Chapter 21: Suzuki Kōji’s Analysis
"Kōji, sorry to keep you waiting."
At eight in the evening, Kishida Masayoshi met Suzuki Kōji at their usual izakaya-Japanese bar. Suzuki Kōji was his close friend from high school, someone he could talk to about almost anything. While Kishida had gone on to police academy, Suzuki had chosen psychology as his field of study.
After graduation, Kishida returned to their hometown to work as a detective, while Suzuki went abroad for further studies. It wasn’t until two years ago that Suzuki came back to open a psychological counseling clinic.
"I’ve seen the news. Another case, huh?" Suzuki, wearing glasses and looking somewhat frail, had already had a few drinks before Kishida arrived, his face slightly flushed. However, his speech showed no signs of drunkenness.
The two sat across from each other. Kishida took a large gulp of beer and nodded. "Yeah, and this one’s particularly complicated. That’s why I wanted to ask for your advice."
"My expertise isn’t criminal psychology, so I might not be much help. Don’t set your expectations too high," Suzuki shrugged, then added with a smile, "But I’ll give you a discount on my fees."
Suzuki’s joke didn’t lighten Kishida’s mood much. He pressed on, "A year ago, when you were providing psychological counseling at the juvenile detention center, you met Kagehara Tetsuya, right? You mentioned he had some kind of psychopathy. I want to know more about that."
At the mention of Kagehara Tetsuya, Suzuki set down his glass, his expression turning serious. "Not psychopathy, but psychopathic tendencies. That was my conclusion after reviewing his brain CT scans. If I’d only interacted with him normally, even I might have been fooled."
"So, what exactly is psychopathy? Is his mental state unstable?" Kishida pressed.
"Psychopathy… you can think of it as a form of disability."
"Disability?"
"Yes. Some people have physical disabilities, like those affecting their legs or arms. Similarly, there are brain disabilities. The most easily understood are intellectual disabilities, but psychopathy can be thought of as a disability in emotional capacity."
Kishida thought for a moment but still shook his head. "That doesn’t really clarify things."
"Typical psychopathy can be understood through four key traits."
"First, emotional characteristics. Psychopaths typically exhibit low emotional affect. They lack emotional empathy, guilt, and remorse. This makes them immune to the constraints of emotions, morality, or even the law. Because they feel almost nothing, they are cold and indifferent to everyone. They don’t experience fear, anxiety, or stress, appearing perpetually rational and calm, never swayed by emotions."
"Second, interpersonal relationships. In their interactions, they only consider themselves—they are entirely self-centered. Their need for social connections is minimal, and most of their relationships are driven by ulterior motives. They are pathological liars and skilled manipulators. This ties back to their lack of emotional empathy. Since they can’t genuinely feel emotions, they learn to mimic and deduce them from a young age. This cultivated ability allows them to stand in your shoes, deduce your emotions, and manipulate you accordingly."
"Third, lifestyle. They are typically irresponsible and impulsive, with little ability to plan or consider long-term goals or benefits. They focus solely on the immediate. In other words, crimes or lies are often spur-of-the-moment decisions for them."
"Finally, antisocial behavior. This part is related not only to their lack of empathy but also to their poor self-control. In severe cases, they can’t even manage simple daily tasks like showing up to work on time."
After Suzuki’s lengthy explanation, Kishida frowned deeply. "This… sounds like a hidden time bomb. Are they really that dangerous?"
But in his experience, Kagehara Tetsuya didn’t seem to fully fit these traits.
Suzuki continued, "The abnormalities in these four aspects of psychopathy ultimately stem from incomplete brain functions—whether it’s the amygdala, the orbitofrontal cortex, or the frontal lobe. These are congenital and incurable. Of course, different brains are different. The specific areas that are impaired vary, leading to different manifestations of the disorder."
"If there’s one absolute commonality, it’s that all psychopaths exhibit the symptoms described in the first and second traits, though the severity varies from person to person."
At this point, Suzuki took a sip of beer. "You said they sound dangerous? Actually, those who exhibit all four traits aren’t the most dangerous. Because they can’t control themselves, lack planning abilities, and are prone to impulsivity, these patients are often referred to as primary psychopaths. Most are caught before they can cause significant damage, making them the least dangerous in terms of threat level."
"If there’s a least dangerous, does that mean there’s a most dangerous?" Kishida asked.
"Of course," Suzuki nodded. "There’s a type of psychopath who, while meeting the first and second traits, has intact self-control and planning abilities. This condition is called low-disinhibition psychopathy, or successful psychopathy."
"In these individuals, you’ll find all the traits of a successful person: cold and ruthless, extremely rational, fearless, cunning, and cruel. They excel at deception and manipulation, skilled at reading people and bending them to their will."
"At the same time, their self-control is on par with or even surpasses that of normal people. They have the ability to devise meticulous plans, carefully weighing the pros and cons before acting in their own best interest. When these individuals commit crimes, it’s nothing short of a disaster. The harm they can inflict on society far exceeds that of primary psychopaths."
Suzuki lowered his voice. "From observing Kagehara Tetsuya’s brain CT scans, I found that his amygdala is impaired, but his frontal lobe functions normally. This means he has self-control and planning abilities. He’s a successful psychopath. If he ever decides to commit a crime, he could become another Makeup Hunter—or even more dangerous."
Hearing Suzuki’s description, Kishida felt a chill run down his spine.
If that was the case, then Kagehara Tetsuya’s relationship with Yomikawa Tsuko had been a calculated move from the start. He had manipulated her into falling for him, possibly even willing to assist in his crimes.
"Kōji, what do you think Kagehara Tetsuya’s take on his father’s suicide would be? Would he seek revenge on anyone?" Kishida quickly thought of another critical question: Was Kagehara Tetsuya’s motive for helping Hasebe Koichi really, as Yomikawa suggested, to investigate the Makeup Hunter?
"I can’t say for sure," Suzuki pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "From a psychological standpoint, Kagehara Tetsuya likely has no emotional motive. He probably feels nothing about his father’s death. But considering his upbringing and environment, it’s hard to say definitively that he wouldn’t act."
Kishida frowned. That wasn’t much help. He pressed further, "Do you think he might help someone commit a crime for information or some other goal? Like murder? Or could he be coerced?"
"Coercion is unlikely," Suzuki shook his head. "But helping someone commit a crime? Absolutely. If needed, he could even deliberately manipulate or guide someone into committing a crime, though success isn’t guaranteed."
Kishida’s heart sank. If that was the case, the one in danger wasn’t Kagehara Tetsuya but Hasebe Koichi, who was with him. If Tetsuya decided Hasebe was no longer useful, he might very well kill him.
"Kishida," Suzuki looked at his old friend, whose hair was now streaked with gray, and asked solemnly, "If you’re going after Kagehara Tetsuya, I advise you to set aside all distractions. The justice you uphold—isn’t it about delivering fairness to all victims?"
"Of course it is," Kishida replied firmly.
Comments (1)
Please login or sign up to post a comment.