After the Undercover System Went Haywire, I Switched to Grinding Suspicion Points Chapter 295

Osaka, at the opening party of international restaurant "K3"—

Seeing Toyama Kazuha looking around for sothing, Mouri Ran walked over and said:

"Are you looking for Hattori? He's over there."

"Huh? No..." Toyama Kazuha quickly waved her hands. "It's just sothing I'm a bit concerned about."

Mouri Ran asked curiously: "Can you tell ?"

Toyama Kazuha confird where Hattori Heiji was, then whispered to Mouri Ran: "It's like this—I heard him secretly making phone calls, asking things like 'are you alone right now?' and 'should I call back later?' It felt like he was having an affair or sothing."

Edogawa Conan, who was too short to be noticed by Toyama Kazuha, heard this and couldn't help but have black lines all over his head.

That was Hattori Heiji calling him, and because he was afraid there might be people like Mouri Ran nearby who could expose his identity, he'd first confirm the environnt...

He actually hadn't been interested in coming, since it ant a trip to Osaka, but since his idol was coming this ti, he was still tempted.

Mouri Ran tried to reassure her: "I think it's probably a misunderstanding..."

Toyama Kazuha sighed: "Maybe the other person couldn't take the call conveniently. Later I saw him make another call, looking particularly thrilled, saying things like 'What? You're really willing to co?' and 'You're not joking, are you? Trying to get my hopes up for nothing?'... He looked so happy yet anxious..."

Edogawa Conan: "...???"

Wait, he had no mory of this! That second call definitely wasn't to him!

So Hattori had made plans with soone else? From the way Hattori was looking around, it seed he'd arranged to et at this opening party?

Could it be soone he knew?

But among people both he and Hattori knew, besides police and case-related individuals, there was only—

Could it be Usuha-nii?

Thinking this, Edogawa Conan couldn't help but look toward Hattori Heiji, seeing him still looking around, so he went over and tugged at him.

Hattori Heiji crouched down: "What's wrong?"

"Who are you looking for?"

Hattori Heiji didn't hide it and said directly: "Usuha-nii. He called a few days ago saying he was coming to Osaka, so I asked if he wanted to co to this opening ceremony..."

Since Edogawa Conan was here too, he wanted to have Edogawa Conan witness and settle the score for Usuha-nii using his na to show off at the ga launch event.

But he hadn't seen anyone yet.

Hattori Heiji sighed: "After all these years, no matter how I invited him he never ca out. This ti he finally agreed, and I confird several tis, but I still haven't found him... I suspect he stood up."

Edogawa Conan fell silent.

Well... although he wasn't particularly close to Usuha-nii either, he felt it was quite possible.

And at this kind of event everyone dressed quite formally, so if Usuha-nii continued his usual style he should be quite conspicuous...

"Is it possible," Edogawa Conan said with a serious expression, "that Usuha-nii was refused entry because his attire wasn't formal enough?"

Hattori Heiji: "............"

Ah, this.

Hattori Heiji was a bit embarrassed but still tried to defend: "But wouldn't he call in that case? And I already sent him an invitation, so with that he should be able to get in with a bit of sweet talk..."

Edogawa Conan said with half-closed eyes: "With Usuha-nii's personality, he'd just turn around and leave..."

Just as they were talking, the important guests for this opening banquet arrived.

Three famous professional athletes walked out amid flashing lights and cheers and applause from others, and Edogawa Conan's attention imdiately shifted over.

No help for it! The other two were fine, but Ray Curtis was his favorite soccer player!

Being able to see his idol up close like this, forget about whether Usuha Izuki ca or not—Edogawa Conan was so excited he almost forgot who he was!

Even when an Arican reporter who liked digging up celebrity scandals suddenly appeared and said so strange things, making the atmosphere a bit awkward, it couldn't affect Edogawa Conan's good mood.

When Mouri Ran went to ask Ray Curtis for an autograph for him, Edogawa Conan was moved to tears.

After getting the autograph, Mouri Ran ca down and handed Edogawa Conan a ticket to Ray Curtis's ga in Japan tomorrow, then quietly showed the walkie-talkie in her hand amid others' curious questions.

"Mr. Curtis also asked to help with sothing, saying he wants to give everyone a surprise later..."

Edogawa Conan was happy to participate in anything related to his idol.

So when the ti Ray Curtis had indicated arrived, their group left the restaurant and ca outside.

There were quite a few people outside too, since the three athletes who ca were all big celebrities. Even if they couldn't get in without invitations, they were happy to wait outside—maybe when the celebrities left, they could get close-up autographs or hear them say goodbye in person.

Hattori Heiji really did look around to see if Usuha-nii had been refused entry, but with the sea of people, he couldn't find anyone.

But soon, his phone rang.

Hattori Heiji was startled, saw the caller ID, and quickly answered: "Hello?"

"I can see you. You just ca out, right?"

Hattori Heiji was both surprised and delighted: "You really ca?"

Toyama Kazuha turned toward him like she had radar.

But Hattori Heiji didn't notice Toyama Kazuha's reaction at all. While listening to the phone, he looked around, then waved excitedly and even ran over.

Toyama Kazuha looked over with critical and suspicious eyes.

A silver-haired young man in a light green haori, dressed overly fashionably, was enthusiastically pulled out from the crowd by Hattori Heiji, who spoke to the security guards, then brought him over with a bright smile.

"Ah..." Toyama Kazuha was stunned, recognizing the person from his ssy outfit. "It's that big brother..."

She'd seen him once in elentary school and again three years ago while skiing. She didn't even know his na, and after that this person had essentially disappeared from her awareness. No matter how excited Hattori Heiji got, she couldn't imdiately think of him.

Hattori Heiji was still asking: "Why were you outside? Was it because the security wouldn't let you in dressed like that?"

Edogawa Conan also quietly perked up his ears to listen.

"...Do you have so problem with how I dress?" the silver-haired young man asked with a gentle smile.

No matter how clueless Hattori Heiji was, he could sense danger and quickly explained: "Isn't formal wear required? You look great, but it's not exactly formal wear, so I guessed you might have been refused entry."

"Not really, I actually just arrived and don't know if they'll let in yet."

Hattori Heiji: "............"

Edogawa Conan: "............"

Both detectives had reasoned for ages without considering this possibility, and hearing it now were greatly shocked.

So it was because he was late?!

This was way too late... all the important proceedings inside had ended... they had even co out...

Hattori Heiji asked with a twitching mouth: "Um, Usuha-nii, don't you follow celebrities?"

Usuha Izuki answered very calmly: "No, why?"

Hattori Heiji said with understanding: "Nothing, I just thought no wonder you were late. Everyone ca to see those three celebrities, so if you didn't care at all, being late would be normal."

Then Usuha Izuki imdiately beca displeased: "...Who said I was late?"

Hattori Heiji: "...???"

He looked at Usuha Izuki, then down at his watch, wondering if he should question the other's sense of ti.

Although Usuha Izuki was only about seven or eight years older than him, he was still an elder of sorts, right? Did he have to teach him about punctuality?!

Usuha Izuki argued righteously: "I said I'd et you at this hotel today, right? I never said I was coming to participate in the opening banquet! I'm not interested in that kind of thing."

Hattori Heiji was a bit moved and a bit suspicious: "...Really? This isn't you trying to save face after being late?"

"...If I really wanted to attend the banquet, of course I'd change into formal wear and wouldn't co at this hour. When people are late, they're only late by a little bit."

Hattori Heiji thought that made so sense, but he still reserved judgnt, since Usuha-nii's personality was really terrible.

Continuing this topic would be endless, so Hattori Heiji began introducing others: "This is Toyama Kazuha, you've t her before. This is Uncle Mouri, Ran-san, and Ko—uh, Conan-kun. You should already know him, so I won't introduce him."

Mouri Ran couldn't help complaining: "Why do you always stutter when calling Conan's na?"

Edogawa Conan started sweating.

Hattori Heiji, this big mouth! He was used to calling him Kudo in private, so he always accidentally let it slip in front of others. He'd asked him to fix it properly but he could never change it! Ran had questioned this more than once!

Although Hattori Heiji panicked briefly, he quickly beca confident and even said with so accusatory aning: "That's Usuha-nii's fault!"

Mouri Ran was puzzled: "Usuha-nii?"

Although Mouri Ran wasn't close to Usuha Izuki, when they t on the shinkansen, Usuha Izuki had said "Shinichi calls Usuha-nii, you can call that too," and Mouri Ran had agreed with a red face.

Now discovering Hattori Heiji also knew Usuha Izuki, Mouri Ran wasn't surprised, just felt emotional.

Usuha-nii has such good relationships! He knows people everywhere!

Hattori Heiji gritted his teeth: "I t Usuha-nii in elentary school. He wouldn't tell his real na and only told he was called Conan and was a detective... Ask Kazuha if you don't believe !"

Everyone looked at Toyama Kazuha.

Toyama Kazuha couldn't really rember clearly, but the na Usuha Izuki was indeed unfamiliar, so she hesitantly nodded: "It seems like that."

Everyone: "............"

Hattori Heiji's expression was grave: "I only learned Usuha-nii's real na recently from Kudo. Before that I always called Usuha-nii 'Conan'! So seeing this little brat and having to call him Conan feels really weird! Do you understand?!"

Mouri Ran imdiately expressed understanding: "I get it, not being able to say it is normal. You need to get used to it slowly..."

Edogawa Conan watched Hattori Heiji's accusation in stunned amazent.

This excuse was really good this ti... but it seed like it wasn't just an excuse, but very genuine. This guy Hattori had definitely been wanting to complain about Usuha-nii for a long ti!

Usuha Izuki didn't take Hattori Heiji's accusation seriously: "Speaking of which, is the banquet over? Or are there other segnts? Why did just you few suddenly co out?"

Mouri Ran explained: "Mr. Curtis wants to help..."

Just as she was speaking, the walkie-talkie suddenly activated, and Mouri Ran quickly helped, watching which rooms in this hotel building had lights on and which didn't.

The voices of the three celebrities took turns appearing on the walkie-talkie, and their figures appeared and disappeared at windows.

After watching for a while, Edogawa Conan and the others understood.

Ray Curtis and the others planned to use the unopened hotel above the restaurant to create the shape of the letter "K" for the restaurant's na with lights as a surprise.

But with so many fans outside, they would cause a commotion if they ca out, so they asked the seemingly agreeable Mouri Ran to help.

Usuha Izuki suddenly spoke up: "This kind of situation seems perfect for faking alibis."

Even Hattori Heiji, who liked reasoning, wouldn't think about murder cases at a ti like this, and couldn't help choking: "...Usuha-nii, don't say such unlucky things at a ti like this. Today..."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a "bang" of gunfire, and a room's window suddenly shattered along with it, glass falling down.

Hattori Heiji: "............"

Edogawa Conan: "............"

—Sothing really happened?!