Thursday, September 20
The office of the First Investigation Division on the ninth floor of the Metropolitan Police Department was unusually quiet.
It was a rare day without much work. Some officers were dozing off, some were watching TV dramas with earphones on and occasionally letting out chuckles, while others wore miserable expressions as they hammered away at their keyboards, catching up on overdue reports.
Ritsu felt that today was a day worth commemorating.
Ever since reporting for duty at the MPD, this was the first time he had gone from clocking in to clocking out without receiving a single case.
If every day were like this, Beika Town would actually be a wonderful place to live.
However, just before the end of the workday, he received a phone call he had absolutely no desire to answer.
Much like a few days ago in New York, Ritsu felt that nothing good ever happened when he crossed paths with Shinichi. Whenever a police officer and a detective appeared in the same place, something unpleasant usually followed.
After a brief internal struggle, Ritsu chose to decline the call. As he packed up his belongings and prepared to leave for the day...
Ring, ring, ring—
Hayasaka, who had been watching a drama, removed her earphones and quickly picked up the phone. After hearing the caller's voice, her serious expression softened considerably.
"Okay, got it. I'll have him take the call."
"Inspector Onizawa, why aren't you answering Kudo-kun's calls?"
Ritsu had never expected that kid to call the Department directly. Then again, thinking about it, that was exactly the sort of thing Shinichi would do.
Reluctantly, he picked up the desk phone. After Hayasaka transferred the call, Shinichi's resentful voice immediately came through.
"Sensei, why aren't you answering my calls? Did you think I was calling to ask for help with a deduction? Or did you assume that answering my phone call would mean getting dragged into a case right before quitting time?"
The kid was surprisingly self-aware.
Ritsu only cared about avoiding overtime. If he didn't have to respond to a case, that also meant one less person might end up dead.
"I happened to miss it earlier. It wasn't intentional."
Naturally, there was no way he would admit he had deliberately ignored the call. Without the slightest guilt in his tone, he calmly asked,
"What do you need me for?"
In the study, the desk was piled high with letters addressed to his father, Kudo Yusaku. Shinichi was holding the only one addressed to himself.
"It's like this. An architect named Moriya Teiji invited me to his house for afternoon tea. The letter says I can bring friends along, so I wanted to ask whether you'd be interested."
'Moriya Teiji? What a coincidence.'
Ritsu had been wondering how to approach Moriya, and now the man had invited Shinichi himself.
"A famous architect, right? But why would he invite you? Your fields couldn't be further apart. Sure, you're somewhat famous as a high school detective, but not enough to warrant an invitation to a high-society tea gathering."
Shinichi scratched the back of his head. "That's what I don't understand either."
Looking down at the letter, he continued, "It says he wants to consult me about something. I suspect it's related to detective work."
"I see..."
After a moment of thought, Ritsu replied, "Then tell me the time and location. I'll need to arrange some leave in advance."
"The tea party starts at three in the afternoon. How about we meet at the front gate of Teitan High School at 2:30 tomorrow? I'll head there as soon as classes end."
"Is your childhood friend coming too?"
"She's going home first to change clothes or something." Shinichi sounded baffled.
"I really don't understand her."
"So I only need to pick you up?"
"That's right. See you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow." After hanging up, Ritsu frowned slightly.
Could Teiji's purchase of explosives be connected to Shinichi? And tomorrow night at 9:30 PM was the scheduled time for the explosives transaction.
That didn't feel like a coincidence.
Not at all.
Noticing the seriousness on his face, Hayasaka asked, "What's wrong? Another case?"
"It's nothing."
Rising to his feet, Ritsu said, "I have something to take care of, so I'm heading out. Help me request leave from the higher-ups. I'll need tomorrow afternoon off. Let Inspector Megure's team handle any fieldwork."
"Okay, got it."
Ritsu didn't have much to bring with him.
After locking the documents on his desk in a drawer, he headed out of the office, not forgetting to greet Takagi, who was still buried in paperwork.
Pressing the button for the first floor, a thought crossed his mind.
Since he needed to pick someone up from school tomorrow, he'd better visit a dealership and buy a car for transportation.
'What a hassle.'
The elevator doors slowly opened. Lost in thought, Ritsu walked out with his head lowered. As he rounded a corner, a pair of dark-brown leather shoes entered his field of vision.
His mind reacted, but his body was a fraction too slow.
The other person's forehead made the most intimate contact possible with his lips. Or rather, collided with them.
"Mmgh!"
The taste of blood spread through his mouth. He had probably split his lower lip. Ritsu raised a hand to wipe away the blood, only to have another hand stop him.
Looking up, he realized that the black-haired young man standing before him was one of the people he knew best.
The gray-blue phoenix eyes tilted upward at the corners held a trace of apology.
The stubble on his chin was gone.
If not for the maturity that had replaced the youthful innocence on his face, Ritsu might have thought he had returned to six years ago, during the season when cherry blossoms bloomed.
'It's really been a long time, Hiro...'
"Don't touch it with your hand. If you don't mind, use my handkerchief."
Hiro handed over a light-blue handkerchief and spoke gently.
Just as attentive as ever.
Just as kind as ever.
He hadn't changed at all.
"Thank you."
Taking the handkerchief, Ritsu pressed it against his bleeding lip and shifted to the left, intending to walk around him.
He didn't like meeting his former closest friends.
He was always afraid of exposing his identity.
The person he was now wasn't someone who should stand beside them anymore.
Unfortunately, Ritsu had underestimated the reputation he had accumulated within the Metropolitan Police Department.
Hiro clearly recognized "him."
Smiling, he struck up a conversation.
"You're Inspector Onizawa Takashi, the celebrity of the First Investigation Division, aren't you?"
Ritsu's step faltered. He had no choice but to stop and answer honestly.
"I wouldn't call myself a celebrity. I'm just an ordinary detective."
"You're too modest." Hiro narrowed his eyes in a smile, as though recalling something.
Then he joked half-seriously, "I never thought I'd actually meet the real Shuten-dōji."
'Shuten-dōji...'
Ritsu hadn't expected to hear that embarrassingly chuuni nickname again. Hiro really hadn't changed at all.
The mischievous side hidden beneath his gentle demeanor still slipped out now and then.
"You seem to know quite a lot about me, sir."
"I've heard stories from my friends. And I saw your interview on Nichiuri TV."
Hiro extended a hand. "Inspector Onizawa, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Morofushi Hiromitsu from the Security Planning Division of the National Police Agency."
He really didn't want to shake hands. But refusing would be out of character for Onizawa. Ritsu gave a brief handshake and immediately let go.
With a professional smile, he replied calmly, "Nice to meet you."
"Then I won't keep you from going home."
Hiro pointed at his lower lip. "Sorry about that."
"It's only a small cut. Besides, I wasn't paying attention either. Half the fault is mine."
Ritsu gave a slight nod. "I'll be going now. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
After watching Ritsu leave, Morofushi rubbed his forehead.
'That guy's teeth are ridiculously hard. He hit me with his mouth, yet somehow my forehead still hurts.'
"Hiro, what are you standing around here for?"
Fresh out of the elevator, Wataru walked over with a puzzled look. The man was standing at the corner rubbing his forehead.
Was he checking his temperature or something?
"It's nothing." Hiro smiled.
"I happened to meet Inspector Onizawa-guy you mentioned. That white hair of his is really eye-catching."
"Right?" Wataru grinned. "I thought it was dyed at first. And the color of those eyes, it's just like—"
Hiro and Wataru spoke simultaneously, perfectly in sync.
""A rabbit's!""
Wataru burst out laughing. "See? We thought exactly the same thing."
"Even though we work in different departments now, the teamwork we built back then hasn't disappeared."
"True enough..."
Wataru suddenly scratched his cheek awkwardly. "By the way, Hiro, there's something I'd like to ask you."
Opening the car door, Hiro looked confused. "What is it?"
A blissful smile spread across Date's face. "Natalie's birthday is coming up soon, but I still haven't figured out what to get her. Got any recommendations?"
Hiro responded with a helpless smile and pointed at himself. "Class Leader, do I look like the type who understands women? Ask Kenji later."
"I guess that's true." Wataru nodded matter-of-factly. "You don't even have a girlfriend."
Stab.
It felt as though an arrow had pierced straight through Hiro's chest. The tiny version of himself inside suffered a devastating critical hit.
He really didn't have a girlfriend.
In fact, he had never even dated anyone.
A lifelong bachelor from birth.
Letting out a long sigh, Hiro couldn't help finding it strange.
Among a group of twenty-eight-year-old grown men... How was Wataru the only one with a significant other?
After thinking about it for a long time, Hiro finally found someone to blame.
His career.
Yes.
It had to be his dedication to work.
Surely it wasn't his own problem.
----
bonus chap every 20 PS
read ahead on my pa reon.com/Siamus404