Chapter 22
After his diligent work, Yu finally saved enough money, even exceeding his goal.
Ren accompanied Yu to Akihabara to purchase the expensive merchandise, the clerk carefully wrapping it in exquisite packaging.
“So this is what you were working for,” Ren looked at the item. “For Nanako?”
“Yes,” Yu nodded. “I promised Nanako I would visit her during summer break, so I came to look for a gift in advance. It’s a good thing I did. If I had waited until the last minute, I wouldn’t have had enough money, and that would have been a shame.”
Ren looked at him. “You’re not staying in Tokyo for the summer?”
“I’ll stay for a few days after the break starts, then I’ll go to my uncle’s place and return towards the end of summer.”
Ren nodded, mentally calculating the timeline.
If he remembered correctly, the fireworks festival was at the beginning of summer break, so Yu would still be in Tokyo. Then came Futaba’s Palace, which Yu wouldn’t be participating in, so his absence wouldn’t matter. Finally, there was the beach trip at the end of summer.
Yu would be back by then.
A perfect timeline.
The clerk returned with the beautifully packaged box. Yu thanked her and left the shop with Ren.
“I saw everyone in the group chat discussing summer vacation plans. Have you decided what you’re doing?”
“We’re going to the fireworks festival. It’s a few days after the break starts,” Ren replied. “Will you still be in Tokyo then?”
“The fireworks festival?” Yu blinked.
He remembered the fireworks festival in Inaba last year, which had been towards the end of summer break. He hadn’t realized Tokyo had multiple fireworks festivals, the earliest one being at the beginning of the break.
Yu smiled wryly, checking the date on his phone.
After confirming the date, he nodded. “Yes, I can make it to the first one.”
“It’s perfect timing. I leave the day after.”
As they walked and chatted, a girl stopped in front of them.
“Oh? Senpai?”
It was Sumire Yoshizawa.
“Hello, Yoshizawa-san,” Yu greeted her. “What brings you to Akihabara today?”
Ren nodded in greeting as well.
“I heard there was merchandise here for my favorite gymnast, so I came to check it out,” Sumire replied cheerfully. She wore her Shujin uniform, her red hair loose, and a pair of black-rimmed glasses.
They hadn’t seen each other since their last encounter. Sumire seemed more lively now, the sadness that had once consumed her gradually fading.
“I didn’t expect to run into you both,” Sumire smiled. “Want to grab a drink? I have something I wanted to ask you.”
Yu and Ren exchanged glances, then nodded.
“Sure.”
At the burger joint, Sumire ordered the extra-large combo, while Yu and Ren ordered regular meals.
While waiting for their food, Sumire sighed, a worried look on her face.
“Actually, Maruki-sensei contacted me.”
“Maruki?” Yu looked at her. “The therapist who treated you?”
“Yes,” Sumire nodded. “He was suspended from school after a patient reported him for practicing without a license. It seems to have disrupted his research, so he’s trying to find out who reported him, to clear up the misunderstanding.”
She looked worried. “He found me, as one of his patients, and he seems to have realized I’ve recovered.”
Ren sipped his cola, which had arrived early.
“It’s not surprising he figured it out. After all, your parents call you Sumire, and you respond. They probably used to call you Kasumi.”
“Exactly,” Sumire hesitated. “He had a strange look on his face when he left. He seemed like he wanted to ask me something but didn’t. I’m worried I might have inadvertently implicated the person who reported him, or even you two.”
Ren: …
They were the ones who reported him. If Maruki found them, he would have found the culprits.
Ren looked at Yu. “What do you think?”
This entire report had been orchestrated by Yu, with his mysterious and incredibly capable detective friend handling the details.
If Maruki investigated, he would only find Yu.
“What do I think?” Yu met Ren’s gaze for a few seconds, then abruptly stood up.
Ren and Sumire watched, bewildered, as Yu strode towards the entrance and grabbed someone who was walking past, bundled up in a coat, pulling them into the restaurant.
“Reinforcements have arrived,” Yu announced after his “kidnapping.”
Akechi, dragged into the restaurant against his will: …
Ren, wanting to complain but not knowing where to start: …
Having max Proficiency but being unable to use it for complaining was truly a curse.
“What are you doing?” Akechi took off his hat, glaring at Yu. “No, wait, how did you recognize me? I was disguised.”
“Did I need to recognize you? It was obvious,” Yu replied.
“Really?” Akechi looked at Ren and the unfamiliar girl. “Could you two tell it was me?”
Ren and Sumire shook their heads emphatically.
So it was just this Narukami guy who was incredibly observant! How could he tell?!
Under Akechi’s furious glare, Yu placed his glass of cola in front of him.
“That’s not important. I need to ask you something.”
Akechi frowned slightly, sitting down and taking the cola without drinking it. “What is it?”
“Generally speaking, if a patient wants to sue a doctor for malpractice, but they don’t have concrete evidence, how can they win the case?”
Ren choked on his cola, coughing violently, while Sumire stared at Yu, wide-eyed.
Yu was already planning to sue the quack?!
“…You should ask a lawyer about that.”
“But aren’t you a detective?” Yu said, even more matter-of-factly than Akechi. “Detectives are all-knowing. It’s normal for you to know a bit about law, right?”
Akechi: …
Although he was being complimented, he felt like he was being set up.
“Give up,” Akechi said, crossing his legs, his expression unreadable, his voice low and devoid of its usual warmth, but also lacking the mocking tone he adopted after his true nature was revealed.
It was strangely calm.
“In today’s society, even with concrete evidence, it’s difficult to win such cases, let alone without it. The judicial system is currently preoccupied with the upcoming elections, the Phantom Thieves, and the mental shutdown incidents. They don’t have time for a minor medical malpractice case.”
“Junya Kaneshiro’s sudden confession has kept the police incredibly busy. The prisons are overflowing.”
“Speaking of which, with Kaneshiro behind bars, your friend’s problem should be resolved…” Akechi suddenly trailed off, looking suspiciously at Ren and Yu.
Ren kept his head down, sipping his cola, while Yu returned his gaze curiously, as if wondering why he was being stared at.
“You two… you better not be involved with the Phantom Thieves of Hearts,” Akechi finally said.
Ren and Yu remained silent, while Sumire, observing from the side, didn’t dare utter a word.
After a few seconds, Ren nudged Yu discreetly.
“He’s getting worse at hiding his disdain.”
“Yes,” Yu nodded, sighing. “He seemed so saintly and gentle when we first met.”
“Always subtly hinting about how he had no friends and wanted some.”
Akechi: …
He clenched his glass, wanting to throw the cola in their faces.
“Speaking of the Phantom Thieves, they have a website now. I checked it out earlier. They’re taking bets on which requests they’ll accept,” Yu commented. “Is that kind of gambling illegal?”
Ren replied seriously, “If there’s no money involved, it shouldn’t be.”
“If it’s not illegal, I might try it next time.”
“Count me in.”
Akechi felt like he had lost his mind, even considering the possibility that these two idiots were connected to the Phantom Thieves.
“Your food is ready!”
The waiter brought their burgers. Akechi stared at the gigantic burger placed in front of Sumire, dwarfing Ren and Yu’s regular-sized burgers.
Yu smiled, placing his burger in front of Akechi. “Want some?”
“No, I’m working out. I’m avoiding greasy food.”
Akechi stood up, still holding his untouched cola. “But I’ll take this.”
“Goodbye.”
Yu waved, Ren bid him farewell, and Sumire, although not knowing him, politely nodded. Akechi put his hat back on and left the restaurant with his cola.
After walking for a while, Akechi stopped, staring at the cup in his hand.
He was avoiding sugary drinks due to his workout, but he had instinctively taken the cola with him.
Even though he wasn’t going to drink it.
“What am I doing…” he murmured softly.
His phone chimed. He shifted the cola to his other hand, retrieving his phone and opening the new message.
The phone screen reflected his impassive face and cold eyes.
[xx: You did well this time. Yagen Foods can’t compete with Okumura Foods anymore. We’ll be victorious soon.]
[xx: Our next target is the TV host, xxx. He’s conducting an undercover investigation. We can’t let that information leak.]
Akechi frowned, a flash of anger in his eyes, which he quickly suppressed.
He placed the cola on a nearby bench, calmly replying: [Understood.]
He glanced at the cola one last time before turning and walking away.
…What he shouldn’t have, he wouldn’t have in the end.
