Kanagawa Prefecture, K楠 noodle shop.
Today, K楠 noodle shop closed exceptionally early. Sakuragi Zhe Xiong sat to the side, silently smoking, his brows furrowed. Beside him, Sakuragi Xiaonan's eyes were red, and her face still bore traces of unshed tears.
"Konan, this child Xiao Jin..." Sakuragi Zhe Xiong finally spoke, his words full of deliberation.
"Don't mention him!" Sakuragi Xiaonan interrupted sharply, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.
"Konan, I know this is a pain in your heart, but this matter has nothing to do with Xiao Jin!" Sakuragi Zhe Xiong softened his tone, trying to calm her.
"Yong Zhi was killed by his Uncle! How can you expect me to face him? How can you expect me to be nice to a criminal's child?" Sakuragi Xiaonan's voice suddenly rose, pent-up emotions surging, and her eyes reddened even more.
"But Xiao Jin is innocent," Sakuragi Zhe Xiong sighed.
"Do you know how I've lived these past ten years?" Sakuragi Xiaonan's voice choked, "After Yong Zhi left, I raised Yoko alone. Do you know how much bullying we endured, how many cold stares we received?"
"But Xiao Jin is also a pitiful child; he's also been alone all this time..." Sakuragi Zhe Xiong still tried to persuade her.
"Don't say another word!" Sakuragi Xiaonan abruptly raised her hand, her tone resolute, "I will not forgive him."
Sakuragi Zhe Xiong opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words, leaving only a helpless silence to spread through the small noodle shop.
The turning point for everything stemmed from the shocking news that broke out a day earlier—the notorious gold store robbery case in Kanagawa Prefecture ten years ago. A core member was recently apprehended, and the mastermind he confessed to was none other than Gu Jin's Uncle, Kobayashi Kenta.
Even more astonishing was that Kobayashi Kenta and his wife had not died in a car accident ten years ago; instead, they had faked their deaths and absconded using that "accident."
Yet, no one could explain why this matter had rapidly fermented and spread like wildfire throughout Kanagawa Prefecture in just one day, becoming almost universally known.
The momentum came so swiftly and fiercely, it was as if an invisible hand was behind the scenes, fanning the flames, deliberately wanting everyone to know.
At the hotel, after the tactical meeting dispersed, Sendo, while on the phone with Aida Yayoi, also heard about the situation in Kanagawa.
Even Taoka Moichi, who had just finished a call with his daughter, was now aware of the full story.
"Could it be because of this that he was so distracted?" Taoka Moichi thought of his stern attitude towards Gu Jin just now, and a faint regret began to stir within him. After all, Gu Jin was still just a child.
But at this moment, Gu Jin was still oblivious to all of this.
The night seemed calm and still, yet no one could predict what kind of storm might brew tomorrow.
With a week's buffer before the next game, Gu Jin decided he needed to return to Kanagawa Prefecture to find out what had happened.
He stood outside Taoka Moichi's door for a moment, his fingers hovering over the door panel before he gently knocked three times.
"Who is it?" Taoka Moichi's voice came from inside.
"Coach, it's me, Gu Jin."
The door opened with a "click." Taoka Moichi stood at the doorway. When he first saw Gu Jin, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a trace of awkwardness flashed in his eyes—after all, he had just learned the news, and facing the person involved made him feel somewhat heavy. But it was only for an instant; he stepped aside: "Come in."
Gu Jin followed him into the room. Before Taoka Moichi sat down, he stood there with his head bowed: "I'm sorry, Coach, my attitude at the tactical meeting just now was not good."
Taoka Moichi looked at him, softening his tone: "It's not your fault. Gu Jin, is something wrong?"
"Yes, I'd like to ask for a day off tomorrow to go back to Kanagawa Prefecture," Gu Jin looked up and also told Taoka Moichi about Shimamura Yoko's unusually distant behavior from yesterday to today, "I'm worried something might have happened at home."
"You... still don't know?" Taoka Moichi's face showed a hint of complexity upon hearing this.
Gu Jin's heart sank with a "thump," and he clenched his hands: "What's wrong? Coach, do you know something?"
Taoka Moichi's Adam's apple moved—he had intended to keep it from him, fearing it would disturb his focus for the game, but how could such a matter be concealed? He would find out sooner or later.
Taoka Moichi remained silent for a long while, his knuckles clenching at his side, before he spoke in a low voice: "In Kanagawa... an old case broke out yesterday."
Gu Jin's heart tightened even more, his fingertips turning white: "An old case? Related to Yoko's family?"
"Do you still remember the gold store robbery case from ten years ago?" Taoka Moichi looked up at him, a hint of unbearable sadness in his gaze.
Gu Jin nodded and said, "I remember, Uncle Shimamura died in the line of duty during that case. Is there another problem?" Gu Jin felt vaguely uneasy.
"A accomplice from back then was caught a few days ago, and he confessed that the mastermind was... your Uncle, Kobayashi Kenta."
"Uncle?" Gu Jin froze in place, his mind buzzing with a "hum"—
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! My Uncle was also a police officer, how could he be the mastermind behind a gold robbery?" Gu Jin couldn't believe it!
Moreover, his Uncle and Aunt had died in a car accident ten years ago!
"And..." Taoka Moichi sighed, completing the rest of his sentence, "That car accident back then was a fake; they used that incident to escape and have been in hiding for the past ten years."
Gu Jin stood frozen, his ears ringing, as if countless cicadas were chirping.
His clenched fists loosened and tightened again, cold sweat beading between his fingers—how could it be his Uncle? The Uncle who used to secretly slip him candy when he was little, who would carry him on his shoulders to temple fairs, such a kind person, could he be the mastermind of a gold store robbery?
"So Aunt Konan and Yoko..." He suddenly snapped back to reality, his voice trembling, "It's because of this..."
Taoka Moichi nodded, saying nothing more.
No wonder Yoko was avoiding him, no wonder Aunt Konan hung up the phone as soon as she answered, saying she didn't want to hear his voice.
They had known all along.
Gu Jin stood there, his heart growing cold. His earlier eagerness to return to Kanagawa now felt frozen—what would he say if he went back? Would he tell Aunt Konan, "My Uncle isn't that kind of person"? Or would he explain to Yoko, "This has nothing to do with me"?
Countless thoughts tangled in his mind, and Gu Jin felt a suffocating tightness in his chest. He lowered his head, his Adam's apple bobbing for a long time before he spoke in a hoarse voice to Taoka Moichi: "Coach, I... I still have to go back tomorrow."
No matter what, he had to find out. Even if it meant being resented, being treated coldly, he had to go and ask directly.
Taoka Moichi saw his pale face and clenched jaw, and finally nodded: "Go. Be careful on the way. I'll have Sendo go with you. If... if it's really difficult, call me."
Gu Jin didn't respond, only bowed slightly, then turned and walked out of the room.
The lights in the corridor were blinding. He slowly slid down the wall, squatting on the ground and burying his face in his knees.
It turned out that beneath those seemingly peaceful days, so many things he didn't know were hidden.
That "car accident" ten years ago was a carefully planned escape;
The "deceased" he had remembered for ten years was a notorious criminal;
And the people he cared about were pushing him away because of this connection he had never imagined.
Impossible... No... Gu Jin also began to feel lost.
The night wind blew through the corridor window, carrying a hint of coolness.
Gu Jin raised a hand to wipe his face, feeling a touch of dampness...