V1Ch1: The Unfading Scar part 1

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Translator: Soafp

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“…Ugh…”

Once again, he woke from a nightmare. The dream of the day his sister disappeared.

That day, she had parted from him with her usual smile.

“Alright then, let's both do our best today, Sho.”

At the shoe lockers in their middle school, she had, as always, ruffled his hair before heading off to class. By then, he was old enough to find it a little embarrassing—but it still made him happy.

That day, his sister had been asked to stay behind for class representative duties. She told him to go on home ahead.

But… from that day onward, she never came back.

His parents, worried, called the police. After that, heavy, painful days began to flow through their home.

Again and again, the police came to their house, spoke with his parents, then left. That became their daily life.

And then, one day, the string of serial murders began. By the time he noticed, the second victim had already been found.

“…Could it be… his sister too…?”

“Don't say such foolish things!”

He had happened to overhear his parents late at night, when he couldn't sleep and was about to head to the living room. From that night on, unease never left his heart.

And then, three months later…

“Sho… listen carefully and stay calm.”

“Your sister…”

It was a day of pounding, torrential rain when his father and mother, their faces pale and doll-like, devoid of expression, stood before him.

“They found your sister…”

“Uhh… ahhh…”

His father muttered the words, while his mother clutched his shirt, sobbing.

Somehow, even as a first-year middle schooler, he understood what those words meant.

“Let's… go see her.”

Despair. That was the only word that fit the air surrounding them as his parents led him away—not to a hospital, not to any other facility, but to the police station.

“These are the recovered belongings.”

Beside his sister, lying beneath a white cloth, a table displayed her cellphone, her student ID, her handkerchief, the barrette she had worn in her hair—all sealed in plastic bags and lined up in a row.

Seeing those familiar items, he knew beyond any doubt—this was his sister.

His mother was already weeping uncontrollably, while his father struggled desperately to hold back his emotions.

“Do you… wish to see her face?”

One of the detectives present leaned close, looking at his father with concern.

“…Yes. Please.”

His father had hesitated.

To look upon her face would mean admitting that the girl lying there was truly his daughter. Deep down, he had wanted to believe that she was still alive, somewhere.

Even so… his father said he wanted to see. He must have wanted, as soon as possible, to look upon his daughter's face once more.

The cloth was quietly lifted away. Beneath it was his sister's face, as if merely sleeping.

His mother's sobs grew louder. And his father collapsed to his knees, as though the strings holding him up had suddenly been cut.

It was then that Sho, for the first time in his life, heard his father cry. A sound somewhere between a groan and a sob, heavy and low.

“…Nee-chan?”

He reached out to touch his sister's cheek.
In that moment, he finally understood with certainty that she was gone.

The touch was cold, like a doll left too long in storage.
No trace of human warmth—no longer his sister, but only what had once been his sister.

“…Nee…chan…”

The sister who had always smiled kindly at him would never return. Realizing that, he finally let his tears fall.

The three of them wept together for nearly an hour. By the time they managed to stand again, the sun was already setting.

A young detective, who had quietly stayed with them the whole time, gently suggested speaking with the parents about the details.

Sho was told to go home ahead, but he refused, insisting on staying.

At thirteen, he was old enough to understand something had happened to his family. And he knew that what they were about to hear was the explanation of how—and why—his sister had been taken from them.

The detective respected his decision.

“Thirteen is old enough to have a sense of reason. Let's talk about this together—about what has happened, and about what comes next.”

Choosing his words carefully but without hiding the truth, the detective explained to them.

That by the time her class duties had ended, it was already dark. That it had been raining—the same as on the days when the other victims had vanished. That the last security camera footage showed her near a convenience store visible even from their own home.

That the cause of death was a single stab to the heart, killing her instantly. That there were no signs of her clothing being disturbed.

For his parents, the details were unbearable. His mother sobbed, his father sat stunned and hollow.

So, in their place, Sho kept his eyes fixed on the detective, listening to every word.

“…Do you have any leads on the culprit?”

Before he realized it, he was the one asking.

“I'm sorry. Because the crime occurred on a rainy day, all physical evidence was washed away. The investigation is proving very difficult…”

The detective's honest reply was not what he had wanted to hear.

Still, he whispered:

“…I understand.”