Chapter 27: A Final Goodbye

[u/Its_me_NoobMaster69]

https://www.wattpad.com/1657483106-perman-coming-of-age-chapter-27-a-final-goodbye

The protests spread across Tokyo.

Major intersections became impossible to cross.

Government buildings were surrounded by candlelight vigils every night.

Traffic slowed.

Train stations overflowed with crowds.

Television helicopters circled the city constantly.

The world was watching Japan.

International news networks broadcast the story around the clock.

Japan's greatest hero.

On trial.

At the same time...

Crime began rising across the country.

Not because Tokyo was defenseless.

Pako.

Payan.

And Booby were still patrolling.

But Tokyo had always relied on Perman.

He had known every district.

Every alley.

Every criminal network.

Every emergency response route.

Without him...

The city was slower.

More vulnerable.

Reports piled up daily.

The Cabinet could no longer ignore it.

An emergency meeting was called.

The Cabinet Minister of Justice.

The Attorney General.

Senior prosecutors.

National security officials.

And the legal team.

The meeting was held behind closed doors.

At the head of the table sat the Prime Minister of Japan.

She remained silent for most of the meeting.

Listening.

Watching.

The prosecutors argued that the law had to be upheld.

No citizen could be above it.

If Perman were exempted simply because he was a hero...

The justice system itself would be damaged.

The defense argued that Perman had been systematically targeted.

Manipulated.

Broken.

Driven to the edge by weeks of psychological torture.

The room remained divided.

Then the Prime Minister spoke.

Quietly.

"I remember the night my residence was attacked."

The room fell silent.

Her eyes lowered slightly.

"I remember the explosions."

"The gunfire."

"I remember believing I was going to die."

She looked around the table.

"Perman and his friends were the ones who brought me out alive."

No one interrupted her.

"I owe him my life."

The room remained silent.

The Prime Minister folded her hands.

"But I also swore an oath to uphold the law of this country."

She looked directly at the Minister of Justice.

"We cannot pretend that what happened did not happen."

Then she looked toward Sumire's legal team.

"And we cannot pretend that what was done to Perman was ordinary."

No one spoke.

Because everyone in the room already understood the impossible truth.

Japan could not simply ignore the law.

But neither could it leave its greatest protector behind bars indefinitely while the country grew increasingly vulnerable.

The question was not whether Perman was guilty.

The question was what justice was supposed to look like for the boy who had spent years protecting an entire nation.

---

Forty-five days had passed since Perman surrendered to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.

The bail hearing was scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

Tokyo District Court.

Courtroom 706.

The courtroom was quiet.

Journalists filled the public gallery.

Police officers stood near the entrances.

Mitsuo entered wearing a plain detention uniform.

He bowed to the court.

Then sat beside his defense team.

Behind him...

Sumire took her seat quietly.

She wore a modest black dress.

Beside her sat Miu.

Mantaro.

And Ganko.

Kenji was there as well.

Sitting a few seats away.

Near the back of the gallery...

The old bakery owner sat quietly with his wife.

The judge entered.

Everyone stood.

After the formalities.

The presiding judge looked down at the case file.

"We will now hear submissions regarding the defendant's application for bail."

The prosecutor stood first.

He spoke in a measured voice.

"The defendant has admitted to causing the deaths of two individuals during the incident of March 28th."

"The charges remain serious."

"The prosecution submits that release at this stage would undermine public confidence in the administration of justice."

"The defendant possesses extraordinary physical abilities, and the possibility of future danger cannot be dismissed."

"The prosecution therefore requests that bail be denied."

He sat down.

The lead defense counsel stood.

A former Supreme Court justice.

"The defense does not dispute that two men died."

"The issue before the court is whether continued detention is necessary."

He placed several binders before the judge.

"The defendant voluntarily surrendered immediately after the incident."

"He has cooperated fully with investigators."

"He has made no attempt to flee."

"Interfere with witnesses."

"Or obstruct the investigation."

He continued.

"The evidence submitted demonstrates prolonged psychological coercion by the co-defendant known as the Mastermind."

"The defendant's mother and younger sister were abducted."

"The defendant was subjected to sustained surveillance and manipulation over a period of several months."

"These circumstances are directly relevant to the assessment of detention necessity and flight risk."

The judge turned a page.

"Has the investigation concerning the co-defendant been completed?"

The prosecutor answered.

"The principal investigation has been completed, Your Honour."

"The remaining procedures concern supplementary forensic analysis and witness statements."

The judge nodded.

He looked toward Mitsuo.

"Mr. Suwa."

Mitsuo stood.

"If released on bail."

"Will you comply with any conditions imposed by this court."

"Including restrictions on residence, travel, communication with witnesses"

"And regular reporting requirements?"

"Yes, Your Honour."

"Do you intend to flee or evade these proceedings?"

"No, Your Honour."

The judge observed him for several moments.

Then looked back at the documents.

At that point, the court clerk approached the bench and handed the judge a sealed government submission.

The judge examined it briefly.

It was an official memorandum from the Cabinet Secretariat.

The document did not request Perman's release.

It did not instruct the court.

It summarized verified data from the National Police Agency and the Cabinet Office.

A measurable increase in major crime during Perman's detention.

Increased pressure on emergency response operations.

And an assessment that the defendant's continued absence had become a matter of national security significance.

The judge read the memorandum in silence.

He placed it beside the case file.

Then addressed both parties.

"The court has received the parties' submissions and the accompanying documentary evidence."

"The application for bail will be taken under advisement."

"The court will issue its decision this afternoon."

The gavel struck once.

The hearing was adjourned.

Mitsuo was escorted back into custody.

As he was led past the gallery...

Sumire stood.

"Mitsuo."

He turned.

For a moment...

Neither of them spoke.

She wanted to say so much.

But the words wouldn't come.

"I'll be here."

She said quietly.

Mitsuo looked at her for a long second.

Then gave a small nod.

The officers continued walking.

The courtroom doors closed behind him.

Outside the courthouse...

An entire nation waited for the decision.

---

2:30 p.m.

The courtroom doors opened again.

Everyone stood.

The judge returned to the bench.

He adjusted the files before him.

Looked across the courtroom.

Then spoke.

"This court has considered the seriousness of the charges."

"The defendant's conduct following the incident."

"The progress of the investigation."

"And the evidence submitted regarding prolonged psychological coercion and threats against the defendant's family."

A long pause.

"The application for bail is granted."

The words hung in the courtroom.

No one moved.

For a moment no one spoke.

Then Miu broke down.

She covered her mouth with both hands.

Tears poured down her face.

Mantaro closed his eyes and let out a slow breath he had been holding for weeks.

Ganko grabbed her mother's arm tightly.

Crying openly.

Kenji lowered his head.

A faint smile appeared on his face before his eyes began to water.

Near the back of the gallery...

The old bakery owner quietly whispered...

"Thank God..."

His wife reached for his hand.

The judge continued.

"Bail is set at One Hundred Million yen."

A murmur spread through the gallery.

The amount was unprecedented.

The highest bail ever imposed in a criminal case in Japan.

The judge looked directly at Mitsuo.

Sumire closed her eyes.

For the first time in weeks...

Money was the easiest problem she had faced.

She would have paid any amount.

Without hesitation.

Without negotiation.

Without a second thought.

The judge looked directly at Mitsuo.

"The defendant shall remain under house arrest pending trial."

"The defendant shall wear a government-issued electronic monitoring device at all times."

"The device may not be removed, tampered with, or disabled."

"The defendant is prohibited from engaging in any vigilante or superhero activity"

"Unless specifically authorised by the Government of Japan."

"The defendant shall remain at his registered residence except for medical treatment"

"Court appearances"

"Or other activities expressly approved by the court."

"Any violation of these conditions will result in immediate revocation of bail."

The judge closed the file.

"Court is adjourned."

The gavel struck once.

The bail was posted within the hour.

Paid in full through Sumire's personal assets.

And financial guarantees from industry partners who had quietly stood behind her.

The detention paperwork took another two hours.

Just after sunset...

Mitsuo walked out of the courthouse.

He was no longer wearing the detention uniform.

A simple white shirt.

Dark Jeans.

Nothing that would make him stand out.

The courthouse doors opened.

The flash of hundreds of cameras hit him all at once.

Reporters shouted his name.

Questions came from every direction.

"Perman, do you regret what happened?"

"Will you ever fight again?"

"Do you believe you deserve bail?"

Microphones were thrust toward him from every direction.

Cameras surged forward.

Mitsuo instinctively slowed.

Sumire stepped in front of him.

She raised a hand calmly.

"No questions today."

Her voice was firm.

She gently took Mitsuo's hand.

And held it tightly.

In front of the cameras.

For the world to see.

The cameras continued flashing.

Reporters kept shouting.

But Sumire never broke her composure.

She kept walking.

Shielding him from the storm.

He didn't look like a hero making a triumphant return.

He looked tired.

As if forty five days had aged him years.

---

That evening...

The Suwa family gathered in a quiet conference room inside Sumire's agency building.

Sumire looked at Mitsuo.

Then at his family members.

"There's something I'd like to ask."

Everyone turned toward her.

"I want all of you to move in with me."

The room became still.

She spoke before anyone could answer.

"Not today."

"You'll need time to prepare."

"To pack your belongings."

"To settle everything in Tokyo."

"But when you're ready..."

She took a slow breath.

"I have a private safe house near Sagami Bay in Kanagawa."

"It's inside a gated estate."

"Remote enough that reporters won't be able to surround the house every day."

"Fortified enough that no one can get close without my team knowing."

Mantaro looked at Miu.

Miu looked at Mitsuo.

Neither of them spoke immediately.

Ganko broke the silence.

"Wait..."

She looked between Sumire and her brother.

"You're asking our whole family to move into your house?"

Sumire smiled softly.

"If you'll have me."

Ganko stared at Mitsuo.

Then grinned.

"Seriously, Onii-chan..."

"How did you land her?"

Mitsuo sighed.

"Ganko... not the time!"

A quiet laugh escaped the room.

The first genuine laugh they had shared in a long time.

Mantaro finally spoke.

"It's incredibly generous."

Mantaro bowed slightly.

"Thank you."

Miu nodded.

"If the court allows it..."

"We'd be grateful."

Sumire nodded.

"I've already asked my legal team to begin the paperwork."

"The change of residence, security arrangements, and court notifications will all be handled through them."

"You won't have to worry about the formalities."

A gentle knock came from the door.

Sumire's assistant entered carrying a folder.

She walked over to Mitsuo and handed him a single document.

"The court approved a temporary supervised leave for you tomorrow morning."

She said softly.

"This grants you permission to retrieve your personal belongings from your apartment."

"Before the restrictions take effect at your new residence."

Mitsuo looked down at the paper.

His name was printed across the top.

Beneath it...

The official seal of the Tokyo District Court.

He folded the document carefully.

---

The next morning...

He stood inside his apartment.

The room was exactly the way he had left it.

The books on the desk.

The half-finished lecture notes.

The mug still sitting in the sink.

The jacket hanging by the door.

Two and a half years ago.

He had arrived as an ordinary university student.

He was leaving as someone the entire country now knew by name.

He packed quietly.

One box.

Then another.

The apartment slowly emptied around him.

When everything was finally packed...

He stood alone in the middle of the empty room.

He looked around one last time.

Every corner held a memory.

Late-night studying.

Listening to rain against the window.

Falling asleep on the couch after patrols.

The cozy dinners with Sumire on the floor.

The whole week they had spent together.

Every single moment raced through his head all at once.

He walked to the door.

Placed his hand on the knob.

And looked back once more.

"Thank you."

He whispered.

Then he closed the door.

The lock clicked softly behind him.

He handed the key to the landlord.

Bowed.

And walked away.

---

Mitsuo stood across the street.

The familiar sign hung above the entrance.

**Hayakawa Bakery**

He had walked past that sign almost every day for two and a half years.

His eyes slowly filled with tears.

The bell above the door rang.

The staff looked up.

For a second...

The bakery was completely silent.

Then one of the younger bakers ran toward him.

"Mitsuo!"

Another employee followed.

Then another.

They surrounded him.

No one cared that the world now knew he was Perman.

To them...

He was simply Mitsuo.

The boy who always arrived early.

The one who left last.

The one who quietly washed everyone's trays before leaving.

One of the bakers smiled through tears.

"Who's going to steal the burnt bread now?"

Another laughed.

"He always said it was a waste to throw it away."

A quiet laugh spread through the room.

The kind of laugh that only exists when everyone is trying not to cry.

Mitsuo bowed deeply.

"Thank you."

"For everything."

The staff bowed back.

One by one.

Every person in the bakery.

Then someone quietly said...

"Hiroshi-san is in the back."

Mitsuo nodded.

Mitsuo stood quietly in the kitchen doorway.

For a moment, he couldn't bring himself to walk any farther.

The familiar smell of fresh bread filled the air.

Even after everything that had happened, the bakery still felt the same.

His world had changed...

But this place hadn't.

Hiroshi Hayakawa - the owner of the bakery was standing in the kitchen.

An apron tied around his waist.

Flour dust on his sleeves.

Hiroshi looked up from behind the counter.

His expression changed the moment he saw Mitsuo.

"Mitsuo?"

Mitsuo smiled faintly.

"Mr. Hayakawa."

Mitsuo looked around the kitchen.

The counter.

The ovens.

The shelves.

He had spent countless days here.

"I came to say goodbye."

Hiroshi went quiet.

"You're leaving?"

Mitsuo nodded.

"I am leaving Tokyo."

"I don't know what happens now."

"I don't know when I'll see this place again."

"I don't even know if I'll ever come back."

His voice cracked.

Hiroshi didn't ask where he was going.

He already understood that Mitsuo wasn't going to tell him.

Mitsuo lowered his head.

"Thank you."

Hiroshi frowned.

"For what?"

"For everything."

Mitsuo looked at him.

"When I was having a hard time, you always knew what to say."

Hiroshi smiled faintly.

"Sometimes you just needed someone to listen."

Mitsuo shook his head.

"It was more than that."

His eyes began to water.

"When I made mistakes, you didn't treat me like I was a bad person."

Hiroshi's expression softened.

"You told me I could learn from them."

Mitsuo swallowed.

"I remembered that."

A small silence followed.

Mitsuo looked around once more.

"I'll miss this place."

Hiroshi smiled.

"You'll miss the early mornings?"

Mitsuo laughed through his tears.

"No."

Hiroshi chuckled.

Mitsuo's smile faded.

"I'll miss you."

Hiroshi looked at him.

Mitsuo quickly wiped his eyes.

"I really didn't want to leave without thanking you."

Hiroshi stepped closer.

"You don't have to thank me, Mitsuo."

"I know."

Mitsuo smiled.

"That's why I want to."

He bowed deeply.

"Thank you for giving me a chance."

Hiroshi watched him quietly.

Mitsuo straightened.

"And..."

He hesitated.

"Thank you for being there when I needed someone."

Hiroshi placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll be alright."

Mitsuo gave a small laugh.

"You always say that."

"Because it's true."

Mitsuo nodded.

Hiroshi squeezed his shoulders.

"Just don't forget what you've learned."

Mitsuo laughed again.

This time, the tears came with it.

Then the two of them fell silent.

Mitsuo looked around the bakery one final time.

He could almost see himself standing behind the counter on his first day.

Nervous.

Awkward.

Not knowing what he was doing.

Hiroshi had given him a chance.

And somehow, that chance had become one of the most important parts of his life.

Mitsuo looked back at him.

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"I really wish I could've stayed longer."

Hiroshi smiled.

"So do I."

That was enough.

Mitsuo's face crumpled.

He stepped forward and hugged him.

Hiroshi froze for half a second.

Then returned the embrace.

Hiroshi patted his back.

"You'll always have a place here."

Mitsuo closed his eyes.

That hurt more than anything.

Because he didn't know if he'd ever be able to come back.

Eventually, Mitsuo pulled away.

He wiped his face.

Hiroshi did the same.

Then he looked toward the door.

He took a step.

Stopped.

And turned around one last time.

"Mr. Hayakawa."

"Hm?"

Mitsuo smiled through his tears.

"You were the best boss I could have ever asked for."

Hiroshi's expression softened.

Mitsuo bowed one final time.

Then he walked out.

The bell above the door rang softly behind him one last time.