But, thinking it over, why would those twins give him an invitation? Fujino's expression was a bit strange.
He might be handsome, brilliant, and have some special abilities, but still...
Forget it, why overthink things?
Fujino pulled his thoughts back. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly heard a news report about himself on the TV.
"The culprit in the series of attacks on girls has been apprehended. Once again, Detective Fujino delivered an outstanding performance."
The sound from his new fifty-inch plasma TV was incredibly clear, making even the female anchor's voice sound better. But as the praise continued, it suddenly took a turn: "However, it seems Mr. Fujino got into a conflict with a passerby at the crime scene this time... Please see the exclusive footage sent in by an enthusiastic citizen."
Fujino: "Huh?"
Before Fujino could even react, the TV behind the anchor started playing a picture-in-picture video within the screen.
**"If you don't have the ability, then don't... My name is Fujino Touji, I'm a detective, and also a consultant for the Metropolitan Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division. If you want to file a complaint, go ahead! It's not like I'll lose anything if I quit!"**
A familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar voice rang out. Fujino stared at the screen, watching the video within the TV, and was stunned for a moment.
Isn't that me?! They recorded all that? Who the heck recorded it?!
Fujino's mouth twitched. Looking at the slightly blurry footage, he naturally guessed it was recorded by some "enthusiastic" bystander at the scene. However, this made Fujino take a proper look at the program. After all, in a way, they were digging up dirt on him.
But if he hadn't looked closely, he wouldn't have noticed... Why did that blond kid sitting on the edge look so familiar?
Oh, isn't that Hakuba Saguru? It's only been a few days, and he's already on a variety show, huh? Fujino chuckled to himself, watching the familiar blond hair on the screen.
Yes, it was a variety show. In Fujino's understanding of this world, this program was supposed to be a nightly segment that reported on factual detective news and invited some guest commentators. When he saved that plane before, they even sent someone to interview him. And then he managed to squeeze some money out of them.
"Next, we invite our special guest for today, Mr. Omotama Yuro!"
After the video finished playing, the female anchor introduced him, and then the camera switched to a middle-aged man with a thin mustache and somewhat graying hair: "Mr. Omotama is an expert in criminal psychology from Teitan University. What are your thoughts on Mr. Fujino's performance in that video we just saw?"
"He's still too young and impetuous. He gets criticized a bit by a victim's family member and that's his attitude? 'If you want to complain, complain'? What kind of attitude is that? It's utterly arrogant!" Omotama Yuro's voice raised a few octaves, his tone laced with some inexplicable hostility: "The Metropolitan Police Department has made a complete mistake in their hiring! They have all sorts of experts and professors available, yet they let such an arrogant minor become a consultant? It's a completely wrong decision!"
Fujino: "..."
Where did this "expert" come from? It sounds like he's a bit jealous, doesn't it? The more he looked, the more he felt like he was dealing with some rare specimen.
Unlike Fujino, who still had the leisure to make jokes, Hakuba Saguru's face had already darkened, looking absolutely grim. Originally, he agreed to participate in the show to gain some recognition and earn some high-paying pocket money. After all, in the world of Conan, it's quite common for detectives to appear on TV. It's a win-win, earning both money and fame.
But this time, these people went too far... No, they were practically digging their own graves. Both the show's producers and that "expert."
---
"So, what about you, Hakuba-kun?"
The female anchor naturally knew this topic was a bit too sensitive, but under pressure from the production team, she could only awkwardly smile and ask Hakuba Saguru.
Hakuba Saguru: "..."
What did they expect him, as Fujino's acquaintance, the son of the head of the Metropolitan Police Department, and an active high school detective, to say? Are they trying to use his influence to stir up trouble?! Hakuba Saguru wanted to flip over the production team's whole setup, but he couldn't just blurt it out. His face was slightly stern, clearly expressing his extreme displeasure with the show's tactics. They had agreed on a simple script, just a few lines, and now they were playing a deadly choose-your-own-adventure game.
Hakuba Saguru sighed, furrowed his brow, and recalled Fujino's typical interview rhetoric. Then, with a stern, cold expression, he said: "Thoughts? What thoughts could I possibly have?"
"Didn't he say it himself? If you want to complain, go complain to him. And he even stated his position and his name, so there's nothing wrong with that." Hakuba Saguru glanced at the female anchor, then stood up, the familiar lines forming in his mind: "No country can guarantee that its police will solve one hundred percent of cases. Relatively speaking, our police officers' ability to solve cases and their professional integrity are already very high. In such circumstances, to blame the deaths of victims on the police is, I think, quite unreasonable. It's no wonder Mr. Fujino got angry. After all, he's also one of the 'police' active on the front lines. Saying 'the police are useless' right to his face truly hurts the hearts of those officers working tirelessly."
"If you invited me just for such trivial matters, then I'll take my leave now."
Hakuba Saguru didn't give anyone on set a chance to speak, turning and walking off the stage.
"Whoa, this is a new kind of TV scam!" Hakuba Saguru's face was odd as he walked backstage, silently complaining to himself.
He was still a bit wary of Fujino. Who knew if that guy would misunderstand him for participating in this show today? It wouldn't do to upset Fujino. With that guy's personality, he'd retaliate in minutes. Thinking of this, he quickly scurried away from that troublesome place.
---
"This kid, he's really learned the essence, huh..." Fujino watched Hakuba Saguru leave the screen with a cold face, a bit amused.
Why did those lines sound so familiar? This devoted fan must have watched a lot of his interview videos! A complete topic shift, plus a concept reframe, directly moving the opposition to the police force, and even managed to gain some sympathy for them. He truly learned the essence.
After a pause, Fujino seemed to suddenly remember something. He pulled out his phone and dialed Hakuba Saguru's number.
A moment later, the call connected, and the expected voice came from the other end: "You're calling me at a time like this, you wouldn't happen to be watching that show, would you?"
Fujino didn't answer, his silence speaking volumes.
Hakuba Saguru sighed, somewhat helplessly explaining: "I really don't know what they're thinking. And those guys didn't even stick to the script we set... I'm never participating in any show again."
"Alright, your answer was pretty good. It felt like me dealing with reporters. You learned well. If you keep working hard, you might even have my style someday."
Hakuba Saguru: "......"
Although he was a bit speechless, it was undeniable that he had indeed learned some things from Fujino. Otherwise, his answer this time wouldn't have been so defensive and even included a sob story.
Fujino, on the other hand, found Hakuba's explanation rather adorable, like he'd been caught red-handed. He didn't dwell on it much and steered the conversation back to the main topic: "By the way, how's that kid Kid doing lately? You're so free you have time to participate in variety shows?"
The other end of the line fell silent again.
Lost repeatedly, huh? Fujino glanced at his phone, already imagining the look of utter defeat on Hakuba's face.