"Kojima, why do I have to apologize?" the red-vested boy grumbled, his brow furrowing in annoyance.
"Soma, didn't we agree to become partners in justice someday?" the black-haired boy said, a gentle smile tugging at his lips, his eyes bright with conviction. "If we're going to be heroes of justice, we have to own up to our mistakes."
"…Fair point." The red-vested boy flushed with embarrassment, quickly bowing deeply to Hayashi Shuichi and Fukuda Hidekazu. "Sorry."
Hayashi Shuichi and Fukuda naturally didn't hold it against the kids. After cautioning them to watch where they were going, the two continued their walk.
"Kojima, what were we doing again? That crash scrambled my brain—I forgot everything," the red-vested boy said, scratching his head with a bewildered look, his wide eyes radiating a touch of goofiness.
"Didn't we say we were going to your place to check out your new Kamen Rider cards?" the black-haired boy said, shaking his head with a wry smile.
"Oh, right!" The red-vested boy's eyes lit up, his face breaking into an excited grin. He grabbed his friend's hand, ready to bolt.
"No running! You'll crash into someone again," the black-haired boy said, swiftly grabbing the red-vested boy's arm to hold him back.
…
Those two kids… why do they feel so familiar?
Hayashi Shuichi stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the children's retreating figures.
"Kids sure are carefree," Fukuda said with a soft sigh, his expression tinged with nostalgia, as if recalling his own childhood.
"Too bad everyone has to grow up eventually," Hayashi Shuichi said, his gaze still fixed on the boys. He'd figured out who they were.
The red-vested boy was likely Yamamura Soma, the future bumbling detective from Gunma Prefecture's police department and a fan of Mouri Kogoro.
The black-haired boy was Morofushi Kagemitsu, one of the future police academy quintet. He'd infiltrate the Black Organization as an undercover agent, only to take his own life to protect his family and friends when his cover was blown.
Two kids, so close now, yet destined for wildly different fates.
Yamamura would climb the ranks to inspector at a young age, thanks to sheer luck.
Morofushi, however, would face a family tragedy in his youth, dedicate himself to public safety, and meet a tragic end.
If only I knew the exact time and details of his family's tragedy, maybe I could stop it…
Fukuda glanced at Hayashi Shuichi's heavy expression, puzzled. "Something bothering you, Hayashi-kun?"
"No, just feeling a bit sentimental about those kids," Hayashi Shuichi said, shaking his head with a faint trace of melancholy.
Before he could say more, a light chuckle came from nearby. "You're still a kid yourself. Where's all this brooding coming from?"
Hayashi Shuichi looked toward the voice and saw Sharon Vineyard, cigarette in her mouth, strolling out from a street corner.
She wore a dark trench coat, her golden hair swaying lightly in the breeze, a half-smirk playing on her lips.
Fukuda visibly tensed at the sight of the American celebrity.
Hayashi Shuichi, unfazed, gave a small smile. "Experience doesn't always come with age, Miss Vineyard."
"Fair enough," Sharon said, her high heels clicking crisply against the ground as she approached.
She stopped in front of Hayashi Shuichi, parted her red lips, and blew a smoke ring at him, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Familiar scent, isn't it?"
She was clearly referencing the incident at Mihua City Hall.
Back then, Hayashi Shuichi and Fujimine Yukiko had hidden behind curtains in a lounge, choking on Sharon's secondhand smoke.
Hayashi Shuichi's brow twitched. He raised a hand to cover his nose and mouth, nodding. "Studies show every cigarette cuts twenty minutes off your life, Miss Vineyard. For your health, you might want to cut back."
"Tch, cheeky brat with no manners," Sharon muttered, shooting him a disdainful look. She raised the cigarette to her lips again, but Hayashi Shuichi continued, unfazed.
"And smoking's worse for women. It ages your skin prematurely, messes with your cycle, complicates pregnancy, and can even cause early ovarian failure…"
Sharon froze mid-motion, her hand hovering in the air, a flash of irritation in her eyes.
"Kid, you don't like the smell, fine, but do you have to gross me out?" she snapped.
With an exaggerated eye-roll, Sharon tossed the cigarette to the ground and ground it out with her heel.
"Looks like that mouth of yours isn't just good at charming girlfriends—it's pretty skilled at annoying people, too."
Hayashi Shuichi ignored her jab. He bent down, picked up the extinguished cigarette butt, and tossed it into a nearby trash bin.
"Have some civic decency, Miss Vineyard. No matter how glamorous you look on the outside, it's no good if you're uncouth on the inside. Being two-faced won't do."
Sharon glared at him, fuming, before turning on her heel and stalking off.
"You know that celebrity pretty well?" Fukuda asked, puzzled.
"We met once in Mihua," Hayashi Shuichi said with a casual smile.
"Americans sure are hard to deal with," Fukuda said, his tone carrying a hint of resignation as he recalled their earlier encounter on the road.
Hayashi Shuichi opened his mouth to respond, but a cold drop splattered onto his head. He looked up to see the sky choked with dark clouds, raindrops falling faster and faster, quickly turning into a torrential downpour.
"Run!"
Hayashi Shuichi grabbed Fukuda, and the two dashed through the rain back to Fujimine Yukiko's dorm.
Inside, the girls had already tidied the room, neatly arranging scattered belongings.
Hayashi Shuichi glanced at the organized space, exasperated. No wonder Yukiko's suitcase was so heavy—she even brought stuffed toys? She's here to work, not play!
"Wow, the rain's coming down! We got lucky today," Yukiko said, standing at the door with Yabuuchi Hiromi, watching the downpour with a relieved smile. "A bit later, and we'd have been soaked."
"Your luck's good. Mine, not so much," Hayashi Shuichi said, rubbing his temples with a headache. "I need to head back. If I don't make it home before Reiko's out of school, I'm done for."
"You didn't tell that little brat about today?" Yukiko's eyes widened in surprise. Then, remembering her deal with Hiiro Eri, she nodded glumly, realizing time was running short.
Since Yabuuchi Hiromi wanted to stay longer with Yukiko, she asked Fukuda to take Hayashi Shuichi to the station.
The two borrowed umbrellas from the crew and reached the parking area, only to find the old Toyota refusing to start.
"Sorry," Fukuda said, scratching his head with an embarrassed smile. "This car's my grandpa's. It's so old, it's got more problems than I can count…"
Hayashi Shuichi sighed helplessly, glancing at the relentless rain. Today's just one thing after another.
If he couldn't get back to Mihua before Reiko got home from school, his secret would be out…
(Chapter End)
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