"So you got Joker's email?" Sitting at the table outside Polo Café, Kazawa yawned while casually flipping through his workbook and asked Conan.
Thankfully, the math teacher didn't care much about handwriting. This workbook had gone through two different ghostwriters, and the difference in handwriting was really obvious. But Kazawa didn't care at all, and even said the experience was great—he would totally do it again next time.
Conan glared at the note in his hand like it had done him wrong. On it was the copied email address Joker left behind.
The calling card was just too unique. He didn't dare carry the real one around—it would attract too much attention.
"And he even replied." Conan still couldn't understand. "He said before that he knew the identity of the men in black, but in the email, he refuses to explain clearly. He just told me to go to the game launch event on time… Is there some reason he insists I go?"
If you don't go, what if Tequila doesn't blow up? Kazawa was still waiting to unlock that achievement. He was getting tired of drinking whiskey all the time.
"Is it possible," Kazawa began seriously, trying to mislead, "that Joker has a reason he can't show up in person? Like, maybe those people know him, and they'd recognize him. Or maybe he has a sunlight allergy, or social anxiety…"
As he spoke, Kazawa started getting interested in his own idea.
Oh right, now that he had disguise skills, and Joker's white-haired image had already left a deep impression—couldn't he create a realistic look for Joker in real life too? Like, say he has albinism, so he can't be exposed to direct sunlight. His eyes also have issues, so he wears bandages like a blind person…
Great idea. Gotta write that down.
What kind of nonsense is that? Conan's eyebrow twitched hard.
The first two reasons at least sounded half-logical. Maybe Joker really had some kind of connection to those people, so he couldn't appear himself. After all, this was someone who could disguise himself too. If he really wanted to sneak into the venue and investigate, he wouldn't need a detective's help at all…
But that last part—what the heck? Not to mention, Joker's whole vibe practically screamed "cool and flashy." Someone with social anxiety wouldn't be stuffing mysterious cards into people's pockets everywhere! The sunlight allergy thing was harder to refute, though… come to think of it, no one really had seen Joker in broad daylight…
Wait a second, what am I even thinking?! Conan shook his head to stop his wandering thoughts and looked at Kazawa with a frown. "You told Amuro-san you're going to the launch event, right?"
"Don't worry, he already agreed. He won't show up with a dark face to scold you." Kazawa really did feel a little bad for Conan. He wasn't sure if it was because his own acting was too convincing, or because Conan really was a trouble magnet, but Amuro Tooru always had that "you're being a bad influence on a good kid" look when he saw them together. "This time, Mouri-san and Suzuki-san will come too, right? And also Mouri Kogorou."
"Yeah…" Just thinking about it made Conan feel a bit helpless. "Mantendo made a detective game based on Mouri-ojisan and invited him and Ran to the event. As for Sonoko, the moment she heard you were going, she insisted on tagging along. Her family works with Mantendo a lot, so getting a ticket was easy for her."
Seriously… if Joker was specifically asking for him to be there, that probably meant something big was going to happen. But with Conan's current identity, he had no reason or authority to stop them from going…
Such a headache.
Kazawa patted Conan on the shoulder sympathetically. "Can't be helped. Since we're going, might as well just go with it. At least Mouri-san and the others are good at fighting. If anything violent happens, it's safer than you going alone."
Conan nodded heavily. Then, thinking of Amuro Tooru again, he recalled everything that had happened on the ship.
"…Kazawa, do you know Amuro-san well? Is he a friend of your parents?"
"No, but, hmm…" Kazawa thought of the identity Amuro Tooru was using now and replied, "You could say he's someone my parents would trust."
Of course they would—he's from the hardcore public safety division.
Conan sighed. "So your parents… are in a bad situation, right? On the ship, I saw him with a gun. Are their friends really that dangerous?"
Kazawa paused—oh right, no wonder he felt something was missing. He hadn't acted out a scene with Conan yet. That day, he only played as Akai Shuichi and Amuro Tooru. Time to give Conan a stab of emotional pain too.
"Actually…" Kazawa put down the workbook and stared at his fingers, slowly slipping into the right mood. "I haven't told you this yet. A few days ago, I got news… my parents have passed away."
Conan's eyes instantly widened. "Eh?"
"So there's definitely something fishy about my case." His eyes went a little out of focus, and he slowly curled his fingers, perfectly portraying someone trying to stay calm while dealing with deep sadness. "There's no way they could've hired a lawyer for my case. They were already gone at the time."
Conan opened his mouth but couldn't find any words. He stared blankly at Kazawa, at a loss.
"I should've trusted them more." Kazawa's voice got lower and lower, but he couldn't stop speaking—as if saying it out loud was the only way to keep himself from falling apart. "Even if we hadn't seen each other for years, my mom and dad would never believe I'm a criminal. If they were alive… no matter what, they would've come to see me… I was too caught up in my own emotions, resenting everything, even getting mad at them… If only I'd thought about it earlier. If only I'd contacted them sooner…"
Conan was completely flustered. He wasn't good at comforting people—especially not in such heavy situations. He had no idea what to do with his hands or feet. Should he say "my condolences" first? Or try to encourage Kazawa?
After a long silence, he just placed his much smaller hand on top of Kazawa's clenched fists.
"That's why you have to stay strong." He spoke clumsily, trying his best to show some comfort. "Maybe their deaths are connected to your case. Leave it to me—we'll get to the bottom of it and find the one who killed them."
Conan felt like his words were so weak. Even though he was trying to encourage him, it all felt so thin and powerless.
Kazawa lowered his head. It wasn't clear if he was holding back tears or suppressing his emotions. He just opened his palm and gently grabbed Conan's small hand, holding it in his own.
"I'm Sherlock Holmes' disciple. You have to believe in me." Conan didn't pull away from Kazawa's tight grip.
Inside the café, Amuro Tooru, who had just finished wiping a glass, sneezed twice in a row. He touched his nose in confusion.
Was someone talking bad about him?
Then he glanced through the café's wide, bright floor-to-ceiling windows and saw Conan and Kazawa sitting on the outdoor sofa chairs, oddly holding hands with super serious expressions.
A high schooler and a grade-schooler… what in the world were they seriously holding hands and talking about?