All the men in the boutique stared at Toru with envy.
The two of them had just dropped over 30,000 dollars in one go. To ordinary people, that was an outrageous amount of money.
Most tourists or couples visiting Omotesando would, at most, buy a pair of shoes, a scarf, or grit their teeth and purchase a single bag. Every purchase was calculated and deliberate.
But Sherry was different. She picked and bought things as if she were shopping at a supermarket, showing no hesitation whatsoever. That kind of ease could only come from real wealth.
What made it worse was that in most couples, the man paid while the woman smiled sweetly beside him.
But with Toru, it was the complete opposite. Not only did Sherry personally select a bunch of men's clothing for him, she even took the initiative to foot the bill.
How could the men watching not be jealous?
Can being good-looking make you a kept man? Can it feed you?
Apparently, yes. Yes, it can.
If the woman paying was overweight or plain-looking, they could at least console themselves by saying it wasn't worth it.
But Sherry had it all. A perfect figure, a graceful demeanor, and stunning mixed-race beauty. Who could accept that?
The group of men could only watch bitterly, stomping their feet in silence, their hearts full of jealousy but unable to say anything.
Having thoroughly given Toru face, Sherry pulled him out of the store. Neither of them carried any bags.
This was a high-end luxury store, after all. Delivery service was standard.
Still, Sherry had Toru carry a tote bag, just for the sake of appearances as they strolled. It gave their walk a certain vibe.
Toru carried the bag as Sherry held his arm. The two made their way to a nearby, lavishly decorated café.
The interior and scale of this café far surpassed Toru's own. Any café that could afford space in Omotesando had to have steep prices, and this place was no exception.
They ordered two coffees and found a table to sit.
Toru looked at her in surprise. "Where did you get the money? Did you use your own assets?"
Ever since Sherry had moved in with him, he had been covering all her living expenses. She never mentioned having money.
But just now, she had casually swiped a card and paid 30,000 dollars like it was nothing. Toru was honestly a little dumbfounded.
In the past, all of Sherry's financial tools had been arranged by the Black Organization. When she was still one of them, she could buy whatever she wanted, and no one would bat an eye.
Now that she had defected, using those resources would be too dangerous. The Organization would track her in no time.
Sherry sipped her sweetened coffee and scoffed. "I'm not stupid. Why would I use anything tied to the Organization?"
"Then where's this money from?"
"It's my parents'."
"Your parents'?"
"Yeah. They may have appeared to cooperate with the Organization and handled finances for them on the surface, but they secretly set aside their own stash. The Organization never knew about it."
"You're sure they didn't?"
"Positive. I checked. There's no connection to the Organization, and the financial channels they used were incredibly obscure. Otherwise, I'd never dare touch it."
So it was her inheritance.
Toru nodded. "...How much was it?"
"Not a crazy amount. Around twenty million dollars. If I live modestly, it'll be enough for a lifetime. Did you think I dared to escape the Organization with nothing?"
Twenty million dollars? That was more than enough.
As Sherry said, as long as she didn't blow it like today every week, she could live a life most people wouldn't even dare to imagine.
A little rich lady, indeed.
Toru thought for a moment. "Still, since it's your parents' legacy, you should probably use it more carefully. It seems like a lot, but if you burn through it like today, it'll vanish fast."
Sherry took another sip of coffee. "I'm not some jobless mooch. If I wanted, I have plenty of ways to make money."
Toru had to agree with that.
Sherry wasn't like Sakiko, who would work as a customer service rep over a debt of a few million yen.
"Also, sometimes I think you're really good at making girls happy. Other times, you're just a clueless, straight-laced guy."
"When I buy stuff for you, it's because I want to. I don't care about the cost. But then you go lecturing me about saving money."
Sherry pouted, clearly annoyed.
Toru smiled and said nothing.
This was a classic difference in how men and women thought.
He was more concerned about whether spending like that was wise in the long run. But Sherry didn't care. She just wanted to make him happy, and buying things for him was her way of showing affection.
While they were chatting, the café's television suddenly switched to an emergency broadcast on Nichibei TV.
"Dear viewers, we interrupt with breaking news. Our station has just received a mysterious letter."
"The letter reads: 'Under the moonlight, I shall steal the black star.' Signed: Kaitou Kid."
"We have handed the letter to the police. Inspector Nakamori, a veteran officer who has tracked Kaitou Kid for years, confirmed its authenticity."
"According to police analysis, Kaitou Kid is likely targeting a rare gem owned by the Suzuki Zaibatsu—the Black Star."
"Tomorrow marks the 60th anniversary of the Suzuki Zaibatsu and the premiere event for Hollywood actress Chris Vineyard's new film."
"The event will be held at Beika Hotel, and the legendary Black Star pearl will be displayed for guests to admire."
"Kaitou Kid's letter suggests he intends to steal it at the celebration."
"..."
The café fell silent.
Then, as expected, chatter broke out among the customers.
"Kaitou Kid? What's that?"
"You don't know? He's a famous phantom thief who steals gemstones all over the world and has never been caught."
"Never caught? What are the cops doing?"
"Come on, it's not just Japan. Police worldwide haven't caught him."
"Well, that makes it kind of interesting."
...
Almost as if anticipating the questions, the TV host went on to explain Kaitou Kid's history.
He first appeared 16 years ago, disappeared after several heists, and recently re-emerged. Now mostly active in Japan, he had been stealing rare gems again.
Interpol suspected he was Japanese or had been living in Japan for a long time.
Since the stolen gems were always returned, and there were never any casualties, organizations like the CIA or FBI never really paid attention to him. He was seen more as entertainment than a real threat.
But to the police, he was a slap in the face. Many officers dreamed of catching him and restoring their reputation.
"Kaitou Kid? That's the party you're attending tomorrow, right?" Sherry asked, glancing away from the screen.
She didn't care much about the phantom thief. He was just an amusing post-dinner topic.
Toru nodded. "Yeah. I'll be attending on behalf of Fujiwara."
"Perfect. A world-class magician putting on a free show? Sounds like fun."
Toru quietly considered whether he should recruit Kaitou Kid.
His abilities were certainly useful. Theatrical magic tricks, perfect disguises, mimicry, performance—at the right moment, these skills could turn the tide.
And since Toru already knew his true identity, Kaito Kuroba couldn't exactly run.
Unlike someone like Kudo Shinichi, who held a strong sense of justice, Kaito had a personal reason for becoming Kaitou Kid. He was a morally ambiguous figure—ideal for handling certain tasks without putting up too much resistance.
As long as it didn't involve killing people, of course.
"Alright. Let's go. We'll see him tomorrow anyway. Sherry, are you coming with me?"
"If I haven't reverted, then yes."
She didn't know how long the drug's effect would last this time.
If she changed back into Haibara, she'd attend with Toru. If not, she'd stay home.
Shopping with Toru on a crowded street was one thing. But showing up at a celebrity event? Too risky. The chance of a Black Organization informant spotting her was high.
After finishing their coffee, the two strolled through Omotesando again. This time, Sherry didn't buy much. Instead, she seemed more interested in styling Toru.
She dragged him into multiple fashion boutiques, picking out outfits for him as if styling her own personal mannequin.
In the evening, they had a crab feast at a nearby seafood restaurant, then returned home carrying bags.
"What a pity," Toru muttered as soon as they walked in.
"What is?"
"I didn't pay you today, so I guess I won't get a reward."
"You really want a reward?"
Sherry walked two steps ahead, hands behind her back, turning slightly with a tsundere expression.
Toru didn't answer. He suddenly pulled her into an embrace and pushed her down onto the sofa.
Sherry gasped, her heels flying off. Her bare legs wrapped around his waist, her cool eyes now moist and misty.
Man and woman, alone. Like a spark igniting dry wood, they kissed and clung to each other, bodies entwined.
Just as Toru was pulling off Sherry's clothes, her expression suddenly changed.
She stopped him with a hand, her body trembling slightly.
Toru froze, confused.
Clutching her chest, Sherry began breathing heavily, her face contorted in pain—but it was still bearable.
A moment later, Toru could only sigh helplessly as she shrank back into Haibara.
With her now-childlike body, Toru couldn't do anything.
Haibara was equally annoyed. The mood had been perfect, and now it was all ruined.
(To be continued.)