'll hand you the report later"

"There's been a little hint. I can't wait to find the culprit" Takagi said furiously"

"You should get well soon. Let's get out of here quick"

"I hope so too"

Geck.. Geck..Geck..

"Good morning, how are you Detective?" Kaoru asked who suddenly entered.

"As you can see, Lieutenant. I'm still alive. What news have you come to bring?"

Kaoru stood on the other side of Takagi's bed.

"The man who attempted rape last night was the victim's lover. They're delinquents who like to get drunk. The victim turned out to be forced to drink liquor under the pretext of losing in playing rock paper scissors. After waking up, the victim contacted his parents. Do you know who the old lady is?

"Who? Do I know him?

" hums. Satoshi Nomura's"

"So she's Satoshi Nomura's son?"

"Yes"

"God. Why would his father let his son hang out with such a person?"

"Who is Satoshi Nomura?" Ask Keiko

"One of the Yakuza officials in Osaka"

"God..." Keiko was as surprised as Takagi.

"Sir Nomura asked to meet you. Are you willing to meet him?" Ask Kaoru next.

Takagi seemed to think for a moment, he looked at Keiko for an opinion.

"It's up to you" Keiko replied.

"Yes already. Let him in. I want to know what he's gonna say "

"Then I go out first" Keiko got up from her seat.

"You're here. Accompany me" Takagi held Keiko down by grasping the woman's wrist, displaying a pleading expression.

Keiko's body froze. His heart rate works faster. The touch of Takagi's hand flowed vibrations throughout his body.

"Hem.. Alright I'll call Mr. Satoshi "Kaoru hurry out of the room.

"Detective a... I'm.." Keiko's tongue suddenly felt faint.

"St..Nothing's gonna happen to you. Trust me. You're sitting right next to me. Don't let go of my hand" Takagi held Keiko's hand. He smiled at Keiko who was wrong.

***

*A foreigner of western origin, such as the European and American continents is referred to as gaijin. While all foreigners in Japan, either from the West or countries in Asia are referred to as gaikokujin. The understanding of these two terms is clarified by several reviews such as the following :

Differences in the terms gaijin and gaikokujin based on their context are distinguished by the use of kanji. In the word gaijin, gai means foreign, and jin means person. It uses 2 kanji letters. Gai means foreign, koku means state, and jin means human. Based on the context it uses 3 kanji letters.

For Japanese citizens, using the word gaijin, is a modern slang word. Thus, modern Japanese citizens consider it something commonly spoken. But for some, it is a disrespectful word. The reason is, aliens are the same as aliens or extraterrestrials. Therefore, when the Meiji era there is a term gaikokujin, as a more subtle term to be said (To Google).