10:49 PM, Tokyo Time.
Akemi had been back at the apartment for over an hour.
Following Ritsu's instructions, she had already removed her disguise. Looking at the clock, she couldn't help wondering why he still hadn't returned.
She was considering giving him a call when she heard movement at the front door.
Moments later, Ritsu stumbled inside.
He was completely soaked from head to toe, looking thoroughly disheveled. He was still wearing his kimono, and he hadn't even removed his Lupin disguise.
"Did it rain outside?" Akemi asked in surprise. "Didn't you leave a change of clothes on the jet ski?"
Taking the towel she handed him, Ritsu frowned as he recalled being dragged into the water.
"It didn't rain. I just... ran into a small accident."
If the spare clothes on the jet ski hadn't also ended up soaked, he could have changed immediately.
Instead, he'd been forced to walk all the way home while hiding from everyone, still wearing Lupin's face.
"Hurry up and take a hot shower," Akemi urged. "You'll catch a cold."
"My health's too good for that."
He smiled helplessly.
"But I am pretty hungry. Pretending to be a member of high society doesn't exactly leave much time to eat.
Akemi, could you make me a late-night snack?"
The mention of food reminded Akemi of something.
"Oh, right. Date-san called about half an hour ago. He said he didn't know your phone number, so he got mine from Natalie."
At the mention of Class Rep, Ritsu paused and turned around.
"What did he say? ...Wait, how do you know Natalie?"
Akemi blinked.
"Did you forget she's the English teacher at Teitan Elementary?"
"...Sorry. I really did forget."
He chuckled awkwardly before continuing,
"Let me guess. He invited both of us over for dinner?"
Akemi nodded with a smile.
"Yep, and it's tomorrow evening."
"Then I'll finish work early tomorrow."
The past few days had kept Ritsu incredibly busy, so forgetting small details wasn't exactly surprising.
Truthfully, he was looking forward to dinner at Wataru's house. It would also be his first proper meeting with Natalie's as Wataru's girlfriend.
In a way, didn't this fulfill one of the promises they had made back at the Police Academy? To meet Natalie someday and share a good meal together.
Even if he was fulfilling it as Onizawa, he hadn't broken that promise after all.
Buzz.
The phone in his pocket vibrated.
Taking it out, he discovered the message was from Rei. After reading it, Ritsu raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected Bourbon to ask him about this on his own initiative.
[Bourbon: Mr. Augier, I hope I'm not disturbing you. Macallan previously assigned me to investigate the disappeared Kaito Kid. May I ask... would you approve of me taking over this case?]
Rei already worked with the Public Security Bureau on missions from time to time. Within the Organization, he was constantly running around gathering intelligence.
If he got involved in this matter as well, his health would definitely suffer.
Ritsu quickly replied.
[Augier: The reappearance of Kaito Kid, along with the mysterious Lupin, are both cases I will investigate personally. They are my prey, Bourbon. I don't need your assistance. I already have trusted subordinates.]
...
Back in his apartment, Rei stared at Augier's reply.
His fingers slowly curled into his palm. He recalled the information Ritsu had once reported to him.
Investigating Kaito Kid and the mysterious organization known as the Zoo had been assignments personally issued by the Organization's Boss.
Only Vermouth had known about them.
Rei narrowed his drooping eyes.
'Looks like even Augier doesn't know about this.'
Picking up his phone again, he typed a brief, polite response.
[Bourbon: Understood. Then please get some rest, Mr. Augier. Good night.]
Of course, he had no intention of abandoning his investigation into Lupin.
Only by pursuing this alter ego could he determine whether Ritsu was still alive.
After all... Curacao had taken away the body and she had been Rum's trusted subordinate.
'Maybe... Just maybe... he survived.'
Brushing aside the bangs over his forehead, Rei suddenly felt something warm settle onto his lap.
He gently stroked the black cat's fur and smiled.
"Kurotan... Maybe your owner never abandoned you after all."
"Meow~~~"
"It's getting late. You should get some sleep."
After carrying Kurotan back to its cat bed, Rei climbed beneath his own blankets.
Yet sleep refused to come.
Not because he was burdened with worries, but because he was happy. His mind was simply too excited to rest.
'Maybe... He survived. Maybe he never abandoned any of us.
Ritsu... No matter what happened to you... You're still one of us.
I'll find you.'
...
The next morning,
Inside the Third Homicide Division's large office on the ninth floor of the MPD, Ritsu walked from desk to desk, placing freshly printed wedding invitations in front of everyone.
Smiling shyly, he announced, "I'm getting married."
Even though he knew it was only part of the plan, saying those words aloud still felt embarrassingly awkward.
"Congratulations, Inspector Onizawa!"
Hayasaka beamed.
She was nothing like the cold, distant woman she'd been a year ago. After spending so much time with everyone, her cheerful personality had completely returned.
Takagi's puppy-like eyes grew impossibly wide. He stared fixedly at the bride's name on the invitation.
The surname Miyano... had become Onizawa.
Envy practically overflowed from his eyes. Looking upward with a blushing face, he couldn't help imagining,
'When will Miwako Sato finally become Miwako Takagi?
Then again... Ahem... I wouldn't mind becoming Takagi Sato either.'
Ritsu wore his trademark half-lidded expression. Resting his chin on one hand, he quietly muttered,
"Hey, Hayasaka. Look at Takagi's face."
Covering her mouth with a smile, Hayasaka whispered,
"He's probably imagining marrying Detective Sato again. I wouldn't be surprised if he's thinking about changing the surname 'Sato' to—"
"Sato?"
Miwako suddenly leaned over.
"Were you talking about me?"
Getting caught gossiping by the very subject of the gossip was always painfully awkward. Both Ritsu and Hayasaka shook their heads so vigorously they resembled bobbleheads.
Fortunately, she hadn't heard the rest.
That had been close.
"N-No!" Hayasaka replied quickly.
"We were actually talking about actor Takeru Satoh. His portrayal of Kenshin Himura was really good."
"It's one of the more successful live-action manga adaptations."
Internally, Hayasaka couldn't help thanking fate that Sato was one of the most common surnames in Japan.
There were countless celebrities with that name.
"Oh? Was it really that good? Maybe I'll watch it after work. I've been looking for a new drama anyway."
As usual, Miwako accepted the explanation without the slightest suspicion.
Ritsu couldn't help twitching at the corner of his mouth. Honestly, he couldn't understand why the surname Sato was so rare inside the MPD.
Outside of work, there were enough people named Sato to form an entire soccer team just by grabbing random strangers off the street.
"By the way... Did everyone see this morning's news?"
"What news?"
Hayasaka pulled out her phone.
"Kaito Kid appeared aboard the Suzuki Financial Group's sixtieth anniversary cruise last night. But in the end, he returned the Black Star and disappeared."
Takagi, who never missed a juicy story, immediately chimed in.
"I saw that too. The Second Investigative Division's in a terrible mood today. Kid fooled them again.
Although... Lupin never showed up last night."
"Maybe he just wasn't interested in black pearls. I heard he only steals sapphires."
Hayasaka turned toward the silent Ritsu.
"Inspector Onizawa, if you ran into either of them, do you think you could catch them?"
Ritsu hadn't expected the conversation to suddenly shift onto him. Adjusting his glasses confidently, he answered with a bright smile,
"Of course. I'm completely confident I could catch them. Whether it's Kaito Kid or Lupin, they're nothing more than foolish thieves."
"Mmm, that's true."
"A police officer catching thieves is only natural."
"...Yeah."
"It's only natural."
Inside, Ritsu could only sigh.
To preserve his carefully crafted persona, he even had to insult himself.
Then again, Onizawa could never catch Lupin.
After all...
They were the same person.
----
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