"You seem quite knowledgeable about phantom thieves, Miss Tomizawa," Yusaku Kudo remarked, adjusting his glasses. He cast a meaningful look toward Hayashi Shuichi. "I didn't expect Hayashi-kun to have such an... interesting friend."
Only then did Chikage Tomizawa remember Shuichi's earlier warning. She let out a dry, forced laugh. "I just enjoy reading novels of that genre, so I've picked up a bit of trivia here and there. But that's really all there is to it."
"Is that so?" Yusaku nodded noncommittally. The expression on his face remained unreadable, making it impossible to tell if he bought the excuse.
The atmosphere suddenly plunged into a heavy silence. Chikage, realizing she had likely overstepped, didn't dare speak again for fear of digging a deeper hole.
In the original timeline, Yusaku Kudo eventually discovered the identities of Phantom Thief Kid and the Phantom Lady but chose not to inform the police. However, that was because those two were his own twin brother and sister-in-law. Since Shuichi and Yusaku were merely acquaintances, Shuichi had no way of knowing if the genius novelist would be quite so lenient this time around.
"The first time we met here, didn't you say you wanted to add me to your novel?" Shuichi asked, shifting the topic to break the tension. "What kind of character am I going to be?"
"Originally, I wanted to mold Hayashi-kun into the Night Baron's ultimate rival within the police force."
Yusaku tilted his head back slightly, a spark of excitement flickering in his eyes as if he were already visualizing the unfolding drama.
"An opponent who gives even the Night Baron a headache, a clash occurring constantly on the thin line between justice and chaos. But seeing you now, I think I should add a few more layers to your identity."
"What kind of layers?" Reiko, who had been standing quietly to the side, suddenly piped up with curiosity.
"A morally ambiguous police officer," Yusaku said, the corners of his mouth curling upward. "On the surface, he is a paragon of justice who makes every criminal tremble in fear. But in the shadows, he collaborates with various dark forces, pursuing his own secret goals and agendas."
He looked back at Shuichi. "What do you think of that character, Hayashi-kun?"
"Not bad," Shuichi shrugged indifferently. "As long as you don't make me one of those bumbling, incompetent cops."
"Haha, I wouldn't dare write you like that," Yusaku laughed heartily. "Hayashi-kun is a famous high school detective in Tokyo. If I portrayed you as a fool, my readers would probably burn my house down."
Seeing that Yusaku wasn't going to press Chikage on her suspicious knowledge, Shuichi finally allowed himself a small sigh of relief.
After resting in the park for about ten minutes, the group resumed their walk toward the Art Museum, with Yusaku Kudo joining their ranks.
Miwako Sato had zero interest in paintings and statues. Although Wataru Takagi desperately wanted to keep playing with Seiran, under the crushing pressure of Miwako's raised fist, he obediently chose to stay behind in the park with her.
On the way, after learning that Yusaku was a famous author, Furuya Rei and Seiran began looking at him with eyes full of deep respect.
"Mr. Kudo is a great author," Rei remarked, shooting Shuichi a mock-look of disdain as he dragged out his words. "Meanwhile, Master is just a chef..."
"You're looking for another flick to the head, aren't you?" Shuichi threatened, raising his right hand.
Rei immediately covered his head and scrambled to hide behind Seiran.
"Onii-chan is a great storyteller too!" Reiko interjected, standing with her hands on her hips in defiance. "When I was little, he used to tell me all kinds of amazing stories."
"It's just storytelling; anyone can do that," Rei said, poking his head out from behind Seiran. "My mom used to tell me stories all the time. Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White... I got bored of them years ago."
"The stories Onii-chan tells are all his own creations," Reiko stated with total confidence. "If he actually wrote them down, I bet he'd be a famous author too."
"Tch, I don't believe it," Rei pouted.
"Reiko-姐姐, could you tell me one?" Seiran asked, his face full of genuine curiosity.
"Let me think of which one to pick..." Reiko pondered for a moment. "Oh, I know. I'll tell you about Warrior Cats. I remember the beginning goes something like this: Moonlight shone on the smooth granite as a group of brave feline warriors gathered in the dark of night..."
Seiran listened intently, his eyes wide and unblinking, as if he were being transported into that mysterious world of warring cat clans. Even Rei stopped his mischief, becoming immersed in Reiko's narration.
Chikage Tomizawa glanced at Shuichi teasingly. "I didn't know you were so good at spinning tales. Did you practice this by tricking girls in your spare time?"
"By using the lives of cat clans to teach children about the importance of courage..." Yusaku Kudo's face was filled with professional appreciation for the story. "That is a truly excellent piece of children's literature. Hayashi-kun, have you ever thought about publishing it? It would be a terrible shame for such a compelling world to go to waste."
"If you're willing, I can put you in touch with my editor. If this story were published, I'm certain it would become a sensation across Japan."
Chikage had thought it was just a nice little story, but she hadn't expected someone as prestigious as Yusaku Kudo to hold it in such high regard. She looked at Shuichi with a new sense of wonder, feeling that the more time she spent with him, the less she actually understood him.
Don't look at me with that much worship... I'm not the original author, Shuichi thought, feeling a twinge of guilt. He looked away. Warrior Cats was just a series he'd read to a relative's child in his previous life to keep them quiet. Because the impression stayed with him, he'd passed it on to Reiko.
"I think I'll pass. They're just random things I make up as I go," Shuichi replied dismissively. "Writing them down properly would involve organizing everything, and that's just too much trouble..."
"But I still remember all the stories you told me! There are so many others besides that one," Reiko said excitedly. "Like Harry Potter, about a magical world with wizards; and Les P'tites Poules, which is about the brave and funny adventures of little chickens; and Wonder, a story about courage and kindness..."
Reiko looked at Yusaku with sparkling eyes. "Mr. Kudo, can I help Onii-chan organize these stories?"
"Of course you can," Yusaku nodded with a smile. "I can even help with the editing. The Warrior Cats story is particularly strong. If published correctly, it will definitely be a bestseller."
"Really? A bestseller?"
Gold coins practically flashed in Reiko's eyes. She balled her fists and jumped up in excitement. "Onii-chan! If we make a lot of money, does that mean we can buy that Western-style house we saw in 2-Chome?"
"It's not as easy as you make it sound!" Shuichi laughed, looking at his ambitious little cousin.
"Even so, we have to try!" Reiko hugged his arm, refusing to give up the dream.
"Alright, alright, whatever you say," Shuichi said, ruffling her hair with a smile. "If you actually manage to write it all out, we'll list both of us as the authors."
"It's a deal!" Reiko patted her chest proudly. "I'll organize everything Onii-chan has told me, and then we'll have Mr. Kudo help us get them published!"
(End of Chapter)
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