Chapter 9 – The Company

Taki was still working.

His manager had dumped an unbearable amount of work on him.

The office floor was empty now.

Night had already fallen.

Cold fluorescent lights buzzed softly above his head.

He stared at the computer screen, but his mind was somewhere else.

Again and again, his thoughts returned to the girl who sold flowers.

Her voice echoed in his head.

The words she had spoken earlier kept repeating, slowly eating into his thoughts.

After a long pause, Taki picked up his phone and called his manager.

“I’m leaving now,” Taki said quietly. “I couldn’t complete that file today. I’ll finish it tomorrow.”

The manager shouted angrily from the other end.

“If the work isn’t completed by tomorrow,” he yelled, “don’t even think about going home.”

Taki stayed silent for a second.

“Alright,” he said finally.

He cut the call.

Without another word, he packed his things and left the office.

The cold outside was biting.

The winter air felt sharper than usual, as if it was slicing into his skin.

When Taki reached home, Sakura still looked upset.

Not broken like before, but not healed either.

Taki went to take a shower.

After that, he sat down and ate quietly.

Trying to sound normal, he spoke to Sakura.

“You look a little better than before,” he said gently.

“I know what you’re thinking. I know what you’re feeling.”

“I understand it.”

“But what had to happen… has already happened.”

“Now we have to think about what comes next.”

Sakura didn’t reply.

She silently walked into her room and closed the door.

Taki watched her leave.

He thought to himself that her pain had reduced a little.

He just wanted to see her smile again.

Suddenly, the television playing in the background caught his attention.

A news broadcast interrupted the silence.

“Breaking News,” the reporter said.

“At 8:20 this evening, a young woman was murdered in front of the cinema hall near Hono Park.”

Taki froze.

Fear slowly crawled up his spine.

The reporter continued.

“The name of the deceased is Saazi.”

Saazi’s photograph appeared on the screen.

Taki’s entire body went numb.

“No… this can’t be possible,” he whispered.

“This is the same girl…”

“The same girl I bought flowers from today.”

“She’s dead?”

“And in front of the same cinema hall?”

His thoughts spiraled out of control.

“Is this because of me?”

“Are people dying because of me?”

“Why is it always the cinema hall?”

“Who is killing them?”

Before he could process anything, the reporter spoke again.

“Police have not yet found concrete evidence, but it is being reported that the suspect is a man named Taki.”

Taki’s photograph appeared on the screen.

The room fell into complete silence.

Taki stood frozen.

His entire body began trembling.

His mind went blank.

Breathing felt impossible.

It was as if a living corpse was standing there.

The reporter continued without mercy.

“According to CCTV footage, this man was seen with the victim earlier today.”

“We have also obtained a video showing him buying flowers from the deceased.”

“Police claim that CCTV footage shows Taki murdering the girl.”

Taki couldn’t breathe.

“Police have identified his home address and are on their way to arrest him.”

Suddenly, Taki screamed.

“NOOOOOOO!”

“This is a lie!”

“I didn’t do this!”

“What is happening to me?!”

His mind completely collapsed.

“I can’t do this!”

“I didn’t kill her!”

“This isn’t real!”

Hearing his scream, Sakura rushed out of her room.

She saw Taki sitting on the floor, crying uncontrollably.

“What happened?” she asked desperately.

Taki kept repeating the same words.

“I didn’t do anything…”

“This isn’t real…”

Sakura turned toward the television.

Her body stiffened.

Shock washed over her face.

She slowly looked back at Taki.

Her eyes held confusion, fear, and disbelief.

The reporter’s voice echoed again.

“It is suspected that all recent murders near the cinema hall were committed by Taki.”

Sakura’s legs felt weak.

Taki’s body continued to shake.

His skin felt cold.

He looked at Sakura with desperate eyes.

“Sakura, I didn’t do anything,” he cried.

“Don’t you trust me?”

“I haven’t killed anyone.”

Sakura swallowed hard.

“I know this is fake,” she said softly.

“You can’t do something like this.”

Taki broke down and hugged her tightly.

“I didn’t do anything,” he sobbed.

“Why is this happening to me?”

“I just want to protect you.”

Before Sakura could say anything else, the doorbell rang.

The police had arrived.

Officer Ranaro stepped inside.

“So you’re still at home,” he said coldly.

“Usually murderers run away after spilling blood.”

“But you stayed here.”

Taki tried to speak.

“I didn’t—”

“Come to the police station,” Ranaro interrupted.

“I’ll explain everything there.”

Ranaro stared at Taki carefully.

“Wait… you’re the same man, aren’t you?”

“The one who came asking about Professor Lanki’s hospital on the day his wife was murdered.”

“I let you go that day.”

“I thought you were a good man.”

“But was it you who killed Lanki’s wife too?”

Sakura looked confused.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

Taki quickly cut her off.

“It’s nothing,” he said.

Ranaro took Taki with him.

Sakura tried to follow, but the police stopped her.

At the station, Taki sat across from Ranaro.

“So,” Ranaro said, “you claim you didn’t commit the murder.”

“Where were you all day today?”

“You can talk to my manager,” Taki replied.

“I was at the office the entire day.”

Another officer asked, “Which company do you work for?”

“Hototsu IT Company,” Taki answered.

“You can verify it.”

Ranaro played a video.

“This is you buying flowers from Saazi, right?”

“Yes,” Taki said. “But I only bought flowers.”

“After you left,” Ranaro said, “this girl followed you.”

Taki’s heart sank.

Another CCTV clip played.

It showed a figure stabbing Saazi.

“That’s you,” Ranaro said.

Taki shouted, “That’s not me!”

“I was at the office!”

“It must be someone who looks like me!”

Ranaro leaned forward.

“The knife used in the murder had your fingerprints.”

“This proves you killed her.”

Taki shook his head violently.

“I’m being framed!”

Meanwhile, Sakura cried alone at home.

Taki kept insisting he was innocent.

Suddenly, another officer entered the room.

“Sir,” he said, “this man is lying.”

“There is no IT company called Hototsu.”

Taki’s face turned pale.

His mind shattered.

Chapter 9 End

Written by – Minus