"I'm going to meet up with the other extras now. You two should find your seats as well."
After bringing Darren and Tim to the restaurant, Sean said his goodbyes and left, disappearing into the growing crowd of crew and invited guests.
"Since we're already here, let's find something to eat first."
Darren suggested from the side, already eyeing the long buffet tables laden with silver chafing dishes and colorful platters.
"Mm, that's all we can do for now."
Tim nodded, scanning the room out of habit.
"By the way, there are so many people here. Have you seen where my dad is?"
Darren raised a hand to shield his eyes from the overhead lights and scanned the entire restaurant. The place was packed with extras in casual evening wear, waitstaff weaving between tables, and the low hum of excited conversation filling the air.
"Nah," Then he shook his head. "If I had super vision, I'd probably be able to spot him."
"I suggest you just call your dad directly. Cell phones are useful things."
Hearing that, Tim could not help rolling his eyes.
"Of course I already called him. He didn't answer. Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"Alright, then forget I said anything."
"Hey, wait. Where are you going?"
"Just find an empty seat. Anyway, not many people here know each other."
Darren spoke indifferently, already moving toward the tables.
"I'm starving. I'll help you look for your dad after I eat... Ah, this spot here. It's an empty table."
Under Tim's gaze, Darren found an empty seat near the windows overlooking the dark water and sat down, unceremoniously digging into the food on the table.
Plates of grilled seafood, fresh salads, and warm bread rolls disappeared quickly onto his plate.
According to the information Sean had just given them, they could stay on the cruise ship for a maximum of ten days. Although Darren had already set the exact date of action in the notice, there was still plenty of time before that day arrived.
For now, Darren was completely relaxed.
He planned to enjoy himself on the cruise for a few days, conserve his energy, and at the same time slowly wear down the GCPD and Tim's patience.
After all, he was not the one who needed to be anxious.
"Hey! Tim, why are you still standing there? The food's going to get cold if you don't eat it now."
Darren waved and called out to him over the chatter.
Tim shook his head helplessly and sat down across from Darren, pulling a plate closer.
Just as he settled into his seat,
the lights in the restaurant suddenly went out.
A collective gasp rippled through the room, followed by a few nervous laughs and the clink of dropped silverware. Darkness swallowed everything for a heartbeat.
Immediately afterward, a flamboyant declaration echoed from all directions, amplified and theatrical.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's showtime!"
Thump!
The instant the words rang out, a spotlight cut through the darkness that had swallowed the restaurant, illuminating an empty space at its center.
A figure was already standing there.
He wore a pristine white suit that accentuated his tall frame. A high top hat rested on his head, and the elegant, mysterious monocle over his right eye stood out even more under the spotlight, reflecting a brilliant backlight.
With such iconic attire, there was no doubt who he was.
"Kaitou Kid!"
"Oh my god, it's Kid!"
"I knew he'd show up sooner or later to steal the Hope Star, but I didn't expect him to come on the very first day!"
The crowd in the restaurant instantly recognized him and erupted in shocked gasps, phones snapping photos, chairs scraping as people stood for a better view.
"What kind of stunt is this… isn't someone going to jump out and shoot Kaitou Kid?"
In a corner of the restaurant, Darren stared at the suddenly chaotic scene, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Just then, he noticed that Tim, sitting across from him, showed no reaction to the appearance of "Kaitou Kid." He only glanced over briefly, then calmly turned back and continued eating.
"Hm? Tim, weren't you always really interested in Kaitou Kid? Why aren't you reacting now that you've seen him in person?"
Darren asked, leaning forward slightly.
"That person isn't the real Kaitou Kid."
Tim said with certainty, keeping his head down as he focused on eating.
"Really? How can you tell?"
"It's simple. Just by looking at his presence, it's obvious. That person and Kaitou Kid are completely different types. The real Kid has this effortless confidence, like the room belongs to him before he even steps into it. This one is trying too hard to project the image."
Heh~
"Presence? That sounds a bit abstract. Then you should be able to tell if someone is Kaitou Kid in disguise just from that, right?"
Darren stroked his chin.
"No, no, no. Disguises are a different matter. When Kaitou Kid disguises himself as someone else, his presence also changes to perfectly match that identity. He becomes the role so completely that even the posture and breathing feel right."
Tim added, voice low and matter-of-fact.
"...Your dad was right. You really are a die-hard Kid fan."
Darren stared at Tim and nodded slowly.
"Oh my god! I'm not seeing things. It's him!"
Just then, an even louder gasp erupted from the center of the restaurant.
Darren and Tim turned to look, their expressions freezing instantly.
A black figure swung in from the distance on a thin line and landed in front of the "Kaitou Kid" in a kneeling stance, cape settling around him like shadows given form.
The tall figure, the dark armor, the helmet that exposed his chin and bore a pair of pointed ears. It was none other than Batman.