When Hakuba looked at the pair of plane tickets in his hands, he felt a certain sense of dread. They were meant to be a gift, a fresh start, and something to get his mind off of the recent verdict of his suspension. But all that they did was drive his failure home. While he’d completed his nine year-long quest, he’d destroyed everything else that he’d built in the process. The fact that his father was extending an offer of help was more than enough evidence of that.

It’d been almost seven years since he’d left Japan for what he’d hoped would be a permanent change. Once he’d graduated from Ekoda High School, it was straight to Oxford with only one or two minor distractions by way of kidnapping and torture, graduated with a four year degree in criminal science with a minor in english (emphasis in journalism), applied for and granted full British citizenship, and been welcomed into Scotland Yard with open, greedy arms. Nearly everything had gone according to plan, just as had been designated oh so many years ago… with a few niggling changes in the details.

…something about a the famous international Hakuba Saguru being forced into early retirement at twenty-four years old, hospitalized for nearly a year due to a broken back. The papers failed to mention the circumstances of the incident, of course, but it was just as well given that his heroism came with the sordid details of deliberate disobedience, drug addiction, and (court ruled ‘justifiable’) homicide. 

Still, the fact of the matter was that Hakuba was in desperate need for a change in scene, and as much as he would have loved to run to Paris or Rio, neither could offer the familial support that he needed. Not that his father, the still-presiding Superintendent General, really could, but the wealth of onsens and homeopathic remedies available seemed promising.

Depressing, but promising. 

But… there was one small glimmer of hope. And that was in the form of his once idol and colleague, Kudou Shinichi. They’d never had the chance to really connect while he was in Japan before, mostly due to the other’s sudden disappearance, but if he were returning, perhaps… 

Well, it was worth a shot, anyway. It wasn’t as if Hakuba expected this letter to result in anything different. Previous correspondence had been ignored, and despite his best efforts to investigate Kudou’s whereabouts, he had never found any sort of useful resolution. No closure. 

He drafted the letter in four attempts and posted it via Royal Mail, international, overnight. Just in case. Enclosed was nothing but a single sheet of paper with scribbled blue characters– the shaky handwriting of a once steady hand.

Dearest 
My fi 
Greetin

Kudou Shinichi,

I hope that this letter finds you well. I know that it has been quite some time since we last spoke, but Ihope that thi I do hope that this will reach you. It seems that I will be returning to Japan to visit for six months an indep indeterm undetermined unspecified period of time, but if agreeable, would very much appreciate the chance to meet with you.

There are many things that I would like to discuss with you, not the least of which being the death defeat of my so-called Moriarty and your opin ethical opinion of such.

Please respond if willing – I  via post, email, or phone at the information listed below.

Sincerely yours,

Hakuba S. J.

It would have to do.

Japan, for Hakuba, teemed with loose ends. It was possible, however, that there was no better time than the present to fix that.