Kazawa, having climbed up to the attic, was still unaware that the distillery was currently caught in turmoil because of his family. He peacefully lay down and drifted off to dream of drinking.
He had just put on a big show. Although it wasn't too tiring, hanging out with Leon—another spoiler—sharing jokes and hints was quite relieving.
Tonight at the Velvet Bar sat two drunks who boasted they couldn't get drunk even in their dreams, blowing whiskey straight from the bottle.
Kazawa slammed his palm down on the bar counter: "Why don't they give me 'driving'? I'm not really buying it. Is there something wrong with it?"
"Cut it out. Do you even have a driver's license?" Leon pushed Kazawa's leaning head away. "They gave you something as practical as fighting skills, and you're still picky?"
"Like Conan just magically having a pilot's license or something," Kazawa muttered. "But I haven't even entered one palace yet, and they already gave me a coop side quest? That's kinda lazy."
Leon shook his head. "Trying to squeeze spoilers out of me won't work. I have no right to reveal coop details. You're on your own."
"So you do have intel," Kazawa said, unbothered by being caught. "Let me think…"
Kazawa did have a rough idea of who the helpers might be.
Since there's Amuro Tooru, not including Akai Shuichi would be disrespectful. Red-side detectives like Conan and Hattori are definitely on the list, but the black-side? That's uncertain.
Also, can people like Kaito Kid or Kyogoku Makoto, those 'outsiders,' be counted too?
If they can trigger too, and I get Kyogoku's Tarot, wow...
"Then what do you think? Should I try sneaking into the distillery?" Kazawa changed the subject.
"Chances are it's not just as simple as that."
"Right, I still haven't figured out why the Organization is so interested in 'Kazawa Akira.'" Kazawa flicked an empty bottle in the air, a little frustrated. "Bourbon definitely knows, but I never asked his position. Should I just tell him straight up, 'Amuro Tooru, something's happened'?"
Leon laughed at Kazawa's joke and took a big swig, enjoying it with his eyes half closed. "You get the difficulty of holding the script now, don't you? It's like you already know the final truth of a mystery novel, but can't tell anyone. You have to pretend it's your first time reading and act like you've logically deduced it all."
"Yeah, it's tough. My script's even mixed up." Kazawa imagined a future where whether he was in the red or black side, he'd always have to keep up the act. His temples throbbed in phantom pain. "If I'm really crucial to the Organization's plan, I must be under constant surveillance. The moment I use my cognitive powers and get caught by the black side, I'll be in deep trouble…"
The P5 social-level villains, aside from the traitor Akechi Goro, were all normal humans. Just one Akechi had managed to create a chain of disastrous crimes across society.
If this power was exposed to the distillery, what a mess that would be...
"Can't be so passive. I have to find a way into the Organization... though that gives me a bit of nostalgic vibes," Kazawa said, looking down at his perfectly fine legs.
"Nostalgic about what? In the Conan world, making fake booze is probably safer than making the real stuff," Leon slapped Kazawa's head to interrupt his drifting thoughts.
"Hey!" Kazawa looked up, glaring. "I get it, but why are you hitting my head too?"
"Just wanted to feel it," Leon withdrew his hand, rubbing his fingertips approvingly. "No wonder Amuro Tooru likes messing with your hair—it does feel nice."
——
The next day, when Amuro Tooru arrived at the café for work, he saw Kazawa, who had been chasing Leon around all night until he rolled out of bed, looking exhausted.
"Good morning. Didn't sleep well last night? Make sure to rest well tonight," Amuro patted Kazawa, who was slouched in his chair.
He wanted to pat his head again, but considering Kazawa's protest yesterday, he settled for patting his shoulder.
"Morning." Kazawa answered with little energy, then glanced at Amuro's dark circles. "Stop lecturing me. You didn't sleep well either, did you, Amuro-san?"
Kazawa himself was okay. His sleep time was enough.
It was just that in his dream he had drunk a lot, and his past drinking history made him subconsciously think he should be hungover now—but his body felt fine, which threw him off.
Amuro, on the other hand, wore many hats. Because of the case details Kazawa had revealed yesterday, his workload must have exploded. It was unclear if he had slept at all. The dark circles were so deep no complexion could cover them.
"I have insomnia, got used to it. I only tell you to rest well because I know how important good sleep is once you lose it," Amuro said without blushing or blinking, sounding quite serious.
Can't sleep at all? Probably because work's never done. Kazawa sympathized, looking at his face.
Yawning, Amuro noticed Kazawa's clothes and asked curiously, "Why are you wearing your school uniform even on a day off?"
Good question. Kazawa sighed. He hadn't even realized it was a day off when he got up!
Why does it feel like a day off comes right after a whole day of school? You ask me, I ask who. None of us in this Conan world get it, so I definitely don't.
If he hadn't checked his phone calendar before leaving, he might have ended up going to school.
"I didn't bring many clothes and didn't know what to wear. This uniform isn't bad, actually," Kazawa said, making up a decent excuse.
"Is it really about whether it looks good?" Amuro rubbed his forehead, thinking that a minor with poor self-care living alone under domestic care couldn't be blamed for such messiness. "Enomoto-san and I will take a day off to bring you to the mall."
Kazawa quickly refused, "No, no, just tell me where the nearest mall is. I can go shopping myself. Amuro-san, why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep? You look terrible."
A rare chance for free movement—better let the tired undercover agent rest.
"Is it that bad?" Amuro checked himself in the floor-to-ceiling window reflection. Indeed, he looked visibly worn out. Then he glanced at the café's attic. "The attic is your personal room now, right? Is it okay?"
"It was originally the break room, so it's fine. I don't have many personal things. They're all locked in the drawer. Living here long-term is already troublesome for everyone," Kazawa answered reasonably.
Since Kazawa was so understanding, Amuro agreed, planning to thoroughly check Kazawa's belongings.
"Then I'll sleep for two hours. I'll make the bed again when I'm done. You can go to the shopping street in the north. The big department store is on the other side—the Mihana Department Store." Amuro pointed to directions, noticing Kazawa only carried his flat commuter bag and casually asked, "Did you bring money?"
Even exhausted, Amuro still cared about the people. Kazawa felt touched for a moment, deciding to give a little more info.
"Don't worry. I have a bank card left by my parents. They send me living expenses every year. There's still plenty in the balance."
Just as Amuro was turning toward the stairs, he stopped and naturally said, "Good. Be safe on the way."
Kazawa glanced at Amuro's hand in his pocket, guessing he was blindly texting on his phone.
Looks like unlucky Amuro still won't get any rest.
Kazawa grinned and headed out, adding another overtime to the poor man's tally.