Hearing Ran's question, Takayanagi Ichiro didn't answer right away. Instead, he asked curiously, "Ran, why do you have that feeling?"
"That person's aura… I feel like I've seen it somewhere before. And the way she said the word 'angel' sounded familiar too, so I wanted to confirm it with you," Ran explained, laying out all her doubts.
As expected, with Ran's testimony, Ichiro was now certain—Hotta Miki was actually Vermouth from the Black Organization.
Vermouth's disguise skills were indeed impressive. Luckily, Ichiro had already suspected as much. In Japan, the only force capable of quickly eliminating his uncle, Takayanagi Musashi, and his cousin, Takayanagi Koji, while also mobilizing insiders in the police department, could only be the Black Organization.
"Her name is Hotta Miki. The contract I just sent your mother was from her," Ichiro told Ran, giving her the surface-level information.
"I understand. Thank you for telling me, Mr. Takayanagi."
"In the future, we might be dealing with each other more. Calling me 'Mr. Takayanagi' sounds too distant. If you don't mind, call me Big Brother Takayanagi."
"I'll think about it. I'll head back for today." Ran didn't agree immediately. She opened the door and left.
Ichiro just smiled and said nothing, then began tidying the place—he had to return to the Takayanagi main house tomorrow.
…
After leaving, Ran's cheeks were a bit flushed. Inside, she had almost let the words "Big Brother Takayanagi" slip. Shaking her head to clear it, she called her mother, Eri Kisaki.
"Ran, what is it?"
"Mom, did you just get a contract from Takayanagi Ichiro to review?"
Eri's heart skipped a beat at her daughter's words, and she asked with a hint of nervousness, "Ran, how do you know Ichiro?"
"Ichiro? Mom, the way you say his name sounds a bit… special."
"Takayanagi Ichiro graduated from Teitan High, so he's technically my junior. Yes, a contract just came from him. But you haven't said how you're connected to him."
"Recently, Dad took on two cases and solved them smoothly. Both were connected to Takayanagi Ichiro in some way. I met him while accompanying Dad and Inspector Megure," Ran explained briefly.
"That drunk actually had clients coming to him? Let's hope it's not just a fluke," Eri said over the phone, still doubtful about Kogoro's capabilities.
"Mom, Dad really did solve two cases, one of which Ichiro introduced to him. Ichiro also said Dad will get more cases in the future. Don't you think about moving back home?" Ran tried to speak well of her father and persuade her mother to return.
But Eri had grown used to living separately and wasn't going to move back easily, even if Kogoro had changed.
"Ran, this isn't the reason you called, is it?" Eri asked.
Feeling a bit let down by her mother's lack of commitment, Ran quickly explained, "Mom, can you tell me the name written on that contract?"
"That wouldn't be fair to Ichiro."
"Just now, Takayanagi Ichiro asked me to call him Big Brother Takayanagi. As long as I know the name and don't tell anyone else, it's fine."
Her words made Eri get up and check the document. Seeing its contents, her heart skipped again—this contract was even more serious than the ones she'd reviewed for Ichiro before. Then she spotted the name.
"The name is Hotta Miki. I won't tell you the contract details, and you mustn't mention this name to anyone," Eri warned.
"I understand, Mom. I'll be heading home now," Ran said, then hung up.
Eri put the contract aside, mulling over Ran's words. Ichiro seemed to have a rather favorable impression of her daughter.
As Ran went down the stairs, she ran into a woman she recognized—Ikesawa Yuko, one of the suspects from the murder case at Yoko Okino's apartment earlier that day, who had been cleared of suspicion after the case was solved.
"Miss Yuko, do you live here too?" Ran asked, stopping.
Yuko, recognizing Ran as well, shook her head. "No, I'm here to get a loan from Mr. Takayanagi. What about you?"
"Our detective agency is across the street. Big Brother Takayanagi is at home now—I hope things work out for you."
"Thank you."
The two women exchanged polite nods before parting ways.
(End of Chapter)
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