Tokyo Three Generations

The non-career group consists of prosecutorial affairs officers who serve as assistants. Their numbers are several times that of prosecutors, and they are mainly responsible for helping prosecutors with their work, such as carrying out duties like searches, surveillance, seizures, and paperwork. They play the role of "clerks".

In contrast to career advancement, their promotion is extremely difficult. If they don't pass the bar exam, they may remain stagnant for life. Even if they pass the bar exam on their own merits in their spare time, they are still considered low priority in the promotion sequence within the prosecutor system. Their career ceiling is only up to the level of chief investigator or section chief.

Hideki Saito belonged to the career group. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo, he passed the civil service exam and the bar exam, entering the hall of justice that so many people dream of.

It was precisely because of his impeccable background that he became a deputy prosecutor right from the start, and then was promoted to prosecutor (a formal prosecutor) around the age of 30, reaching a height that others could never reach in their entire lives.

However, there are differences among careers. Among the same career, those with stronger backgrounds, better interpersonal skills, and the ability to form cliques are naturally more favored by their superiors. Because of his aloof and cold personality and unwillingness to cultivate interpersonal relationships, Saito Hideki's career stagnated after the age of 30. He saw no hope of promotion and was often subtly isolated by his colleagues.

Above the prosecutors are the chief prosecutors and the special investigation chief. There are only so many positions to climb, and with so many people with powerful backgrounds watching, Saito Hideki has no expectations for it and has long accepted the reality that his career has come to an end.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will continue this stagnant career path until he is 40-45 years old, when he will receive a substantial retirement bonus and leave. He will then work in a corporation or law firm, earning his last and largest sum of money before enjoying a comfortable retirement.

He had no complaints about this. As a national elite, he had already received more than enough and had no further desires. He only wanted to uphold justice as much as possible in his career and live up to his former ideals.

Try your best—this word is very important.

Having served in the District Prosecutor's Office for so many years, he couldn't possibly be so naive as to believe that "justice will prevail."

Anything can never be pure once it gets tainted by politics, and this is especially true in the District Attorney's office. Here, "justice" is no longer a rigid ruler, but more like a spring that can stretch, adjust, and be shown to everyone, but it cannot be treated as some inviolable law.

During his ten-year career, he witnessed many major cases being hampered by pressure from all sides, investigations reaching dead ends, then being left unresolved and eventually sealed away in the archives.

However, true courage is to fight on even knowing that everything is imperfect. He knows that he cannot bring justice to everyone and everything, but he is willing to do his best, within his authority, to uphold justice as much as possible.

Every extra person caught, every extra yuan recovered, means he's fighting for a glimmer of hope for justice. If the iceberg in front of him is impenetrable, then he should at least chip off a few more pieces. This may not matter to the iceberg, but it's the meaning of his life.

This is him, a lucky career man, who can bring the greatest reward to the world, and this is also the embodiment of his life's value.

Compared to that, what is a mere promotion?

With this spirit of "persistence", ever since he took on the Kuroshima case, he has been working hard to investigate everywhere. Although there is not enough evidence yet, his instincts honed over the years tell him that there is a huge conspiracy behind it.

However, during the investigation, he clearly felt his superior's subtle hints and pressure, as well as various strange obstacles, and the information was always leaked in advance.

This wasn't the first time he'd experienced something like this, so he wasn't even angry about it.

He just wanted to uncover as much evil as possible before everything came to a close.

He has been tracking Nagasaki Chizuru's escape route for the past few days and has finally located her hiding place. He is now leading his men to capture her.

Several cars drove through the alley. Due to the rain, visibility was very low, and the desolate and dilapidated surroundings made the atmosphere even more oppressive and heavy.

Finally, they were almost there. Saito Hideki suppressed his excitement and looked up in the direction of the apartment.

There was no one there, except at the end of the alley, where there seemed to be the back of a young man, but it was hard to see clearly.

He felt a sense of unease, but he didn't know how to describe it.

However, there were more important things to do at the moment, so he put aside his sense of unease and led his assistants upstairs.

To his great disappointment, apart from some traces of past inhabitants, there was nothing there.

He frowned. "She got away again..."

Just then, a phone call came from the Special Investigation Department. He picked it up irritably and answered it.

The content conveyed inside completely plunged his mood to rock bottom.

"Kazuo Kuroshima committed suicide, and his body was found in a villa in Shizuoka Prefecture."

"Damn it!" he cursed, but the blurry figure from before suddenly flashed into his mind.

24, My heart fluttered

The news of the death of Kazuo Kuroshima, a well-known accountant and the mastermind behind the money laundering operation, quickly spread online.

But whether it's netizens or ordinary citizens in the real world, they've long been accustomed to such "suicide cases," so it didn't cause much public discussion. The discussion about it was quickly overshadowed by other hot news, and his last ripples in the world also dissipated.

Under Hiroshi Takasaki's instructions, the Nagasaki mother and daughter were moved to a new safe location. However, the two will soon be separated for a long time, as Nagasaki Motoyo will return to school and find another place to live near Tsuki no Mori.

Because they were about to be separated, Nagasaki Motoyo cherished the last moments she and her daughter had left together.

To make her mother more comfortable, she made sure to prepare very lavish meals every day, which led Takasaki Jun to visit her every few days.

Despite the reluctance, the moment of parting finally arrived.

A car stopped outside the two residences of the mother and daughter, ready to pick up Nagasaki Motoyo to return to school and complete the formalities.

Jun Takasaki drove the car himself. Although he had only gotten his driver's license a few months ago, commuting within the city was a breeze for him. There was no need to make a big fuss about such a small matter; the two of them could handle it.

The car wasn't going fast, but it was still slowly moving away from her mother, and Nagasaki Motoyo was plunged into an unprecedented state of confusion.

She has never been separated from her mother in her life so far. Although she will still be able to contact her mother regularly, she will have to face all the problems in life on her own. No one can give her the warmth of family at any time.

How should she get through this? What kind of new life would she face? She couldn't find the answers.

As time went by, the surrounding streets went from unfamiliar to familiar, and Nagasaki Motoyo knew that she was getting closer and closer to the school.

To avoid attracting attention, Jun Takasaki found a parking lot a few hundred meters away from the Moon Forest.

However, after parking the car, Nagasaki Motoyo did not rush to leave.

"Is there anything else?" Jun Takasaki asked.

"Thank you for coming all this way. Let me treat you to a cup of milk tea. Isn't that all the rage these days?" she suggested.

Although she didn't quite understand why she suddenly had this idea, she figured she had nothing else to do, so Jun Takasaki agreed.

He unbuckled his seatbelt, and then the two of them walked out of the parking lot together.

Jun Takasaki was not familiar with the Moon Forest, so this place became the home turf of Motoyo Nagasaki. She took the initiative to lead Jun Takasaki to the shopping street near the school.

Although it's called a high school for young ladies, the area around Tsukimori seems no different from any other school, with various trendy toys and accessories, karaoke, comic book stores, and so on.

Nagasaki Motoyo was clearly familiar with the area. She led Takasaki Jun straight to the entrance of a bubble tea shop and then asked Takasaki Jun a question.

What flavor do you like?

"Anything is fine with me—" he said indifferently, shrugging his shoulders.

"Then let's order the same as mine~"

Nagasaki Motoyo smiled helplessly, then turned to the shop assistant and ordered two cups of green tea with white peach jelly.

So the two of them, each holding a cup of milk tea, strolled casually down the street.

However, Jun Takasaki soon sensed something was wrong, because he noticed that the way people around him were looking at him seemed a little strange.

In a normal school, this scene would be perfectly normal, and no one would be curious. However, Tsukinomori is an all-girls school.

It's not a common sight to see a man and a woman walking side by side, drinking milk tea, outside the Moon Forest gate.

Moreover, both of them are so good-looking, and his height is so eye-catching among a group of students, it's hard not to attract attention.

Jun Takasaki doesn't dislike being the center of attention—after all, he was raised from a young age to inherit the family business, and it's not good to be bad at facing the public.

However, this strange scrutiny, curiosity, and even slightly envious and jealous gaze made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

He regretted his miscalculation, thinking, "I shouldn't have agreed to her request."

"Why are you so uncomfortable?" Nagasaki Motoyo seemed to notice his unease and asked with a smile, "I thought you were the kind of person who didn't care about what other people thought."

Even though he knew the other party might be deliberately provoking him, Jun Takasaki still felt somewhat embarrassed.

Driven by his competitive spirit, he stood tall and puffed out his chest, adopting an air of nonchalance. "Who said I cared?"

To prove his point, he picked up his cup and took a deep sip. "You're the one who should be worried, aren't you? There might be someone here who knows you. If they spread any rumors, don't blame me!"

“I almost went to the underworld once, how could such a small thing scare me…” Nagasaki Motoyo retorted with a smile.

Then, as if she had just remembered something, she said, "Oh right, I still don't know your name. Now that I've treated you to milk tea, please be kind enough to tell me."

Nagasaki Motoyo could easily find out about this if she wanted to, so Takasaki Jun had no intention of hiding it.

“My name is Jun Takasaki,” he replied briefly. “It’s not a particularly impressive name, but we might have to deal with each other again in the future, so remember it well.”

“No wonder… I heard her call you Jun on the phone.” Nagasaki Motoyo nodded gently, silently memorizing the name.

When she mentioned Toyokawa Shoko, Takasaki Jun suddenly remembered her. "Yes, once you get back to school, go see Miss Toyokawa as soon as possible. I've already told her, and she'll look after you at school. So, just focus on your studies... No matter what happens, never mention your mother or our family to anyone else, remember that!"

After he finished speaking, he took out his phone, and the two of them memorized each other's contact information.

"What kind of person is Miss Toyokawa?" Nagasaki Motoyo asked. "With a background like that, she must be difficult to deal with..."

“Then you’re overthinking it. She’s a very easy person to get along with, even a bit too approachable. She’s much kinder than me, so you just need to treat her normally.” Jun Takasaki shook his head and retorted, “But no matter what, a young lady is still a young lady. You can’t offend her casually. I think with your intelligence, you’ll definitely be able to grasp the right balance. I don’t need to teach you.”

"So...so you two seem to have a pretty good relationship? Is it because you've known each other since childhood?" Nagasaki Motoyo asked cautiously.

“No, we’ve only known each other for a short time.” Jun Takasaki shook his head. “But, because I helped her out before, she was very grateful to me, so she was especially polite to me… although I didn’t feel like I played a big role.”

Seeing that Takasaki Jun's words were vague, Nagasaki Motoyo did not press further. She knew that there were many things in the world that the less you knew, the better.

She just felt a strange sense of ease.

“You don’t look kind, but you went to such lengths to save me and my mother… I can’t imagine what kind of help you gave Miss Toyokawa, but to me, you saved my life, and I will be grateful for that for the rest of my life. I think if you ever ask me for help, I will help you even more readily than she did…”

At this point, Nagasaki Motoyo suddenly gave a wry smile.

"Unfortunately, I am outnumbered and powerless, and I cannot do as much as Miss Toyokawa with a mere wave of my hand. I can only do my best."

"Yes, it's good that you have the intention." Jun Takasaki smiled.

"So, why did you lend a hand?" Nagasaki Motoyo suddenly asked.

Before Takasaki Jun could answer, she answered herself, "It must be because I'm pretty that you can't bear to see me die."

Although it was indeed the correct answer, Jun Takasaki was somewhat amused and exasperated, as he had never seen a young girl boast so openly.

“You are indeed quite beautiful—but can’t it be because I’m happy?” So, he stubbornly insisted, “Perhaps it was your calmness and strength at that moment that touched me. I like interesting people.”

"In the end, it's really because I'm good-looking..." Nagasaki Motoyo exposed his stubbornness.

However, she showed no sign of disgust. Instead, she closed her eyes slightly and said, "Although I know this is a bit presumptuous, I am really glad that I am beautiful. I will always be this beautiful and will never let you down."

This inexplicable determination left Jun Takasaki speechless.

However, he was quite pleased to see that the other party was so ambitious.

"Well, I'll wait and see."

The two chatted and drank their milk tea until it was almost empty.

By this time, we were not far from the school gate.

Nagasaki Motoyo seemed a little reluctant to part, but she also knew that it was time to say goodbye.

So she silently looked at Jun Takasaki, preparing to wave goodbye first.

Jun Takasaki's expression suddenly turned serious.

"Oh, right, there's one last thing I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Nagasaki Motoyo asked.

"Make sure you hide your things carefully," Jun Takasaki earnestly warned the other person, head bowed. "Don't unintentionally cause trouble for anyone..."

This unexpected question shattered the previously "harmonious" atmosphere between the two, leaving Nagasaki Motoyo frozen in place, unsure how to respond.

But her silence is tantamount to an admission.

“You’re really not good at hiding yourself,” Jun Takasaki sighed. “But it’s not entirely your fault. You’re so inexperienced that it’s a bit much to expect you to learn how to deceive everyone so quickly. You’ve done a great job of keeping it up until now.”

"When did you find out?" Nagasaki Motoyo pursed her lips. Instead of making pointless lies and excuses, she asked a question.

“It was on the very first day, when I called you into my room to be alone with me,” Jun Takasaki answered honestly. “Although you tried to appear calm, your eyes looked a little unnatural, so I secretly guessed that.”

"Then...why not point it out?" Nagasaki Motoyo asked softly.

"Why would you tell anyone?" Jun Takasaki retorted. "If I don't tell, you might still have cards to play, but if I do, and my dad thinks you're no longer relevant and decides to kill you, then all my efforts will have been for nothing."

Nagasaki Motoyo was speechless.

Only then did she realize that she had been under the other party's protection from the very beginning.

I should have known better than to talk back to him so many times. Thinking about it now, I really feel ungrateful and ashamed.

She raised her head and, with eyes filled with gratitude and remorse, bowed sincerely to Jun Takasaki in thanks.

"I'm sorry, thank you for your care all this time, I... I will always remember it."

“There’s no need to make such a big deal out of it.” Jun Takasaki shook his head. “I only turned a blind eye to this after careful consideration and judging that you were not a significant threat. In a different situation, I might not have been so kind.”

This honest reply did not disappoint Nagasaki Motoyo; on the contrary, it made her admire the other party's frankness even more.

Neither of them spoke.