"Won't you at least consider it?"
Shiratori's question snapped Kiichi Higashino back to reality.
Oh, he's talking about me. For a second, I thought you were about to ditch your precious Mihoko.
"The age gap's way too big," Kiichi replied, brushing it off.
At thirty-three, Reiko Kujo was a bit too much of a big sister for his taste.
Shiratori looked genuinely disappointed. "I've told you a dozen times, I'm not chasing after Sato," Kiichi said, cutting straight to the point. He knew exactly what Shiratori was hinting at.
To his surprise, Shiratori didn't flinch at having his thoughts exposed. "That's not what I meant," he said calmly. "It's just that Superintendent Matsumoto's daughter is getting married soon, and it got me thinking."
Ohhh. So that's why the hallway was buzzing earlier—Superintendent Matsumoto's daughter was tying the knot.
Damn it… wedding gifts. Kiichi wasn't sure if his priorities were in the right place, but he had a sneaking suspicion this wasn't the main issue here.
His mind wandered to Sayuri Matsumoto, the superintendent's daughter. He recalled how Matsumoto had been less than thrilled about her boyfriend. Not long after Kiichi had joined the force and proven his chops, the superintendent had even tried to set him up with Sayuri for a "meet-and-greet."
Kiichi had shut that down faster than a speeding bullet.
Meddling in someone else's love life in Beika Town? Do I look like I have a death wish?
Even as a rookie detective, his loyalty to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department was unshakable. Why would the superintendent try to sabotage him like that?
But now, it seemed Sayuri was about to walk down the aisle. Good for her, Kiichi thought. Dodged a bullet there.
Or so he thought. Apparently, Superintendent Matsumoto had other plans.
Kiichi had barely stepped out of the cafeteria after lunch when Matsumoto waved him over.
"You want me to… investigate your future son-in-law? Toshihiko Takasugi, heir to the Takasugi Corporation?" Kiichi asked, incredulous. Come on, boss, what's the deal? A corporate heir isn't good enough for you? And they're about to get married! Isn't it a bit late for this?
"I've got a bad feeling about that kid," Matsumoto said, his tone resolute. "I'm certain he's up to no good."
Kiichi was speechless.
Okay, sure, fathers and sons-in-law don't always see eye to eye, but this is a bit much. With all due respect, Matsumoto was just a superintendent. Did he really think a corporate titan would bother scheming against him?
"I think," Kiichi said carefully, "you should trust your daughter a little more on this."
"No way," Matsumoto shot back, unwavering. "I need to know what that kid's hiding. He was dating Sayuri's friend before her, and after they broke up, he moved on to Sayuri. Something's off about him."
Kiichi's ears perked up. "Oh?"
Dumping a girlfriend to marry her best friend? That's practically a death sentence in Beika Town.
Or maybe Sayuri's the one with a target on her back.
Kiichi had been ready to dodge this assignment with a polite "I'm too busy" excuse. After all, he wasn't some pushover rookie who'd get stuck with the superintendent's dirty work. He had his own connections in the department.
But now? This was starting to sound like a classic Beika Town drama. Betrayal, best friends, and a shady fiancé? It was practically begging for a "best friend showdown" or a "scorned lover's revenge."
Sure, ignoring it might save him from chipping in for a wedding gift, but preventing a crime before it happened? That was a win-win. Less paperwork, fewer headaches, and maybe even a pat on the back for proactive policing.
"Alright," Kiichi said, relenting. "If you insist, I'll look into it in my spare time. But I'm not promising I'll find anything useful."
Probably won't find anything at all… unless I dig into the friend.
Matsumoto walked away, clearly pleased.
Sure, it was technically a personal favor for the boss, but when the boss asks, it's not exactly "personal," is it?
That afternoon, Matsumoto wasted no time setting up a meeting with Sayuri's best friend—and Toshihiko Takasugi's ex-girlfriend—Kazumi Takenaka. Her name alone screamed "suspiciously shady" in Kiichi's book.
The meeting took place at a cozy café in Beika Town. Kazumi Takenaka was a striking woman, her beauty accentuated by a smattering of freckles across her face.
"What does a detective want with me?" Kazumi asked, her tone cool and guarded. Most people weren't exactly thrilled to get a call from the police.
Kiichi gave her a wry smile. "Trust me, I'm not thrilled about this either. My boss is making me look into his daughter's fiancé."
Kazumi wasn't slow on the uptake. "Sayuri's father put you up to this?"
"Bingo," Kiichi said, playing up his "overworked detective" vibe. "So, Miss Takenaka, if you could throw me a bone to help me report back, I'd appreciate it. Superintendent Matsumoto's got a real grudge against Mr. Takasugi."
"What's there to complain about?" Kazumi said, sounding unimpressed. "He's just an overprotective dad who can't accept that his little girl's all grown up."
"Probably," Kiichi agreed, nodding. "Honestly, I don't think there's much to find, but the superintendent's hung up on the fact that Takasugi used to date Sayuri's friend. I mean, breakups happen. It's normal to move on when things don't work out. But you know how parents get—they worry their kids can't make their own choices."
"Oh, that," Kazumi said, rolling her eyes as if it was no big deal. "The 'friend' he dated? That was me."
Kiichi feigned surprise. "No way."
"It's not a big deal," Kazumi said with a playful smile. "I stepped aside. Toshihiko was Sayuri's childhood sweetheart, you know. Her first love." She leaned in conspiratorially. "But you'd better keep that under wraps."
Childhood sweethearts? Kiichi nearly laughed. In Beika Town, that was practically a cosmic law. Not even the Grim Reaper could break that bond.
"Hold on," Kiichi said, curiosity piqued. "If they're childhood sweethearts, how does Superintendent Matsumoto not know?"
"Oh, it's a long story," Kazumi said, her eyes lighting up. She launched into the tale.
Apparently, Toshihiko hadn't always been a Takasugi. He was adopted into the family after a tragic accident left him an orphan. His mother had died in a car crash—one caused by a criminal fleeing from none other than Superintendent Matsumoto during a chase.
Maybe it was because Kiichi had played the "I'm on your side" card so well, or maybe Kazumi just couldn't resist a bit of gossip. Whatever the reason, she spilled everything. She'd been investigating on Sayuri's behalf, digging into Toshihiko's past. And in a moment of oversharing, she even let slip that Sayuri was torn about how to handle the bad blood between her fiancé and her father.
Kiichi could hardly believe it. Kazumi Takenaka might just be Beika Town's ultimate best friend.
Her boyfriend ran off with her best friend, and not only was she not mad, she was going above and beyond to help. But as admirable as that was, Kiichi had a nagging feeling that Toshihiko Takasugi wasn't as innocent as these two women seemed to think.