Conan: The Phantom Heart Thief

"You have sharp observation skills and seem pretty good at reasoning… I haven't asked your name yet."

"Hmm? Me?" Kazawa withdrew his gaze from Conan and looked over at Hattori Heiji on the other side.

No one knew if Tsujimura Kimie had come prepared, but she had a 7-seater SUV and took all five of them with her.

Conan's cold was clearly more severe than in the original plot. Kazawa kept glancing at him from time to time, afraid that he might suddenly henshin on the spot. If that happened, he might even need to create a fake traffic accident to cover for this detective who always brought trouble.

"My name is Kazawa Akira." Kazawa tilted his head slightly, "If you're going to ask about Kudo-san… sorry, even though we're in the same class, I've actually never met him."

"Kazawa Akira, huh… You haven't seen Kudo… Are you a transfer student?" Hattori Heiji recalled what Ran Mouri had said earlier and raised an eyebrow. "And you transferred in after Kudo disappeared?"

"That's about right." Kazawa reached out and gently pushed Conan back when the dazed boy tried to raise his head at the mention of his name.

"How strange…" Hattori muttered, "Ever since Kudo Shinichi disappeared, all these detectives started showing up in Tokyo. A guy like you with great reasoning ability also transferred in after his disappearance… Is Kudo some kind of seal being broken or something?"

Kazawa honestly didn't know how to respond.

Maybe there's a will in the universe that's forcing people to choose one of three routes? Kazawa mocked inwardly, but still played his role as Conan's teammate to help draw attention away from him. He made up a reasonable-sounding explanation: "Maybe when Kudo-san was still active, the media and police focused all their attention on him. That kind of 'siphoning effect' happens in all industries — the few at the top tend to take up most of the resources. The detective world might not be any different."

"That doesn't explain everything." Hattori curled his lips, "Forget about that uncle. But that Akechi Goro guy… I've investigated him too. He's a detective who came back from the U.S., wasn't even in Japan before. But right after Kudo disappeared, he started getting famous..."

"What? Are you saying he's related to Kudo Shinichi too?" Kazawa looked interested in the new theory.

"Of course. That's the most likely place Kudo could be hiding. If we can't find him anywhere, then we should suspect someone next to us. A real detective has to consider all possibilities and eliminate every impossibility. No matter how ridiculous the final answer seems, it has to be the truth."

Hattori smiled confidently, his white teeth standing out against his dark skin.

"Sherlock Holmes?" This was supposed to be Conan's line, but since he was sick and lying against the door, Kazawa asked it for him.

Hattori pointed at him: "That guy is also a huge Sherlock Holmes fan… Another similarity."

"That quote's just too famous." Kogoro Mouri rolled his eyes. "Hey, why are you so obsessed with that kid anyway? There are tons of detectives out there. Did he wrong you or something?"

"How could that be?" Hattori flicked his cap with a smug grin. "I just want to see for myself how good this so-called 'equal to me' detective really is."

In fact, his father had used Kudo Shinichi to criticize him a few times, calling him reckless and irresponsible. That made Hattori really annoyed.

Especially since Heiji's childhood friend He Ye also agreed with his father, saying he was impulsive and didn't think things through…

Hmph. "Other people's kids" are the worst. I hope this guy called Kudo doesn't disappoint me. If he does, don't blame me for being harsh.

If Kazawa could hear Heiji's thoughts, he would have sincerely told him—

You're overthinking. Kudo is way more reckless and impulsive than you. Look — he's already gotten himself into this mess and yet he's still standing here.

Tsujimura Kimie, who sat in the passenger seat, occasionally turned her head to glance at them.

Her expression remained cold the whole time. Every now and then, she'd lower her head to smooth out the wrinkles in her gloves. She seemed uninterested in their conversation, but her gaze had landed on Kazawa's face more than once.

Kazawa knew what that meant. The next time she glanced over, he looked back with a blank expression.

Considering this case, even if she hurried to beat the shadow in the memory space, the problem wasn't with her — it was with Tsujimura Isao, the one who was about to die. He was probably already poisoned, just waiting for the detective to witness the locked-room trick and include it in the murder method. Also, the deceased wasn't exactly innocent, so Kazawa chose to let things develop naturally.

Of course, if needed, he'd still offer a bit of guidance.

"Don't bring up what was said at the office once we're at my home." After being caught by Kazawa's gaze, Tsujimura Kimie gave up pretending and said directly.

"Of course." Kazawa nodded. "I understand basic etiquette."

"Good." She put on her sunglasses again. "Tell me honestly — do I really look like her?"

"Yes, ma'am." Kazawa leaned forward, placing a hand on the back of the passenger seat to make sure the others couldn't hear. Then he confirmed, "Whether it's the eyes, nose, or overall facial structure — very similar. When you were young, you must have been just as beautiful as Miss Katsuragi Sachiko."

Tsujimura Kimie gave a bitter laugh and whispered, "Even a stranger could recognize her… I've really failed as a mother."

"That's not your fault." Kazawa leaned in closer and lowered his voice, "In the end, the person who was lied to isn't the one at fault. It's the liar. The past is already behind you."

Tsujimura Kimie turned to him in surprise.

Kazawa's icy blue eyes reflected the flickering shadows of trees outside the car window. His light-colored pupils set within sharp cat-like eyes carried a penetrating gaze, like a feline staring down its prey — it made her instinctively shrink back.

This boy's words… they're loaded. Has he figured something out?

She observed him for a few seconds, but Kazawa didn't press her further or reveal anything else. He just looked at her calmly — with compassion.

A strange wave of understanding passed between them. And for a brief moment, Tsujimura Kimie felt an inexplicable sadness.

He had seen it all. And now, he was waiting for her answer.

"Thank you for your kindness, young man." Tsujimura Kimie adjusted her sunglasses, turned away, and revealed a wise but weary smile on her no longer youthful face.

Kazawa understood then.

She heard his comforting words. But she had already made up her mind. She would go through with the murder — and nothing else mattered.

"Alright." Kazawa let go of the passenger seat and sat back.

She already knew the consequences and had accepted them. She carried that criminal kind of courage and dignity — the kind that's common among characters in this world of scientific reasoning.

What else could Kazawa say? Just offer respect, blessings — and wish her a smooth "military campaign."

"What were you talking about?" Hattori Heiji had been watching closely. As soon as Kazawa sat back, he leaned over. "Did you figure something out?"

This kid, Kazawa Akira, clearly hadn't said anything improper. He'd been polite and respectful the whole time. But Hattori still found him mysterious — like he knew more than he let on.

At this moment, Hattori's thoughts perfectly aligned with a certain hardworking figure in the organization.

What should we call this kind of guy? A mystic? People who talk like they know something but never tell you — so frustrating!

"Nothing," Kazawa answered casually, then suddenly asked, "Do you really want to meet Kudo-san? Then how about we make a bet?"

"A bet?" The word immediately activated Hattori's competitive instincts. He straightened up. "What kind of bet?"

"Let's bet on whether he'll appear today — and if so, why he'll show up." Kazawa smiled faintly.

"Oh?" That was a new one. But now that he thought about it, Kazawa did seem to know a few things about Kudo. It wasn't likely he'd suggest a bet just based on a hunch.

"I bet he'll appear today, and it'll be your fault." Kazawa, armed with spoilers, made his wager boldly. "If I win, you take on a long-term job from me. If I lose, I'll tell you a secret about Akechi Goro's identity."

If you fall for it, it's great. If not — well, no harm done. This is the kind of bet Kazawa liked.

At the same time, he felt a little regretful. If only everyone were this easy to bait… Then I could pick up all the coops in town and all the major characters wouldn't even have their underwear left. My name would be written upside down if I failed.

"You're trying to provoke me, huh?" Hattori raised an eyebrow. "Fine, let's bet!"

Kazawa narrowed his eyes and smiled — as if he could already see the new Tarot card waving at him in the distance.

"Then let's wait and see."