Chapter 5: Faces Behind the Stone

By afternoon, the street in Shibuya was quieter, though the tension still lingered in the air of Tokyo. The statue had been removed, but its presence remained _ like a shadow no one could erase.

Detective Aiko Mori stood near the police like line, questioning a group of civilians who had gathered earlier.

"Did anyone see when he was placed here?" she asked, her voice calm but firm.

A young boy shook his head,"No… I thought he was one of those street performers. He was already standing there when I arrived."

Another woman spoke hesitantly,"I passed this street around 8 a.m. I didn't notice anything strange. He wasn't there then."

Aiko's eyes narrowed slightly.

"So between 8 and 9," she murmured.

A uniformed officer noted it down.

Aiko moved to another witness.

An older shopkeeper.

"You run this store?" she asked

"Yes," the man replied. "I open every morning at 8:30."

"Did you see anything unusual?"

The man hesitated.

Then nodded slowly.

"There was a van."

Aiko's attention sharpened. "What kind of van?"

"White. No markings. Parked for a few minutes. I didn't think much of it."

"Did you see who was inside?"

He shook his head. "No. They didn't get out... Or maybe I just didn't notice."

Aiko thanked him and stepped back, her mind racing.

A van.

Daylight.

Crowded street.

And still _ no one saw the killer.

...----------------...

Inside a temporary investigation room. Ren Takahashi stood before a table covered in files and photographs.

Two victims.

Two statues.

Two lives reduced to symbols.

Aiko entered, closing the door behind her.

"You have a timeline," she said. "The second victim was placed sometime between 8 and 9 a.m. Likely using a vehicle. A white van."

Ran nodded slightly.

"Any witnesses?"

"Nothing useful. People saw... but didn't understand."

Ren's gaze returned to the files.

"Exactly what he wanted."

Aiko walked closer.

"Let's focus on the victims."

She picked up the first file.

"The girl from the alley. Name: Emi Nakamura, 24, art student."

Ren's eyes flickered.

"Art student?"

Aiko nodded.

"She studied sculpture."

The room fell silent.

Ren spoke quietly.

"Connection to Ishikawa's work?"

"Indirect," Aiko said. "Her professor once wrote a paper on him."

Ren didn't respond.

Aiko picked up the second file.

"The man from Shibuya. Name: Kaito Watanabe, 31, corporate employee."

She paused.

Then added, "But five years ago...he was part of an art restoration project."

Ren looked up.

"What kind of project?"

Aiko slid a document toward him.

"Restoration of damaged sculptures."

Ren read the line carefully.

Then his expression darkened.

"Which sculptures?"

Aiko met his eyes.

"The unfinished exhibition pieces recovered after the Ishikawa studio fire."

The silence this time felt heavier.

Deeper.

Ren set the file down slowly.

"So both victims are connected to him."

Aiko nodded.

"Not random."

"No," Ren said. "Selected."

Aiko crossed her arms.

"But why them? What connects an art student and a restoration worker?"

Ren didn't answer immediately.

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