Writing Love Letters in the Enemy’s Toilet - A Vow of Eternal Love, Even After Rebirth (Transmigration) - Chapter 9

Kuno was woken up the next morning by the sound of his phone ringing. When he checked the clock on his cell phone, it was just past five o’clock. He wondered who would call at such an hour and, still with his eyes closed, answered, “Hello…?”

“It’s Haruka Mitsutomo. Did my father say anything to you yesterday?” a flustered voice asked from the other end. Kuno, still half-asleep, had no idea what she was talking about. “Huh? What do you mean?”
Haruka replied, “I’m sorry, my father… he’s missing from the hospital…” Even through the phone, he could tell she was panicking.

Kuno said, “For now, please calm down and tell me everything in order.” Haruka took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts. “The hospital called. During the night rounds, the nurse realized my father was gone. They searched everywhere inside, but he wasn’t there. So I tried looking around—some nearby bars and places he might go—but I couldn’t find him anywhere… Yesterday, when I stepped out for a bit, I thought maybe you’d heard something from him…” Her voice stumbled over itself as she spoke quickly.

“Did your father seem any different yesterday?” Kuno asked. Haruka replied, “He seemed the same as always… If you don’t know either, then—then who should I even ask…?” Her voice broke, and she began to cry.

Kuno gently asked, “Where are you now?” “I’m near the hospital,” Haruka answered. “Alright,” Kuno said, “I’ll come over. You know the Lawson convenience store near the hospital?” “Yes… but I don’t want to trouble you…” she murmured. Kuno held back the urge to say, ‘You woke me up at five a.m.—it’s already plenty of trouble’, and instead told her, “It’s fine. Just wait in front of the Lawson.”

He got dressed and drove to the Lawson. There, he found Haruka crouched down, hugging her knees.
He honked softly, but she didn’t seem to notice.

With no other choice, Kuno got out of the car and stood before her. “Mitsutomo,” he called.
She finally looked up, eyes swollen, her face a mess of tears and runny nose.

“You could’ve waited inside…” Kuno said softly. At that, it was as if the tension snapped—like a lost child seeing her parent again, Haruka began crying even harder.

There weren’t many people around yet, but Kuno didn’t want it to look like he’d made her cry. “Anyway, get in the car,” he said, helping her inside and handing her some tissues. “S-sob… I’m sorry…” she sniffled loudly as she took them and blew her nose.

Kuno thought her mother must also be worried sick. “What about your mom?” he asked.
“When she heard Dad was missing, she fainted… But she’s okay now. I put her to bed at home,” Haruka replied.

“Have you filed a missing person’s report with the police?” Kuno asked.
“Not yet…”
“Then let’s go now!” he said and started the car.

They arrived at the Totsuka Sakagami Police Station. A police officer stood outside the automatic doors.
They walked past him and entered. On the right side was a counter. Kuno approached it and asked, “Excuse me, where do we go to file a missing person’s report?”

A man behind the counter asked, “Since when has the person been missing? I can handle it here.”
Haruka stepped forward. “Since last night. The hospital searched everywhere, but they couldn’t find my father…” The man handed her some forms. “Is your father suffering from dementia? Was he carrying any ID or contact info?”

Haruka took the forms and said, “He disappeared from the hospital, but it’s not like he wandered off aimlessly…”
“I see. My apologies. We’ve been getting a lot of such cases lately,” the officer replied.
“For now, please fill out this form.”

As Haruka filled out the form at the counter, another officer looked over and asked, “Hey, weren’t you the one from that gas leak accident?” Apparently, he remembered how Haruka had raised a fuss back then, asking them to investigate it properly when her father, Mitsutomo, had fallen unconscious.

“Yes, that’s right…” Haruka answered. The man gave her a doubtful look.

Once Haruka finished, she handed it back. “Please find him.” But unlike before, the officer’s attitude was noticeably colder. “Alright, we’ll process it. We’ll contact you if there’s any news.”

Frustration bubbled up in Haruka’s voice. “You’re not going to look for him right away!?”
“We’ll follow procedure. As soon as we have something, we’ll call. You can go home now,” the man said curtly.

Seeing her face redden with anger, steam practically rising from her head, Kuno quickly grabbed her hand. “Let’s just go,” he said, half-dragging her out of the station.

Once she was back in the car, Kuno sighed. “They’re not going to be much help. If they reopen the case, they’ll have to admit that what they called an ‘accident’ might’ve been a suicide. They’d rather avoid that.”

He started the engine. “For now, let’s head back to the hospital. Maybe they’ve found him. If not, we’ll ask the other patients in the same room if they noticed anything.”

Haruka looked at him in awe. “You’re amazing… I didn’t even think that far.” Kuno smiled faintly. “If it were my own family, I’d probably be the same as you.” “Thank you…” she whispered, her earlier energy gone, replaced by quiet exhaustion.

At the hospital, Haruka went to the nurse station. “Have you found my father yet?” The nurse shook her head. “Not yet. It’s strange—he shouldn’t be able to get far on his own…”
“I see…” Haruka said.
“We’re short-staffed now that the morning shift’s started,” the nurse added apologetically.
“I understand. I’ve filed a report with the police. Please let me know if you find him,” Haruka said.

“Let’s check his room,” Kuno suggested. “Maybe he left a note or something.” They went to the hospital room.

A man sitting on the front-right bed spoke up. “I heard Mitsutomo’s gone missing?”
“Yes… Did you notice anything unusual yesterday? Or see him leave late at night?” Haruka asked.

“Hmm… not really. I was sound asleep,” the man replied, then turned. “Yamada, did you see anything?”
“No, I didn’t. I always fall asleep listening to music with earphones,” Yamada answered.
“What about you, Kato?” he asked the man in the back-left bed.

Kato said, “Now that you mention it… I think I heard voices in the middle of the night. But I figured maybe a nurse was helping him to the bathroom. Everyone closes their curtains at night, so I couldn’t see.”

“I see. Thank you,” Haruka said, bowing before walking toward the back-right bed—her father’s.

The blanket was rumpled, the crutches still neatly standing at the side.Haruka opened the bedside drawer, checked under the TV stand, and looked around for clues.

“Find anything?” Kuno asked. Haruka shook her head. Kuno frowned. “Didn’t your father have an IV drip? He couldn’t have gone far dragging that along—and he left the crutches, too.”
“You’re right… the IV’s gone,” she said quietly.

“Maybe those voices Kato heard—someone was helping your father leave?” “But who would do that…?” she whispered.

“Let’s ask the nurses if your father used the nurse call button last night. Then we’ll grab something to eat and think things through,” Kuno said.

“Now that you mention it, I haven’t eaten anything since morning…” Then suddenly, she froze. “Oh no, I woke you up so early and kept you all this time. I’m so sorry!”
She bowed deeply.

Kuno froze for a second. Now? he thought, and couldn’t help but laugh. A soft “Pfft” escaped him.
Haruka glanced up shyly, cheeks red, and walked toward the door with her head lowered. At the doorway, she turned. “Excuse me,” she murmured, then left.

She passed the nurse station, heading toward the elevators. “Wait, Mitsutomo!” Kuno called, pointing toward the nurse station. “Oh!” she said, realizing, and hurried back.

“Excuse me,” Haruka asked the nurse, “was there any nurse call from my father last night?” The nurse checked the log. “No, there’s no record of any call from him.” “I see. Thank you very much,” Haruka said, and went toward the elevators. Kuno bowed politely to the nurse and followed.

Inside the elevator, Haruka said, “I’m really sorry for everything today. Let me treat you to a meal.” “Oh, no, don’t worry about it,” Kuno replied. “But you’ve helped me so much…” she insisted.
“Really, it’s fine—” he began, but Haruka suddenly brightened. “Then please, have dinner at my place! I’ll make something. I also want to check on my mom.”

Later, Kuno sat in her living room, fighting off sleep as he watched TV. From the kitchen came the sounds of cooking. “Just wait a bit, it’s almost done,” Haruka said, bringing him a cup of coffee.

After a while, she called out, “It’s ready!” On the table were fried rice, wakame soup, and gyoza. “Please, go ahead,” she said. “Thank you for the meal,” Kuno replied, taking a bite of the fried rice. “Mm, it’s delicious!” “I’m glad. I’ll go check on my mother,” Haruka said, placing porridge on a tray and leaving.

Kuno finished eating, but she didn’t return. He cleaned up the dishes and sat on the sofa, turning on the TV. A news report came on: “Last night, an intruder broke into the U.S. Department of Defense…”

Somewhere nearby, he heard clinking dishes and running water. The sound grew closer, and Kuno woke up—apparently, he’d fallen asleep. In the kitchen, Haruka was washing dishes.

“Sorry, I must’ve dozed off,” Kuno said.
“That’s fine. You looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to wake you,” Haruka smiled. It was already past four.
“Well, I don’t really have anything waiting for me at home anyway,” Kuno said lightly. “Would you like something to drink?” Haruka asked. “Coffee, please,” he replied, moving to the table.

As he sat down, she asked, “It’s instant coffee—sugar and milk?” “Black, please.”
“Here you go,” she said, setting down two cups and taking the seat across from him.
“I thought you liked sweet coffee—when we were at Café Original, you ordered a caramel macchiato.”
“I do like sweets, but I usually drink iced coffee black,” Kuno said with a small smile.

“By the way, how’s your mother doing?” he asked.
“She’s calmed down. She said she’s too embarrassed to meet you without makeup and still in pajamas, but she sends her regards,” Haruka said with a laugh. “Please, don’t worry about greetings,” Kuno replied gently.

“So, about your father… Did the police or hospital contact you?”
“No… Nothing from either of them,” Haruka said quietly.
“I see… If the police won’t do anything…” Kuno paused, thinking.
“Actually… your father told me not to say this, but now that he’s missing, I think you should know.”

“What do you mean? You didn’t mention anything on the phone—did my father say something to you yesterday?”
“Please stay calm—it might sound unbelievable,” Kuno began seriously.
“The day we met at Café Original, when you fainted for a few minutes— During that time… I met your father. In a dream.”

Haruka stared at him.
“At a time like this? You’re joking, right? If this is a joke, I’ll be mad!” But his expression was completely serious.

“Please, just hear me out,” Kuno said. He told her about the dream— how he found a man buried underground like a mummified monk, how he dug him out and helped him, how that man was Mitsutomo, the same man in the photo she’d shown him, and how Mitsutomo told him that the gas leak hadn’t been an accident, but a suicide attempt. He regretted worrying his family and asked Kuno not to tell anyone.

Haruka’s eyes filled with tears. She had always suspected it wasn’t an accident.
“So it really was suicide…” she whispered.
“I know it’s hard to believe. But the fact he made me promise not to tell you—that shows how deeply he regretted causing you pain,” Kuno said softly.

“But why would he do that?” Haruka asked.
“That’s the question. Even in the dream, he didn’t say why. Maybe his disappearance is connected,” Kuno said. “That’s why I decided to tell you.”

“Thank you… I didn’t even know where to start anymore. I’ll try to find out the reason behind it first,” she said.
“Right. You mentioned he was acting strange the day before the accident? Maybe we can find out who he met that day.”
“He had work that day. Afterward, he was supposed to meet someone… Wait, I think his notebook—”
Haruka jumped up and ran out.

A few minutes later, her hurried footsteps sounded on the stairs. She returned, clutching a notebook and phone. “Here—it says he met someone named Suzuki the day before the accident.”
“Let’s call him,” Kuno said, finding the number in Mitsutomo’s phone. “Got it.”

Haruka dialed from her own phone. Seeing Kuno’s puzzled look, she explained, “Oh, my dad’s phone was canceled a while ago.”
“Ah, I see,” Kuno nodded.

The call connected. “Hello? Sorry to bother you so late—this is Mitsutomo’s daughter. Is this Suzuki-san?”
Kuno smiled inwardly. Much more polite than I was, he thought, turning his eyes aside to hide it.

A loud, formal voice answered, “Ah, his daughter? Don’t tell me—you’re calling to say Mitsutomo passed away?” His voice was booming, clear even without speakerphone.

“No, no, nothing like that,” Haruka said quickly. Apparently, he didn’t know Mitsutomo had regained consciousness.
“It’s just… he was acting strange the day before the accident, and I wondered if you might know something. Could we meet to talk?”

“Ah, yes, I remember—we met that day, and the next morning I heard about the accident. I was shocked.
If after work is fine, we can meet tomorrow,” Suzuki said.

“Thank you. What time and where would be convenient?”
“Hmm… Yokohama Station okay? I should get there around six.”
“Alright, six o’clock. West or East exit?”
“West, in front of Takashimaya.”
“Got it. Tomorrow at six, in front of Takashimaya, West Exit. Thank you,” she said and hung up.

Kuno gave her a thumbs-up. “Nice work! Then let’s meet at Totsuka Station, under the gates, at five-thirty.”
“Will you come with me?” Haruka’s eyes sparkled, but then dimmed. “Wait, don’t you have work…?”

“I’m on medical leave until I’m fully recovered,” Kuno said. Her face brightened instantly.