"Breaking news," said the news reporter, standing in front of a completely normal-looking apartment. "Within a single night, three murders have taken place in a small apartment in the Shinjuku district. The details of the murders are yet to be revealed as the police have just arrived at the scene."

Kensuke ran his hand through his hair, the buzzing of the reporters outside the building was annoying him. 

It was a gruesome case, indeed. Within a night, 3 murders had taken place. 

"Sir, we've examined the bodies for the time being." said one of the policemen.

Kensuke nodded. "Report."

"The murders seemed to have happened at around 2 am this morning. All three murders have taken place in different manners."

Kensuke raised an eyebrow. "In 3 different ways?"

The assistant officer nodded. "Yes. The oldest of the victims, Nakayama Hiromi, 42, was killed due to excessive bleeding on the forehead. It appears as though the murderer bashed her head against the wall multiple times, leading to her demise."

"Where did she live?"

"The first floor of this building. 104." 

"Okay, next."

 

"The second-oldest, Kimura Eri, 30, was found hanging from her ceiling but it's obvious from the marks around her neck that she was choked to death." 

"Apartment number?" inquired Kensuke. 

"204"

Kensuke frowned. "The last victim?"

"The youngest, Satou Nagisa, was 24. she was..." trailed off the officer.

"She was?"

"Beaten multiple times and stabbed 23 times. However none of the wounds were in fatal places, she practically bled to death. The most painful death of the three."

Kensuke sighed. He had been a police officer for years so cases like these weren't uncommon but yet each and every time, he was baffled by the lack of humanity. What made people think that taking other people's life was okay?

"Have the bodies been taken?" asked Kensuke. 

"Yes, the post mortem report should be back to us in another five days."

Kensuke nodded and made his way to the house of the first victim. After walking into the house, the first thing he noticed was the stain of blood on the wall. Kensuke walked towards it and examined it. The blood had already dried up. 

Something about this house unsettled him. Not because of the blood but just the mere aura of this house made Kensuke think that something about this house is questionable. 

This house carried too many secrets. The lack of photos, the presence of another person, the lack of decor, such things indicated either of two things. 

One, Nakayama Hiromi was a woman of no character or two, she had lots to hide. 

From Kensuke's experience, he'd say she had lots to hide. If she was a characterless woman, she probably wouldn't have been murdered in the first place. Not to mention, she had her head bashed against the wall multiple times, indicating the murderer probably had some kind of grudge against her. 

The biggest question was what was the relationship between the three murders?

Kensuke walked inside the bedroom. It was plain, just a bed, a night table, and a closet. He opened the closet and rummaged through the drawers. Nothing. Just clothes and underwear. 

There was nothing. No phone, no laptop, nothing. 

He called over the assistant officer. "Do you have any details on her?"

"We didn't find anything in the house as such. I only found her passport in one of the drawers."

"No phone?"

The assistant officer shook his head, indicating a no. 

"No phone, huh. Did the murderer take it?" mumbled Kensuke to himself. 

"Uh sir, it's only Hiromi's phone that's missing. The other two victims had their phones in their houses."

"Did you get any information on them?"

"Not yet, sir. The phones were locked so we sent them to get it unlocked."

Kensuke nodded. "Okay."

Kensuke looked around one last time, this really was a boring house. Taking a step outside, he let out a sigh. 

Something about this apartment structure bugged him. Each floor had only one house, and a tiny corridor leading to the stairs that took them to the next floor. Kensuke couldn't even conduct an inquiry with the neighbors if he wanted to, they all were dead anyways...

Kensuke's eyes widened in realization. How, just how did he miss such an important detail? He ran towards the stairs and climbed up. Not to the second floor, not to the third floor, his destination was the fourth floor. 

He panted hard, reaching the fourth floor. His assistant officer followed behind him.

 

"Sir, why are you here?"

Kensuke glared at the junior. "How could not mention such an important detail to me? is the tenant on the fourth floor, the one who called the cops?"

The officer shook his head. "No, it was the second victim's loan shark. He had come to get the money from her but upon hearing no response, he got angry and broke open the door, discovering the body. Then when the cops arrived and wanted to inquire the neighbors, they found them to be dead too."

Kensuke looked at him in disbelief. "Are you nuts? What about the 4th floor? Why did they not break down the fourth floor?"

"It appears as though they missed it."

"Missed it? MISSED IT? This is a fcking murder case, not some child's play. For all we could know, the 4th tenant also must've been murdered."

Kensuke groaned and dashed towards the house. He knocked on the door aggressively. But no response. Panicked, he took two steps back and was about to body slam the door when it opened. 

Surprised, Kensuke ended up body slamming the person who opened the door.

"Bloody hell, what a great morning." said the guy, with Kensuke on top of him. 

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