Yu Ishigami survived.
This alone felt like a medical miracle worthy of publication in a journal somewhere.
Fujiwara Chika, however, delivered ten minutes of divine maternal "guidance," courtesy of a newspaper rolled tighter than a shinai.
But Shinomiya Kaguya… her gaze remained colder than the bamboo wall that almost became Ishigami's grave marker.
Even after soaking in the hot spring, she radiated the temperature of a walk-in freezer.
Ishigami dragged himself back to his room on hands and knees, shivering like a man who had stared death in the eye and seen a wealthy heiress holding the scythe.
Haruto, suppressing his laughter, said lightly,
"He didn't mean any harm. It's just adolescent boy hormones. They explode sometimes."
Shinomiya Kaguya withdrew her murderous glare.
But having stared for so long, her eyes had become slightly dry. In a blink, she looked a little aggrieved and pitiful—as though pitying Ishigami Yu.
Yet in truth, she was merely exercising a skill passed down from the Shinomiya family, one that allowed her to feign weakness and instantly capture male attention.
The kind of look that could melt glaciers.
Haruto reached out, rubbed her hair, and pulled her to sit on the sofa outside the hot spring.
He also handed her a cup of high-quality hot black tea.
Shinomiya Kaguya held the cup delicately and took a small sip. The residual anger in her heart faded slightly, replaced by the pleasure of the warm tea.
She was only a little upset. If her grievance had been real, it wouldn't have been so fleeting.
The display of pity and frailty was just a strategic move from the Shinomiya family hand book. Skills, subtly applied, could influence hearts without a word spoken.
As Haruto watched her relax, he smiled internally.
Ishigami… your death flag has been defused. You truly earned the title of hero today.
He smoothed Shinomiya Kaguya's hair again, feeling it as soft as brocade.
He then poured himself a traditional hot milk, preparing for a quiet night. Since the hot spring experience was still ongoing, it made sense to share the moment together.
Night fell like ink poured gently across the sky.
Soaking in the hot spring at this hour offered a clear view of the starry sky above. Hakone Hot Spring, being far from the city, allowed the sky to reveal themselves in full splendor.
Haruto had already observed this scene earlier, appreciating the simple, peaceful beauty.
"It's cloudless. Looks like we'll have good weather tonight," Shinomiya Kaguya said, not looking at the sky but at Haruto.
He smiled noncommittally.
"It's clear now, but weather can change. A storm might sweep through later. Predicting is unreliable."
Weather was unpredictable; storms could sweep away even the clearest sky.
He found the metaphor amusing.
As darkness deepened, they parted temporarily to return to their rooms. Haruto wandered through the hotel, arriving at the room he had been assigned. Since he had the key and no one was present in the corridor, nobody knew which room was his.
Well, in theory.
Trying to hide from someone like Kaguya was like trying to hide your existence from gravity.
Haruto sighed and stepped inside.
The room was dim, lit only by the moon spilling through the window. He slid it open, leaning an elbow against the frame.
Mountains.
Stars.
A sky like glass dusted with diamond powder.
He waited.
And as the moonlight settled comfortably over the tatami…
We rewind slightly.
Fujiwara Chika had chugged hot milk like a sports drink and burst with enthusiasm. She'd dragged Iino Miko back to their room to set up the ultimate "night games".
From her perspective, staying idle at night was meaningless. She had prepared a stack of board games, including quirky customized ones and the classic Truth or Dare. In her mind, the night was meant for fun, not rest.
But upon opening her door, Chika was startled. Something hung above her, a piece of paper dangling ominously. Curiously, she approached and read:
"Notice: declares that seven days from now, Hakone Hot Spring will be stolen. Signed: Kaito Kid."
Her eyes widened with excitement.
A crime notice!
Chika Fujiwara, the famed detective, had her instincts triggered immediately.
Hugging the thrill, she tried to grab the note to show Haruto and Shinomiya Kaguya—but the moment she touched it, the note burst into brilliant seven-colored flames, disappearing without smoke or heat.
"Wooooooah! Phantom Thief powers! Amazing!"
Before she could even react, four playing cards dropped from above, scattered on the floor. Each card bore special patterns and digital information—an initial decryption step.
Chika Fujiwara's detective instincts lit up instantly.
She was completely immersed, forgetting her plans to play Truth or Dare with the others. She was now Detective Fujiwara Chika, sworn enemy of Kaito Kid.
Haruto, of course, had orchestrated this.
He used magical paper with small ignition mechanisms, combined with the falling cards, inspired by a classic detective novel.
He knew Chika Fujiwara hadn't read this novel, so she would be fully engaged without seeing through the trick.
The challenge was just enough to captivate her without overwhelming.
Thus, the biggest potential distraction was removed—Chika could now act freely, engrossed in her detective role.
Haruto, secretly, felt a twinge of concern at how absorbed she had become.
Now, seated by the window, the room was bathed in moonlight. Even without artificial lighting, the room glowed gently, perfectly complementing Haruto's patient vigil.
Click
The door opened, sliding light across the room. Someone had come—though it was unclear from where they obtained the key. Even Haruto could not predict this intrusion.
The corridor light intersected with the moonlight at two-thirds of the room, blending into a soft glow. The girl entering the room walked calmly, with no trace of the night-attack intentions one might expect.
"Megumi, good evening," Haruto greeted with his usual smile.
Kato Megumi returned the smile calmly.
"Haru, good evening."