Under the night sky.
Outside the villa.
Kurosawa Hoshino watched Honda Osamu being escorted into the police car. When he turned his head, he saw Saotome Madoka approaching.
The female college student's cheeks were flushed, her legs pressed together, her hands fidgeting in front of her stomach. She was twisting and turning in place, looking extremely abnormal.
Kurosawa Hoshino stared at her warily and quietly stepped back a few paces.
"Kurosawa-kun, please don't misunderstand." Saotome Madoka noticed his movement, and her face grew even redder. She quickly said, "I just wanted to take a photo with you. Is that okay?"
"That's all?"
"Mm."
"Then you should have said so earlier. You scared me."
"Huh?" Saotome Madoka looked confused.
"Nothing. Come on."
Kurosawa Hoshino found a spot illuminated by the car lights and quickly took a photo with her, then ran over to Inspector Megure. He had almost thought he'd run into some kind of obsessive fan.
"Yo, Brother Hoshino." Inspector Megure greeted him as soon as he came over.
"Hey."
Kurosawa Hoshino nodded, then looked at Conan, who was standing beside Dr. Agasa. He called out, "Conan, do you want to come back with me?"
"I'll take the professor's car." Conan answered quickly. He still felt guilty about hanging up the phone, and he didn't dare ride in the same car as Kurosawa Hoshino right now.
Kurosawa Hoshino said nothing and looked at Ai.
Ai was silent for a moment, then said helplessly, "Bye, Brother Hoshino."
"Mm."
Satisfied, Kurosawa Hoshino nodded and said to Inspector Megure, "Inspector Megure, I'll leave it to you."
"Don't worry. Sato, hurry up and take Brother Hoshino home."
Officer Sato jogged over, patted Kurosawa Hoshino on the shoulder, and raised an eyebrow. "Let's go, Hoshino."
"Officer Sato, I'm saying this upfront—drive slowly. It's nighttime."
"Don't worry. My driving skills are great."
"It's not about skill. Just promise me you'll drive slowly first."
Kurosawa Hoshino figured that if they got into a car accident, he might not die, but getting injured would still hurt a lot. Especially when sitting in a car—it wasn't like he was the one driving. Once "Danger Prediction" triggered, there really wasn't a good way to save himself.
"Hoshino, you're a bit of a coward."
"I'm just being responsible for my own life."
"Alright, stop nagging. Get in."
Officer Sato came up behind Kurosawa Hoshino, pushed him toward the red Mazda RX-7, opened the passenger door, and practically shoved him inside.
"Heh." She chuckled softly, quickly circled around to the other side, opened the door, and got in.
As the car ignited, the red Mazda RX-7 shot forward instantly.
"Slow down, slow down." Inside the car, Kurosawa Hoshino muttered quietly.
"Haha, don't be scared."
"Wait, Officer Sato, this isn't the way to Fifth Block, is it?"
Kurosawa Hoshino stared at the road ahead and the surrounding buildings, asking in confusion.
"Didn't I tell you before? When I have time, I'd treat you to a meal as thanks."
"Officer Sato, actually, I already ate before coming."
Kurosawa Hoshino told a small lie. He had eaten—but only a few bites before he received Ai's call and left his bowl and chopsticks behind to head out.
"It's fine. You can just eat a little. Besides, Yumi insisted that I bring you along." Officer Sato smiled.
"I strongly suspect you're kidnapping me." Kurosawa Hoshino complained.
"How is this kidnapping? This is just a normal friend treating another friend to a meal."
"So friends aren't allowed to refuse?"
"This way I seem more enthusiastic, don't I?"
"Sigh, forget it. I'll call Ran."
Kurosawa Hoshino took out his phone and dialed Ran's number.
"Hoshino, why are you calling?" Ran asked curiously.
"Officer Sato wants to treat me to a meal. I might be back a little late, so I won't stop by your place later."
"Oh, okay."
"Mm."
After saying that, Kurosawa Hoshino hung up and asked, "A big feast?"
"Uh—" Officer Sato felt a little guilty and said weakly, "Yumi said she'd treat you to monjayaki."
"Huh?"
Kurosawa Hoshino's eyes widened. He felt his throat churn. He tugged at the locked car door and said irritably, "Officer Sato, you might as well let me out. Or let me jump out. I can't eat that stuff."
"It actually tastes pretty good."
"No. I can't get past the mental block."
"It's fine. You can order something else when we get there."
"...6"
Twenty minutes later.
They arrived at the destination.
Kurosawa Hoshino was dragged by Officer Sato into the monjayaki restaurant. As soon as he walked in, he saw Yumi Miyamoto at a table not far away, holding a small spatula and fiddling with a pile of mushy stuff.
"You're here!" Yumi Miyamoto greeted them happily when she saw them enter, then said to the waiter, "Excuse me, one whiskey soda and two juices."
"Sit." Officer Sato smiled and pushed Kurosawa Hoshino into an inner chair, while she sat on the outer chair to prevent him from escaping.
Kurosawa Hoshino glanced at the stuff on the iron griddle. The corner of his mouth twitched twice, and he said quietly, "Don't you two think this looks like what someone throws up after drinking too much?"
"..."
Instantly, both women fell silent, their faces darkening.
Yumi Miyamoto especially—she loved drinking, and vomiting was a common occurrence. Hearing Kurosawa Hoshino's words, her mind was filled with images of that kind of vomit.
"Hoshino, don't ruin the mood, okay?" Yumi Miyamoto felt like the spatula in her hand was neither right to hold nor right to put down. She glared at him.
Kurosawa Hoshino said irritably, "I didn't like eating this in the first place. Officer Sato dragged me here."
Officer Sato rubbed her brow and suggested, "How about we go somewhere else? Find an okonomiyaki place?"
Kurosawa Hoshino almost laughed out of anger. "Can't we just go to a barbecue place or something?"
"But we already ordered. Can't we just make do?" Yumi Miyamoto started poking at the iron griddle with the spatula again.
"Change. Change. Change." Kurosawa Hoshino couldn't accept it at all, even if it tasted good.
"Sigh, fine." Yumi Miyamoto finally put down the spatula. "Since I'm the one treating you, we'll do whatever you say. But first, let me finish the whiskey soda I ordered."
Officer Sato laughed. "Honestly, you're a traffic cop yourself, yet you love drinking so much. Don't drink too much tonight. You have work tomorrow."
"Okay, okay, you're being too naggy. Hoshino, sure you don't want to try it? It tastes pretty good."
"I already said it's not about the taste." After saying that, Kurosawa Hoshino glanced at his system panel. He was still 8 Source Points short.