"The first taste of happiness always comes with the lingering bitterness of memory."
"For Nakado Kei, who had never experienced the taste of lemons before, he first savored the sweetness of love and happiness, only to be crushed by the unbearable pain of losing the one he loved."
"That day, as a forensic doctor, he found himself standing before the cold, lifeless body of his beloved on the autopsy table."
"By protocol, he should have recused himself—just as a judge cannot preside over a case in which they have a personal stake."
"Yet, when faced with the body of the woman he loved, Nakado Kei remained silent, expressionless."
"Throughout the entire autopsy, he showed no sign of distress, as if the corpse before him was just another case, another body."
"But the moment he zipped up the body bag, his composure shattered."
"He broke down, sobbing uncontrollably."
"From that moment, his world plunged into darkness."
"He moved through life like a soulless husk, his only remaining purpose being one singular pursuit, to find the murderer!"
—Eight years passed. —
"With relentless determination, Nakado Kei never stopped hunting for the truth. And now, after all this time, he had finally caught the scent of the killer..."
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Akifumi leaned back, satisfied as he reviewed the last few lines he had written.
This was enough.
The character's backstory was complete.
He could have expanded it further, adding more details, but that would only consume unnecessary time.
For the story's progression, this level of depth was sufficient.
In the livestream chat, an unusual silence followed.
Then, in the next moment, the comment section exploded.
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"Damn! The second character and you're already stabbing us in the heart?"
"What the hell!? I thought this was going to be some villain origin story, why am I feeling emotions!?"
"Tch, Mugiho's skills are slipping. This knife barely even scratched me! I almost laughed instead!"
"Exactly! If this is all he's got, I can handle it!!"
"Loving someone for eight years, living only for revenge... Nakado Kei is a true man!"
"To lose the one you love forever and be left with nothing but ruins..."
"This character is full of contradictions! His unseen warmth, hidden beneath his sharp tongue and cold demeanor, makes him even more compelling!"
"I think... I'm starting to like him."
"Me too."
"Why does his backstory feel even richer than Mikoto's?"
"Not just richer—it's a story with so much more potential!"
"Wait... does that mean Nakado Kei is actually the protagonist!?"
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The chat was in an uproar.
Compared to the previous protagonist, this new character had a much more layered and developed backstory.
While fans were thrilled, they also couldn't help but question the direction of the story.
Curious about the judges' opinions, the host, Kanae, turned to them. "What do you all think about the audience's reaction?"
Nojima Shinji shrugged with a grin. "I'm just watching from my seat."
"Then I guess I'll stand and watch?" another judge quipped.
"Are you expecting me to lie down and watch!?" a third judge retorted, making Kanae laugh.
"Alright, alright, jokes aside," Nojima finally said seriously.
"It's true that Nakado Kei's backstory is more complex and engaging. However, make no mistake, the main protagonist of this story is undoubtedly Mikoto.
No matter how you look at it, this series revolves around the idea that forensic science exists for the future. Nakado's arc is, at most, a major subplot.
How that subplot will ultimately tie into the central theme remains to be seen.
To be honest, since I'm not the one writing this story, I can't predict how it will all come together.
One thing is certain, though, integrating this storyline seamlessly won't be easy. I look forward to seeing how Mugiho pulls it off."
Kitagawa nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Instead of doubting, let's trust in Mugiho's ability to deliver. After all, this is the story he chose to tell."
Kanae smiled. "That's right! We should believe in the contestants!"
"Now then, let's check on the other participants and see how they're doing."
Back in his room, Akifumi wasted no time. As soon as he finished writing about Nakado Kei, he immediately moved on to another key character: Rokuro Kubushiro.
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"Born into a prestigious family of doctors, Rokuro was constantly compared to his two older brothers, both of whom were considered geniuses in the medical field."
"Unlike them, Rokuro struggled."
"It took him three attempts to get into a third-rate medical university."
"Though he lacked passion for medicine, he still pushed himself toward the goal of becoming a doctor."
"As the youngest member of the Unnatural Death Investigation Office, he was treated like a little brother by the team."
"However, he carried a secret—he worked part-time as a journalist for a tabloid magazine!"
"His original intention was to help the public understand the significance of forensic science, but the magazine's editors had different priorities."
"They only cared about what would generate the most clicks and attention."
"As Rokuro got involved in various cases, he slowly matured."
"He learned to navigate the conflict between trust and ambition, between his personal values and professional aspirations."
"Eventually, he realized his true calling. He made his choice—to fully dedicate himself to forensic science, a profession that exists for the sake of the future!"
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Having outlined the key aspects of the three main characters, Akifumi let out a deep sigh.
He finally slowed his pace.
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"Nakado Kei has spent years searching for the truth behind his lover's murder. Besides forensic scientists, there's another profession that frequently deals with the dead—morticians."
"For years, Nakado maintained a transactional relationship with a mortician named Nagumo Kibayashi, paying him in exchange for access to valuable information..."
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By the time he had finished drafting the major characters' arcs, two hours had passed.
Akifumi leaned back, stretched, and casually grabbed a snack. Then, without a second thought, he flopped onto the sofa.
The audience, expecting him to use this moment to reflect on the story's progression, waited in anticipation.
Then came the sound of soft, rhythmic snoring.
Everyone was stunned.
While other contestants were sweating bullets, frantically trying to keep up with their writing, Akifumi was doing the unthinkable—
He was actually sleeping in front of thousands of viewers!
And he didn't care one bit.