Tokyo, Metropolitan Police Department, First Investigation Division
Exhausted officers slumped in their seats after dodging reporters. Dealing with the press felt tougher than fieldwork—no need to second-guess every word on a case.
Not everyone agreed. Matsumoto Kiyonaga, fuming, swept documents off his desk. "Damn it! All because of Hayashi Shuichi! Without him, no reporters!"
"Calm down, Matsumoto," Officer Morimura sighed. "Hayashi didn't call them. Blame their sharp noses for sniffing out the case."
"I don't think it's Hayashi's fault," rookie Inspector Megure said, picking up papers. "He just wanted to catch the killer."
"Megure, you idiot!" Matsumoto snapped. "The reporters called us incompetent, relying on a kid!"
"Sato's right," a thin-cheeked officer said. "If their words sting, improve our skills. If we'd solved the case first, would they still talk?"
"Exactly," Inspector Samezaki stormed in, glaring at the dejected team. "What, are we all useless, outdone by a sixteen-year-old?"
"We're not useless!" Matsumoto shot up, followed by others.
"Then prove it!" Samezaki slammed the table. "Solve cases and show those reporters who protects Tokyo!"
"Yes!" the officers roared.
Satisfied, Samezaki nodded. "Sato, meeting. Now."
"Yes!" Officer Sato Masayoshi followed, chuckling bitterly. "Two days off, and this happens. Is Hayashi Shuichi that good?"
"He's sharp," Samezaki admitted. "His case reasoning sometimes feels sharper than mine."
"Reminds me of Kudo Yusaku, that young novelist who helped us," Sato sighed. "These kids today are unreal. We weren't like that in school."
"The worst part?" Samezaki grumbled. "None of these brainy kids want to be detectives. No sense of duty!"
"Recruiting again?" Sato teased. "You tried with Kudo, didn't you?"
"What's the point if they say no?" Samezaki snorted. "Kudo wanted to write novels. Hayashi wants to be a civil servant—easy life, no stress."
"Smart ones overthink," Sato said wryly. "I just wanted to fight crime and joined the academy on passion."
"Are you calling us idiots?" Samezaki waved it off. "Enough. How's Miwako?"
"Fine, out of the hospital in two days," Sato replied.
"Good. Don't neglect her like I do with Mihai," Samezaki said. "She's always grumpy seeing me."
"Thanks for the leave," Sato said. "I'll catch up on work. This 'meeting'—we're getting chewed out, aren't we?"
Samezaki sighed. "Reporters stirred up the brass. Let's go."
Rice Flower Town
Hayashi Shuichi, Kogoro Mouri, and Eri Kisaki walked to school, oblivious to the news. Eri, a study fiend, rarely watched TV. Kogoro slept until the last second, skipping breakfast. Hayashi, once an early riser, had been swayed by Kogoro's laziness, thinking, I worked hard last life. Time to slack.
"By the way," Kogoro said, hands behind head, "yesterday's assignment—class committee roles. What'd you write?"
"Nothing," Hayashi yawned.
"Same," Eri said. "It'd disrupt my studies."
"Figures," Kogoro groaned. "You're all about money, Shuichi, and you, Eri, just study. High school's three years—what's the point? So, I… heh."
"What'd you do?" Eri frowned. "You didn't write for us, did you?"
"Yup!" Kogoro grinned. "Eri, with your grades, you're study committee. Shuichi, you're good at everything, so class monitor!"