During the break in the eting, everyone stepped out to get so fresh air. Most of the officers were either smoking or grabbing drinks. "W
During the break in the eting, everyone stepped out to get so fresh air.
Most of the officers were either smoking or grabbing drinks.
"What would you like to drink, Mr. Hayashi?"
"Soda water will be fine."
"Okay, soda water... You seed to be having a hard ti holding back your cough earlier. Are you still not well?"
"Well, sotis I can't help coughing,"Hayashi Yoshiki replied, accepting the soda water from Ninzaburo Shiratori with a soft smile.
Then, with a hint of playfulness: "But Mr. Shiratori... you seem to be getting a bit chubby, aren't you?"
"W-Where?! Where is it showing?" Shiratori stamred, clearly flustered. "I go to the gym twice a week!"
"I used to go five days a week... before I caught this cold."
"Oh! No wonder you look so good, Mr. Hayashi!"Miwako Sato couldn't help but move a little closer.
Her words caused Shiratori and Wataru Takagi to tense subtly, their expressions changing ever so slightly.
Hayashi Yoshiki chuckled, about to speak again—when suddenly, his phone rang.
Ding-ling-ling-ling~ Ding-ling-ling-ling~
It was that phone—the one from the Organization.
Without hesitation, Hayashi walked away, careful not to be overheard by anyone near the bathrooms. He slipped into the parking lot and got into his car.
"Hello?"
"Is the place inconvenient for you?" ca Gin's unmistakably cold voice.
"I'm hiding in my car right now."
"I have a mission for you. Also—the police prosecutor who invited you to this eting? That's Ireland in disguise."
"...What mission?"Hayashi Yoshiki smiled faintly.
"There was a spy nad Okakura Masaaki who defected from the Organization. Before doing so, he copied the list of all our spies onto an SD card. Before we could take him out... he was killed."
Gin's voice was sharp—lethal.
As the police and the FBI infiltrated the Organization, the Organization had its own embedded spies as well.
Okakura Masaaki had posed as a secretary to a congressman, giving him access to the upper echelons of the governnt.
But perhaps because of that very access, he grew tired of being the Organization's puppet... and stole the spy list.
Before the Organization could silence him, he was killed by an unrelated serial murderer—who unknowingly took the SD card with him.
After the briefing, Hayashi smiled again.
"My na's not on that spy list... right?"
"Are you a spy?"Gin sneered. It was clearly a joke, but the undertone was cold.
"So... you want to work with Ireland to recover the card?"
"This is exactly your specialty."
"...What a hassle."
"I'll give you more tasks later."Gin hung up.
...Did he just treat missions like they were rewards?
Hayashi Yoshiki stared at the dark phone screen in silence.
He was definitely interested in that list.
If he could get his hands on it—just like when he had stolen drug A—no, maybe there was another way...
Knock knock.
Soone tapped the passenger-side window.
He rolled it down—and saw a stranger.
"Hello, do you have a lighter?"
"I don't smoke,"Hayashi said calmly, then added:
"Vermouth."
The stranger's smile froze.
Then, the door opened. The man removed his disguise, revealing a familiar and enchanting face.
"How did you know?"
"The sll."
"...Huh?"
"I have always been impressed by the feminine scent that emanates from you."
"Oh my..."Vermouth grinned. "If people knew that the idol detective could say sothing like that, they'd be shocked."
Hayashi didn't answer—he coughed again, suppressing the irritation in his lungs.
Seeing this, Vermouth didn't light the cigarette between her lips.
Instead, she gently reached out and wiped his face.
"How pitiful."
"...What do you want from ?"
"Just catching up on old tis."
"I thought you were inviting out for a drink."
"Do you want to?"Vermouth tossed the question back with a sly smile.
Hayashi glanced at the clock. He coughed again—harder this ti.
Vermouth's eyes flickered.
Because of her ties to Cointreau and Ran, she had read the Koumi Island case reports.
This man had truly risked everything—for that child.
But she wasn't here for nostalgia.
"Did Gin tell you about Ireland?"
When Hayashi nodded, she leaned closer.
"Be careful with him. He's... not entirely honest."
"...Okay."
Her warning echoed in Hayashi Yoshiki's mind.
Was it because of Gin?
No... that didn't add up.
Vermouth was the one who had killed Pisco—the man Ireland admired as a father. Even if Ireland resented Gin for assigning the mission, his true hatred probably pointed to Vermouth.
The eting was about to resu.
Hayashi and Vermouth walked back in.
The first half of the eting had discussed the case files. Now, the second half turned to investigative direction.
"The killer transports the victims to specific locations. Let's consider—do these six places hold personal aning to the murderer?"
"Also, the killer takes one item from each victim—necklaces, purses, charms, keychains, makeup cases... seemingly unrelated. But such actions aren't without reason."
"As far as we know, there's no relationship between the six victims, right?"Hayashi asked.
gure Juzo nodded gravely:
"Correct. They were all strangers. Their hos are scattered across different cities."
"What about their travel records? Were they in the sa place on the sa day? Did they visit the sa clinic or hospital?"
"That's..."
The nearby officers looked around, unsure.
At that mont, Hayashi turned his attention back to the victims' photos.
"The killer wouldn't take those items without purpose. They may seem useless... but what if they're ant to commorate the dead?"
A murmur rippled through the room.
It made a strange sort of sense.
Just like a movie scene: returning to a grave, bringing trophies from the vanquished as tribute.
Sitting above, Matsumoto Kiyonaga nodded slowly.
"Then we'll pursue that line of investigation. Find any potential connection—see if the victims were in the sa location at any ti."
"And let's not forget the mahjong tiles. Examine those symbols carefully."
"eting adjourned."
Everyone rose and began to leave.
Matsumoto Kiyonaga's gaze lingered on Hayashi Yoshiki.
"...What's going on, Prosecutor Matsumoto?"
Hayashi asked with a gentle smile.
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