24 December 796

'Hassan' is the name of a village with about a hundred people. It's on the outskirts of the large city of Fort and, like other villages nearby, serves as a stopping point for adventurers heading to Fort.

It's a fairly quiet village where everyone knows each other and helps each other through difficulties.

It's the morning of the eve of Creation, and something unusual is happening at Mr. Straus' grocery store: a boy is hiding food in his pockets. He acts stealthily, looking around and trying not to be noticed.

There are no other customers in the store, and the owner is at the cash register reading the newspaper.

"There will be a big party in Fort tonight. Ah, I remember the past years when I used to go with my beloved Kiyomi..."

Unaware of what the boy is doing, Mr. Straus continues reminiscing. After a few minutes, the boy goes to the cash register with his pockets full of items but shows Mr. Straus only a bag of chips.

"You're only taking this? You owe me just a small stark!"

The boy pays and heads towards the exit.

"Wait, Shun!" Mr. Straus calls from behind the counter.

Shun, realizing he's been caught, flees from the store, hoping not to slip on the snow falling for several days.

Confused by Shun's behavior, Mr. Straus contemplates:"I just wanted to ask him how his mother was; why did he run away? I'll talk to Raven as soon as I see him..."

...

Shun, realizing he's not being followed, stops and catches his breath.

'This is the first time I've stolen in my life!' He thinks bitterly.

Then, without resting further, he starts running, finally entering an alley.

Here he encounters a group of boys a little older than him.

The burliest among them, Kenji, takes a step forward and asks:"So, did you do what we told you?"

Shun empties his pockets, dropping a bag of sweets, chips, and various snacks on the ground.

Another boy approaches and shoves Shun, making him fall. Then he kneels down and starts collecting those treats, saying, "Who told you to throw them on the ground! Now I have to pick them up!"

Humiliated, Shun gets up, then kneels again, putting his head down and says: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! Can I have it back now...?"

Kenji signals to another boy standing behind to give him what he asked for, and an object is thrown towards Shun.

He looks at Kenji with teary eyes and catches it on the fly. Afterwards, he stands up, lowers his gaze towards the group, and runs away.

"We'll be waiting here tomorrow too... Don't miss it!" Kenji warns, with a threatening air.

Having returned what was demanded of him, Kenji feels somehow appeased by this extortion.

'I am a generous God!' He thinks, watching Shun nodding at his words.

So, while that group of kids begins to eat, Shun heads home. On one hand, he is happy and relieved to have recovered the precious item, but on the other hand, he starts feeling guilty for robbing Mr. Straus, a well-liked person in the village.

Within about ten minutes, he finally reaches home. He opens the door, and seeing his mother approaching, he quickly hides the item in a pocket.

"Shun, where did you go so early!" She shouts with a concerned look, not waiting for an answer and just hugging him.

Shun, on his part, takes the bag of chips from the other pocket and shows it to her, saying: "I went to Mr. Straus's to get this..."

"But Shun... I could have gone! I didn't know where you were; you worried me! Don't go out without telling me anything anymore!" She replies, trying to hold back tears.

"O-Okay, Mom! But don't cry now!"

So he distances himself from her and runs to his room, where waiting for him on the bed is a black cat that is resting after sleeping too much the night before.

Shun hides the item in his bedside table, then sits on the bed and approaches his cat.

"Mr. Whisker... I did a bad thing!" He tells him quietly while lifting him and putting him on his lap.

Shun starts petting him, making Mr. Whisker not only purr, but also give him belly massages with his paws.

Then he reflects on the intense morning: first, he bought an item in a store, spending all his pocket money. Then that group of bullies robbed him, ordering him to give them treats to get that item back. Finally, he also worried his mother...

"Meow meooow!" Mr. Whisker responds.

Shun, seeking comfort in his only friend, says: "You don't need to scold me; I already know I did something wrong... What can I do now?"

"Meow meooow!"

"Yeah, yeah, I think so too. This gift is too important."

...

A few hours later, Raven returns home after working all morning in his office nearby. Upon entering, his wife warmly greets him: "Welcome back, Raven. Did everything go well at work?" Raven hangs his coat on the rack and rushes to embrace his wife.

"It went well, Kyo! You know how peaceful this village is. How about you? Did Shun and Mr. Whisker get into trouble?" He asks, smiling.

Kyo steps away from his embrace, glances towards Shun's room, and speaks loudly enough for him to hear: "This morning, Shun left the house without telling me anything! I was worried sick; I thought something had happened to him!"

Understanding the situation, Raven plays along, saying: "I can't believe it! Our child behaved like that...?"

"Yeah! Exactly like that! But it's not his fault! It's ours for being bad parents!" Kyo continues, trying to hold back laughter.

Raven, adopting a thoughtful and serious tone, says loudly: "Kyo... There's only one thing left to do now... We have to entrust Shun to other parents... We have to say goodbye!"

After hearing those words, Shun comes out of his room crying, running towards his parents, saying: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Stay with me!"

Kyo hugs him and massages his back, then consoles him: "Don't worry, Shun. We were just joking! Come on, don't cry! It's all your father's fault! He told me to say those mean things!"

Raven, surprised by the turnabout, is caught off guard.

"Eh?" He responds, looking at Shun, who is crying and pouting at him.

"Tonight I'll buy you 5 pizzas to make it up to you, okay Shun?" Raven says, trying to appease his sadness and anger.

As suspected, after hearing about "pizza" Shun's face brightens. He first turns to Kyo, asking: "W-was it really a joke?"

Only after she nods, he turns to Raven and says: "Even if you get me pizzas, I won't forgive you!"

Resigned, Raven collapses to his knees, then pounds the floor with his fists, and exclaims: "Why?! Why?!"

Feeling sorry for her husband, Kyo says something to Shun in a low voice, which he then repeats to his father: "Okay, Dad, tonight I'll give you a pizza, don't cry now!"

Raven looks up joyfully and says: "A pizza! My son is giving me a pizza!" He then takes Shun's hand, kneeling on one knee, and kisses it.

"Alright, alright, let's go have lunch now!" Kyo says, heading towards the dining room.

"Okay, Mom! I'll go call Mr. Whisker too!" Shun says, getting up from the floor and going to his room.

...

4:00 PM

Shun plays in his room with Mr. Whisker, while Kyo and Raven sit on the couch watching a TV show.

After about ten minutes, Kyo approaches Raven and sits on his lap, wrapping an arm around his back and using his chest as a pillow.

Raven, accustomed to this behavior, asks her:"Are you comfortable now?"

She nods, then asks him: "Tomorrow, I'll help with the preparations for the party. Did you talk to Mr. Shingo?"

"Yeah... I asked if I could take my shift in the morning to have the evening free, and he allowed it. He said: 'Young people should have fun!' And then started talking about his youth adventures!" He replies, starting to caress her thigh with one hand.

"We should bring him a gift basket tomorrow. You've been a policeman for just over a year, and he took you under his wing... He deserves all our respect..." Kyo continues, starting to give him little kisses on the neck.

"Mmmn, you're right... If it weren't for him, I don't know how I would have managed..." Raven responds with growing difficulty.

Before doing anything else, Raven looks towards Shun's room to make sure he's still there, and hearing his shouts along with the cat's meows, it seems to be the case. Finding the path clear, he lies down on the couch with Kyo, covering themselves with a blanket...

...

December 25th

7:00 PM

The Creation Festival kicks off with a lighting ceremony: dozens of colorful lanterns are lit and hung along the village streets, creating a magical and warm atmosphere. The sparkling snow under the lights enhances the charm of the event.

Mr. Shingo, in his police uniform, patrols the central square where people gather. Laughter and festive voices fill the air as residents exchange greetings and approach carefully arranged food stalls.

Kyo and Raven try local specialties; the scent of traditional foods wafts through the air, inviting others to savor the festival delicacies. Tables are adorned with colorful dishes, from hot soup to elaborate desserts.

Meanwhile, Shun, accompanied by Mr. Whisker, explores the stalls, curious to discover the wonders of the festival. His attention is captured by a group of street performers showcasing incredible fire-lance performances, creating a fascinating spectacle that leaves everyone breathless.

The central stage comes alive with various performances, from traditional music to engaging dances. The residents of Hassan showcase their talents in various artistic disciplines, engaging the audience and creating a sense of community connection.

The night sky lights up with sparkling fireworks, reflecting on the fresh snow. Laughter and applause mix with the sound of music, transforming the square into a place of joy and celebration.

...

At some point, Shun encounters a robust boy: It's Kenji.

As he looks at him, Shun widens his eyes, recalling the meeting he was supposed to have with him that morning.

Instinctively, he turns to go back, but Kenji puts a hand on his shoulder and stops him, saying: "If you run or scream, I'll tell everyone you stole yesterday morning. Mr. Straus is loved by the whole village; after his wife's death, he became everyone's grandfather. Even if your father is a policeman, he won't be able to do anything to help you, considering he would be disappointed by your behavior!"

Shun is petrified hearing those statements; he loses strength in his arms and lets go of Mr. Whisker, who then jumps to the ground.

"Meow!" The cat starts rubbing against his legs when the bully approaches and takes him, holding him to his chest.

Shun recovers from his confused state after a few seconds; he looks around to find Mr. Whisker in Kenji's arms.

In front of his eyes, the same event that happened the day before is unfolding; this time, Kenji has taken something much more important.

"Give me back my cat right now!" He yells, tears are starting to streak his face.

"Tomorrow morning, come back to the same alley and bring me more snacks, or I'll play with your precious kitten..." Kenji replies, then walks away.

Not having the courage to follow him, Shun kneels on the ground and bursts into tears.

A couple of people see him in that state, so they accompany him to Raven and Kyo.

Shun didn't have the strength to say anything, except stammer "Whisker" multiple times; so they understood that the cat probably wandered away from him and didn't return.

Raven thought about searching for him, but it would have been difficult in the darkness and with all those people, so he decides to return home with Kyo and Shun.

....

10:00 PM

Kyo is in Shun's bedroom, who has curled up under the covers.

"Come on, my little one, see that tomorrow morning we'll find him; your father will search the whole village for him. Cats are smart too, so Mr. Whisker might find his way home on his own!" She says with a calm and encouraging voice while lying on the bed next to him, remaining above the covers.

Shun has never stopped crying, except on a few occasions.

Raven enters the room carrying two cups of hot chocolate.

"Hasn't he calmed down yet?" He asks Kyo, handing her a cup.

Kyo takes it and replies with a somewhat worried tone :"Not yet, but it's normal for him to still be upset; after all, Mr. Whisker is his best friend..."

Raven goes to the side of the bed where Shun is hiding, then tells him with a confident voice: "Shun, how about having some hot chocolate? It will help you calm down. Tomorrow, I'll go look for Mr. Whisker; what do you say about coming with me? We'll also get help from the villagers, and we'll find him right away."

Shun knows very well that the cat hasn't disappeared but has been kidnapped. Still, he can't bring himself to say it because he doesn't want them to find out that he stole from the store...

Noticing the silence, Raven places the cup on the bedside table, then walks away, along with Kyo.

Sometimes, situations arise where facing difficulties alone can be more beneficial.

Once in their room, Kyo asks Raven: "It's going to snow tonight... What if something happens to him?"

Raven squeezes her hand and tries to comfort her:"He probably found a place to hide! Besides, with all that fur, he's a living heater. Don't worry, tomorrow I'll search for him with the others all day!"

His voice, radiating so much assurance, reassures her and makes her smile.

She approaches Raven, then hugs him tightly and says: "I love you so much... Meeting you has been my greatest joy. I will never tire of telling you that!"

Raven's heart warms hearing those words. They've known each other since they were kids, yet every day he feels in love just like the first time.

"I love you too, Kyo... And I will always love you."

....

December 26th

2:00 AM

Raven and Kyo are sleeping in their room while Shun struggles to fall asleep in his. Mr. Whisker has slept with him every night for five years now; for half of his life, he has been in the company of that cat. More than a friend, Mr. Whisker is like a brother to him.

He ponders in bed about what to do: "Do I have to steal again from Mr. Straus? But I can't... Last time he noticed something; if I go again, he'll start asking questions and checking on me... So, how can I get Mr. Whisker back? I hope Kenji hasn't harmed him... And what if... What if... What if he kills him?"

The mere thought of that ending makes him tremble from head to toe.

"If I don't go tomorrow, he'll hurt him. Mr. Whisker is a bit chubby, not as agile as other cats... But if I go... What can I do to get him back?"

He stares into space for a few moments, looking worried and thoughtful.

Moments turn into minutes, and without realizing, thirty minutes pass. At some point, as if he had received an enlightenment, he gets up from bed and goes to a room in the house that Raven uses as an office.

...

....

9:00 AM

Shun gets ready in his room to meet Kenji. Raven, on the other hand, has asked Mr. Shingo for a day off to search for the cat. As promised, he's getting help from some villagers.

"Mom, I'm going out to look for Mr. Whisker!" He yells after reaching the exit.

"Wait, Shun! Maybe it's not a good idea to go, for-" Kyo is interrupted by the sound of the closing door. Deep down, she knows there's a possibility that their cat might be dead, due to the cold or any other reason, and she doesn't want her son to see him in that state.

"I just have to hope that everything will be fine... Right, Raven?" She speaks aloud, relying on her husband's words.

After leaving the house, Shun runs towards that alley, ignoring the compassionate glances of the people he encounters.

Raven has informed several of them about Mr. Whisker, but for various reasons, they couldn't participate in the search.

Within five minutes, Shun arrives at his destination. He enters the alley and sees Kenji's figure in the distance. After a moment of hesitation, he approaches him, with a hand in his pocket.

"So, you came today..." Kenji states, with a hand behind his back.

"W-Where is my cat?" Shun asks with concern.

"Where are my snacks?" Kenji retorts, with a tense look.

Shun remains silent, not having the snacks with him, he doesn't know what to say.

Kenji, from his perspective, interprets that silence as Shun's willingness to see the cat first and then deliver the snacks. So, reluctantly, he brings forward the arm he had behind his back, revealing Mr. Whisker.

Upon seeing his cat, Shun feels a growing happiness, as if his heart is about to explode with joy; so, he approaches to take him.

Kenji, however, is not so kind as to wait for him and makes him fall to the ground.

Unconcerned about Kenji's rude behavior, Shun's attention is completely focused on his cat.

'Why isn't he meowing?'

'Why isn't he getting up?'

'Why isn't he rubbing against me?'

...

His thoughts are interrupted by Kenji, who tells him: "Don't make that face; he won't die from so little!"

At that moment, Shun realizes that Mr. Whisker has been mistreated by Kenji, who reduced him to that state just for amusement.

"Now that I've given your cat back, give me the snacks! I've been too kind to respect the agreement first!" He orders arrogantly.

Shun's mind empties of any thought. His eyes shift from the lifeless body of his cat to his hand.

He only realizes at that moment that he's holding his father's gun.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing with that toy gun? Do you think you can scare me? I'm two years older than you, do you think I don't know that that gun is fake?" Kenji mocks.

Shun ignores his words and raises his left arm, pointing the gun at his head.

...

In a normal situation, that gun would never have fired for several reasons, one of which is that Shun doesn't know how it works. Raven has never discussed it with him for obvious reasons; all he knows about this gun is from television.

He knows that to shoot, you have to pull the trigger, at which point a bullet comes out of the barrel and kills the target.

The gun is a very delicate weapon, so Raven keeps it in his office in a locked box, positioned high on a shelf. This is to prevent Shun from getting hold of it under any circumstances.

Yesterday night, Shun went to that room and found the box on the desk.

Raven had forgotten to put it away.

Looking closely at the box, Shun notices that the key was still in the lock.

Raven had forgotten to remove it.

Shun turned the key and opened the box, inside of which was the gun and the belt with the bullets; after seeing the weapon, he took it without looking further. He closed the box with the key, which then remained in the lock.

Today, Raven didn't take the gun because he isn't on duty. Mr. Shingo kindly gave him a day off, so he isn't allowed to carry firearms as an ordinary resident.

When he is on duty, he is allowed not only to have it, but also to have a bullet already in the chamber; this is done to reduce response time in emergency situations. Despite being a peaceful village, it's difficult to reject academic training, especially when it comes from the police academy.

Raven forgot to remove the bullet.

His gun is equipped with a safety, which, when activated, allows him to prevent an accidental shot by preventing the trigger from moving.

Raven absentmindedly removed the safety before putting the gun back in the box.

...

....

"Boom."

The bullet comes out without any problem and hits Kenji in the forehead, making him fall backward and die instantly.

Shun falls backward due to the recoil, with the gun slipping from his hands during the fall, coming to rest by his feet.

The gunshot was deafening; many villagers heard it, though they weren't sure if it was a gunshot; but the policeman can clearly distinguish it.

In a couple of minutes, Raven runs to that alley and sees his son kneeling in the distance.

He immediately thinks the worst and rushes towards him; only then does he discover the body of the other boy.

"Shun, what happened?! Shun, look at me!" Raven yells, noticing his gun on the ground.

Shun doesn't say anything, so Raven starts shaking his shoulders gently.

Only then does Shun finally decide to look at him, showing his vacant gaze. Raven notice that in his arms, he has his beloved cat, who no longer breathes.

Having understood the situation, Raven no longer panics and approaches Kenji; even with a gunshot to the forehead, he feels his pulse and, not perceiving the heartbeat, confirms the death.

Afterward, he takes the traumatized Shun in his arms and hides him in a nearby dumpster.

"You can't be found here!" He tells him, imagining the problems that might arise.

He removes his jacket and uses it to cover Mr. Whisker's body before placing it on Shun's lap, telling him with a now calm voice: "Little one, stay with him a little longer... I'm sure he would appreciate that."

He closes the dumpster lid, concealing his son. Then he takes the gun, wipes off the prints with his shirt, and grips it.

He wasn't the only one to hear the gunshot; surely Mr. Shingo would be arriving shortly.

"Hey, Raven! Why were you running like that?" The village baker, who was helping in the search, catches up to him.

After reaching about ten meters from him, he notices that Raven has a gun in his hand and that there's a boy's body two meters away.

"W-What happened, Raven? Who did this?" He asks, frightened and confused, realizing that the sound they heard was a gunshot.

Raven looks at the gun in his hands and reflects on how it's possible that it ended up like this... Then says: "Mr. Sato... I shot that boy." Raven declares with seriousness.

"But don't talk nonsense! You were with me when we heard that gunshot!" Mr. Sato says, baffled.

Raven looks at him with determination and then points to the dumpster.

"You came at the right time; my son is in there... He found our cat... Please, take him to my wife; Mr. Shingo will be here soon..." He asks, eyes welling up.

Mr. Sato, hearing those words, remains surprised.

'You don't mean that...'

He thinks he has figured out how things went, so he approaches the dumpster without asking further questions. There he finds Shun in a terrifying condition, holding onto Raven's jacket...

He lifts him, being careful not to let Mr. Whisker fall, takes one last look at Raven, who nods, and says him: "Now go!"

Mr. Sato rushes away and heads to Shun's house.

After a couple of minutes, Raven hears someone approaching from the only entrance to that alley: It's Mr. Shingo, along with other villagers.

Mr. Shingo watches in astonishment at the scene unfolding before his eyes. He then pulls out his gun and points it at Raven, while at the same time ordering the people behind him to step away.

"Raven! Explain yourself! What happened? Did you shoot that boy?!" He shouts incredulously.

Raven never lets go of the gun, at least not until that moment. He throws it towards his superior and then kneels down, putting his hands behind his back and confesses: "Yes, it was me. I killed him!"

His tone of voice, direct and without any uncertainty, widens Mr. Shingo's eyes.

"But why did you do it?! You didn't seem like that kind of person! Damn it, Raven! You have a family, did you think about them?!"

Mr. Shingo doesn't believe it, or at least he doesn't want to. He has known Raven for almost two years and trusted him; he has never seen him angry, nor has he ever seen him agitated.

'Why did he shoot a boy... It makes no sense...' He repeats to himself mentally, unable to believe it.

"So? Why don't you tell me anything, Raven? Do you have any idea how this story will end?!"

Suddenly someone runs towards the boy's body, so quickly that Mr. Shingo can't stop him; it's Mr. Hikaru, who owns a silk shop.

As soon as Mr. Hikaru sees him, he immediately recognizes him and shouts:"Oh my god, I saw correctly... it's Kenji! Sofia and Koki Niles' son!"

Then he looks at Raven with a frightened look and moves away from him again, standing behind Mr. Shingo.

Raven keeps his gaze fixed downwards, unable to muster the courage to look the man who has guided him up until that moment in the eyes.

"Mr. Shingo... Arrest me, I'm the murderer!"

Reluctant from the entire situation, Mr. Shingo puts the gun back in its holster and takes out handcuffs.

Without saying anything else, he moves past Raven and, once behind him, easily puts them on him; then he makes him stand up and with extreme difficulty and bitterness tells him:"You have been arrested for the murder of Kenji Niles. I will take you to our station, where you will remain locked in a cell until our superiors come to get you. At that point, you will be transferred to the maximum-security prison in Fort... Do you have anything else to add, Raven? Do you really want it to end like this?"

Mr. Shingo never believed his statements; he is convinced that Raven is hiding something from him. Having been a policeman for over twenty years, he is certain of knowing the people he comes into contact with, especially when he has known them for several years.

Raven, however, continues to remain silent, with an empty and expressionless gaze...