Already... No Turning Back

"I killed him."

"I bought the oolong tea in advance, then injected Potassium Cyanide into the can."

"The medicine bottle, syringe, and other tools were thrown into a trash can in the Beika Commercial Development Zone."

"Then I hid the poisoned tea in my briefcase and walked back with Mr. Dejima as though nothing had happened—"

"We'd been busy at the client's company these past few days. This wasn't the first time we'd walked back like this."

"I knew that, based on his habits over the past few days, he would definitely stop at the vending machine halfway there to buy a drink."

"So I found the right opportunity and deliberately stood ahead of Mr. Dejima. Then, while bending down to get some orange juice, I secretly placed the poisoned oolong tea from my bag into the dispensing slot."

"He loved oolong tea and was naturally fond of taking advantage of little bargains."

"So I knew Mr. Dejima would pick up that can of oolong tea and drink it. I could then disguise this case as an indiscriminate poisoning murder similar to the 'Poisoned Cola Incident.'"

"And in the end... I did indeed 'succeed.'"

He gave a complete account of how he had committed the crime.

It was as if mournful music began to play somewhere in the unseen distance.

With tears in his eyes, Imai Tetsuo began speaking of the past.

"It's true that I worked as Dejima Sohei's assistant for thirty years, but it wasn't something I wanted."

"As early as twenty years ago, I tried to resign and strike out on my own by opening an independent studio."

"But back then..."

But back then, Dejima Sohei had found his tool-like assistant far too useful, and he had also been jealous of the younger man's talent and ability.