2 weeks later, at the courthouse, Tokyo. Time: 11:30 am

As I was walking into the hallway, a group of media personnels, mostly journalists, approached me. 

“Sir, is it true that the convict this time is Tsukihara Kazuma?”

“Sir, who are the other victims of this person?”

“Sir, did he surrendered voluntarily?”

As they started firing me a bunch of questions, which really annoys me, I started speaking.

“I will answer all of your questions later at the press conference. Now, can you all please calm down and wait?”

Well, even if I said all of that, they will not stop. That’s because it’s their job; to ask questions and make a story out of it. I can’t blame them but it’s too much pressure for me too.

Now you may be asking, “Who am I?” , I am the head judge for today’s hearing. My name is Mizutani Izumi. I’ve known Tsukihara Kazuma for a long time, as he was regarded and celebrated as the greatest detective of all time. Solving multiple cases with an accuracy of 95%, even though he was just a detective for three years. Many recognized him, but also there’s some who criticized him. Like he was unsociable, or arrogant, or just sticking with luck.

But even though they criticized him, I know that they know that he is a prodigy; a genius in this kind of field. No one can deny that. A man full of talent, yet introverted. That is the man known in history as the greatest detective of all time, Tsukihara Kazuma.

But now, it all ends here. As I opened the door leading to the courtroom, there was someone who just keep glancing over Kazuma. A beautiful girl, yet with a calm but cold glare. A girl with the name of Nakamura Sakura. She is also a detective working for the Japanese government.

A known prodigy since childhood, before the rise of Tsukihara Kazuma. She is always seen on television as the youngest clever person in Japan. With known records on detective games, she’s not only genius but also beautiful. A girl with a long, silky, red hair, Nakamura Sakura is so popular that she even topped the Japan’s 100 Most Beautiful Faces in her highscool years. Graduated at the prestigious University of Tokyo with flying colors, Sakura became the most promising detective of that time… Until Tsukihara Kazuma cames.

I don’t know why Sakura is here but I think she wants to watch the conclusion of this hearing. Well it’s not my business for now.

When everyone see me as I entering the courtroom, every people, including Nakamura Sakura herself, bowed to give respect. 

As I seated in my chair, I started speaking.

“Welcome everyone, today’s hearing is about the murder case of Nagato Minato, which is the culprit of the case is Mr. Tsukihara Kazuma. He voluntarily surrendered two weeks ago at Tokyo Metropolitan Police Station. The reason of the crime is yet unknown.”

As I was giving the summary of the case to them, I hear some little chatters around the courtroom. When the noise is unbearable now, I started to take action. While holding the hammer, I started to hit the table, which makes everyone surprised and startled.

“Silence!”, I said. “Now, please give way to the convict himself and let him explain what he’s thinking. Mr. Tsukihara Kazuma, can you go to the front?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

 As he was started walking to the front, the gazes of everyone was just on him. I can see in their eyes are their curiosity. 

“What did he do?” 

“Did he really did it?” 

“Ohh… So he was just like the other criminals out there…” 

Well, that’s the nature of every human being; being judgmental. You can’t blame them because right now, the convict is himself, Tsukihara Kazuma.

But of all curious gazes of anyone inside the courthouse, there’s only one person that differs from the rest of them.

“He didn’t do it.”, that’s the gaze I’m seeing in the eyes of Nakamura Sakura. A gaze of doubt and disappointment was clearly seen on her eyes. I know what her feels but it’s still too early to conclude that he was innocent.

When Kazuma finally reached his place, I started questioning him.

“Now, explain yourself why you killed your friend Nagato Minato and why you surrendered voluntarily?”

Like he was preparing to start running, he started breathing slowly, close his eyes, and hardened his resolve. Then started speaking.

“Your Honor, can I answer your second question first instead of the first one?”

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you, Your Honor. When I woke up in hospital two weeks ago, I just remembered that I was the one who killed my bestfriend. When that realization hits me, the guilt and rage was built inside of me. I am very confused when I learned that I was the one who killed my friend. To atone my sins, I surrendered myself to the authority that same day also.”

“Mmm… Now what is your reason/motive that you killed your own friend?”

“That… well… I don’t know. I just remembered when I woke up that I killed my own bestfriend but the reason… I don’t have any slightest idea why I did it.”

“You… didn’t know?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

Now that’s strange. When he woke up, he remembered that he killed his bestfriend, but didn’t know the reason why. As I started sinking those informations inside my head, I glanced on the faces of the audience inside the courtroom. Everyone was silence. Even Nakamura Sakura herself, confused on what was going on. This is an unusual case, as the motive is unknown, and the one and only the convict itself can reveal what’s the true reason of the crime.

But that doesn’t change the fact that he killed his own bestfriend. Even though he didn’t have any evidences to prove his crime whatsoever, he still insisting not only on us present here but also for himself that he, is the murdurer of his own bestfriend.

“I didn’t even know what to do now.”, he started speaking. “My bestfriend. My ally. My brother. My only reason of existing here was gone. All was done by my own hands. I can’t believe what have I done. I don’t have the reason to continue living now.”

“But why you didn’t take your own life?”, I questioned to him, in which everyone inside the courtroom started glancing on me. I know it’s rude but if he didn’t have a reason, then why?

“...Because if I kill myself, I can’t justify the crime I did. It’s like escaping in the wrong time at the wrong place. I want to but I can’t, because I am the only one who can give justice for him and at the same time I can atone for what I did. To struggle in this world without him. That’s the only reason why…”

I can understand what he wants to say. In the end, even though he killed his own friend, he still regret what he did and started atone for it, and at the same time giving justice for what he did. Even though all of that happened, he was still a friend of him in the end. Nothing more, nothing less. But it’s still better if we know what is his reason/motive that he did such an immoral act. 

As the judge here, I am thinking of giving the punishment for Tsukihara Kazuma. A punishment that will make him suffer to atone for his sins. Not capital punishment, as it is what he said; escaping in the wrong time at the wrong place. So what I want is a life sentence in prison without parole. When I decided what to give, he raised his hand as if he got an idea on what to do.

“Yes? Do you have anything to say?”

“Umm… Can I say something strange, Your Honor?”

“...Go ahead.”

“Can you please give me a chance to investigate this case?”

Everyone, including me, inside the whole room shocked to what he said.

“Why? Is there something you want to investigate?”

“Well, I want to know what is my reason that I killed my own friend. I can’t accept the fact that I don’t know why I did it. So I want to investigate it, for the sake of my late bestfriend.”

The room started to get noisy.

“Silence!”, I said. “Do you know what you’re talking about?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“So why you, a suspect, a culprit, a murderer, want to investigate this case? That’s unusual right?”

The faces of the audience was the same as mine; confused and shocked. I mean, why of all people, himself, wants to investigate a case which he’s also the suspect? It’s like digging his own grave deeper than usual.

“Because I am a detective. I have my own pride for what job I do. I want as my last case as a detective to know the reason behind of all what I did.”

…

There’s only one thing in my mind right now: marvelous.

The reason is because he is a detective. Yes, a detective, as he is a detective himself. Known by everyone as the greatest detective of all time, that’s the kind of detective Tsukihira Kazuma is. A popular yet average-looking man. A genius yet introverted person. Even at the final phases of his young career, he wants to be a detective not only for the sake of his pride but also for his one and only friend. Truly a marvelous person.

When I was thinking about this, it is also a great loss for this country when Tsukihara Kazuma go to the prison. Even though we have the second best detective, Nakamura Sakura, I think it’s still a loss for the county.

Speaking of the second best detective herself, when I look over to her, I see her face smiling. I don’t understand why but now, you can only see her beautiful smiling face that makes you forget what was on her face earlier. It’s like only detectives understand what’s happening now.

I look at my watch to see what’s the time now.

It’s past 12 noon now, huh.

I reached my own conclusion now so I grabbed the hammer and started hitting the table.

“As the judge of this case, I, Mizutani Izumi, gives the convict, Mr. Tsukihara Kazuma, a chance to find and reveal the reason of the said case. To finish this case quickly, with the power bestowed upon me by the government of Japan, I will partnered him to Ms. Nakamura Sakura. I will name this case “Black Fragment”. Today’s hearing is finished.”

When everyone heared what I said, they were looked like stones. Well, I didn’t mind it and started leaving the courtroom.

The only memorable faces I see when I leave the room are the face of Nakamura Sakura, which looked astonished and out of words, and the face of Tsukihara Kazuma, which looked scared and confused.

Let’s see where this is going.