Not long after the Osaka University group left, Officer Megure pulled up in his car and brought Hattori Heizo into the izakaya.
The moment they stepped inside, Megure patted his belly and bellowed, "I'm starving! Hayashi-kun, anything left to eat?"
Hattori Heizo followed right behind, eyes still gleaming with the fatigue and thrill of wrapping up a case.
"There's some tonkatsu rice left." Hayashi Shuichi signaled Orihime Midori to serve them, then sat down across from the two men. "You both look pretty pleased. Case closed?"
"Yep." Hattori Heizo tried to play it cool, but the grin tugging at his lips betrayed him. "Nagashima Ruko's safe, and the Sakuraoka academic director who killed Kitamura has been arrested."
"Really?!" Orihime Midori set down two steaming plates of tonkatsu rice, eyes wide with joy. "Is Nagashima okay?"
Megure dug in ravenously before answering. "She's shaken up, but nothing serious. A little rest and she'll be fine."
"Thank goodness…" Midori let out a long breath. "I was so worried something awful had happened to her."
"We really have to thank Heizo here," Megure laughed, clapping Hattori hard enough on the shoulder to nearly knock the pork cutlet off his chopsticks. "Hayashi-kun, when you called and told me to check the supermarket for anyone buying large amounts of water and food lately, Heizo thought of the exact same thing."
"He asked the clerk, and not only did she remember the purchase, she described the buyer perfectly. From that description alone we knew it was Kitamura. She just didn't know where he'd taken everything."
"So where did you find her?" Hayashi Shuichi asked curiously.
"The clerk mentioned a new ghost-story rumor going around that area," Megure said mysteriously, lowering his voice. "That's how we located Nagashima Ruko."
Mouri Kogoro frowned, unconsciously rubbing the stubble on his chin. "What does a ghost story have to do with it? Ghosts didn't kidnap her, did they?"
Hayashi Shuichi mused, "The culprit probably used the rumor to keep people away from wherever they were hiding her."
"Exactly," Megure nodded. "I didn't catch on at first—good thing Heizo's sharp."
"We headed straight to the supposedly haunted spot—an apartment ruin that burned down two weeks ago," Hattori continued, tracing a rough map on the tabletop with his finger. "After searching the wreckage, we found Nagashima Ruko in the basement."
"That poor girl…" Megure sighed. "Pitch-black down there, no lights. She was chained up, with food, water, and a portable toilet nearby. The moment she saw us, tears just poured out."
"Following Hayashi-kun's plan, the police pretended we'd found nothing and pulled out of the area, leaving Heizo hiding in the basement."
"After another hour or so, the Sakuraoka director finally showed up," Hattori said, fist clenched, excitement flashing in his eyes. "The second he opened the basement door, I took him down with the officers waiting outside."
"What was this case really about?" Hibari Eri walked over. "Was it true what Shuichi said—about the school forcing students into compensated dating?"
"Not the school itself. Just the director and Kitamura acting alone," Megure clarified with a sigh. "They targeted timid, isolated girls, coerced them into enjo-kosai, and pocketed most of the money."
"The female body found at the construction site was a girl who graduated from Sakuraoka this year," Hattori said gravely. "After graduation she tried to break free. They argued, and Kitamura accidentally killed her."
"Right when Nagashima Ruko was also refusing to continue, they panicked that everything would come out. So they imprisoned her, faked a runaway scenario, and sealed both her belongings and the dead girl's corpse inside a concrete pillar at the site."
"They planned to release Nagashima once she gave in, but barely a week later the body in the pillar was discovered."
"The director wanted to silence Nagashima permanently; Kitamura still wanted to control her and keep making money."
Hattori's face twisted in disgust. "This morning the director went to Kitamura's place to discuss it, saw police watching the apartment, realized his partner was exposed, and killed Kitamura to protect himself—faked the suicide note and locked-room illusion."
"Then he intended to head to the suburbs and finish Nagashima off, but spotted police investigating the only supermarket on the route."
"So he hid along the only road in, watching us. When we pretended to give up and leave, he thought it was safe, drove to the burned apartment ruin—and walked right into the trap."
"Two years ago several Sakuraoka girls died, remember? Police ruled it group suicide back then," Megure said awkwardly. "When we rescued Nagashima, she told us Kitamura had bragged that those four girls from two years ago were also their victims."
"So that's how it was…" Midori's expression was complicated. "I thought Sakuraoka was just a little messy. I never imagined all this darkness behind it."
"At least it's uncovered now," Hayashi Shuichi said comfortingly. "No more girls will suffer." He glanced at Hattori, who was shoveling rice. "You were so focused on the case you forgot something important, didn't you?"
"The kendo tournament?" Hattori gave a helpless shake of his head. "Missing it is missing it. Even without me, our kendo club is strong. We probably won anyway."
"Wrong," Hayashi Shuichi pointed at their table. "This afternoon the Osaka University kendo team was sitting right here celebrating their victory. They left just half an hour ago."
"Uh…"
Hattori's chopsticks froze mid-air. His smile vanished, and the delicious tonkatsu suddenly tasted like ash.
"I'm dead. They're going to kill me."
"Megure-san, give him a ride back later and explain to the Kyoto University coach," Hayashi Shuichi suggested. "You saved a life. Your coach and teammates will understand."
"No choice now…" Hattori slumped, looking like a deflated balloon.
Saturday morning, sunlight slipped through the curtains into the bedroom. Hayashi Shuichi was still buried happily in his blankets when Reiko yanked him up.
"The science museum doesn't open until nine," he mumbled, squinting at the clock. "It's barely past seven."
"Ever since last time Onii-chan took me to the amusement park and we ran into a jumper on the way, we haven't had a proper day out just the two of us!"
Reiko pouted, big watery eyes brimming with grievance, theatrically wiping away nonexistent tears. "Waaah, Onii-chan doesn't like me anymore…"
"Fine, fine, I'm up!"
Hayashi Shuichi helplessly pinched his little sister's soft cheek, eyes full of affection. "Your fake crying is way too obvious!"
"If I don't fake-cry, does Onii-chan want real tears?"
Reiko stuck out her tongue playfully, then held up several skirts she'd brought into his room, trying each against herself.
"Which one looks best, Onii-chan?"
"You dragged me out of bed just to pick a skirt?" Hayashi Shuichi covered his face. "The sky-blue one."
"Too childish?" Reiko tilted her head, frowning. "Maybe the purple one—it looks more grown-up?"
"You're eleven. Why do you need to look grown-up?"
He picked up the tiny purple skirt and eyed it suspiciously—it was daringly short, barely covering the thighs.
"This is practically a micro-mini! Do clothing companies even think about whether kids should wear this stuff?"
"I'm not a kid anymore!" Reiko stomped indignantly. "Onii-chan's just old-fashioned! Tons of girls wear skirts like this now."
"I don't care. As long as I'm around, you're not wearing it." He crumpled the purple skirt into a ball and tossed it straight into the trash.
"I haven't even worn it once!" Reiko glared, cheeks puffed. Then a sly grin spread across her face.
"What's so funny?"
"Onii-chan won't let me wear short skirts because he doesn't want other boys seeing my legs or taking advantage of me," she said triumphantly, hands on hips, cheeks pink. "I get it—male possessiveness!"
Hayashi Shuichi rolled his eyes; there was no winning against his precocious little sister.
He was about to shoo her out so he could change when she suddenly blushed, pulled several pairs of panties from her pocket, and laid them on the bed. "Onii-chan… which one's the prettiest?"
"Do you really think that's a question for your brother?" Veins popped on his forehead.
"Panties aren't skirts! I only wear them at home for Onii-chan to see, so of course I have to ask you!" Reiko declared righteously.
Unable to argue and desperate to end the awkwardness, Hayashi Shuichi closed his eyes and pointed randomly.
"The purple one?"
Reiko blinked, then lit up with realization. "Onii-chan… so you like the pure-on-the-outside, seductive-on-the-inside type, huh?"
Face darkening, Hayashi Shuichi scooped his little cousin up like a kitten and deposited her outside the door. "I'm changing now. Go change too—and don't forget to feed Wangcai. Dogs aren't allowed in the science museum."
"What about my panties?" Reiko clutched her skirts, looking pitiful. "Is Onii-chan saying I should go without?"
"Here!" He grabbed the panties from the bed and tossed them to her, then slammed the door with a bang.
"This kid's getting way too wild lately," Hayashi Shuichi muttered, rubbing his temples. "It's my fault—I never should've told her all those random stories."
After changing, he stepped out and noticed the purple panties still on his bed—he'd missed them in his hurried grab earlier.
Sighing, he picked them up to return them to Reiko.
But when he reached her door, the doorbell rang.
At this hour, it could only be Mouri Kogoro.
Glancing at the tiny purple fabric in his hand, Hayashi Shuichi felt a headache coming on.
He thought about hiding it somewhere, but feared Mouri would spot it, so he stuffed it into his pocket and went to answer the door.
Sure enough, Mouri Kogoro stood there, hair slicked back perfectly, even wearing cologne.
Like Reiko earlier, he held several outfits, looking conflicted. "Shuichi, I've got a date with Ruri later—which one makes me look the handsomest?"
"You're already handsome enough that clothes don't matter. Just pick anything," Hayashi Shuichi answered distractedly.
"Of course I know I'm handsome, but today I might meet Ruri's friends there. I need to look extra dashing so they'll be jealous of her."
"Jealous of her?" Hayashi Shuichi yawned, not quite following.
"That she landed such a handsome boyfriend like me!" Mouri flashed a proud grin and struck what he thought was a cool pose.
Speechless, Hayashi Shuichi nevertheless helped him choose seriously—not for Mouri's sake, but for Ruri's. He didn't want her new friends looking down on her.
Finally seeing Mouri off, Hayashi Shuichi turned to find Reiko, only for Wangcai to trot over with his leash in his mouth, tail wagging expectantly.
"Want to see Pudding, huh?" Hayashi Shuichi instantly understood the silly dog's wish.
Lately, on morning walks, they often ran into Orihime Midori jogging with Pudding. Those walks had become Wangcai's favorite part of the day.
(End of chapter)
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"