"Cool scene?" Dr. Agasa blinked, puzzled.
"Let's go check it out." Tsune pocketed his playing cards and led Dr. Agasa upstairs.
Sonoko and Ran exchanged glances, unsure of the odd atmosphere.
Aragichi, Hamano, and Kuroda were nervously whispering, while others acted unbothered.
So strange!
"Ran, you scared at all?" Sonoko tapped her chin, thoughtful.
No fear, oddly enough.
"Nope." Ran smiled, shaking her head.
With Tsune's nonchalant attitude, who could feel scared?
…
"You took it, didn't you?" Tanaka Kikue followed Doi Tower into the room, voice low.
"Thought I'd see you alone before leaving." Doi's plump face grinned, holding her prepared crime tools: a crossbow, arrows, and rope.
"You knew?" Tanaka's eyes flashed with resentment, recalling chatroom rumors, tears welling.
Doi's bulky frame turned, standing by the balcony, pushing open the window to gaze at the moon. In his true voice, he said, "Enough. Killing them both changes nothing."
"But!" Tanaka froze at his voice change, ready to argue.
"On stage or off, I don't fear others' words."
"I conquer audiences with dazzling performances."
"Even if it costs my life, I'd never regret it."
Doi tossed a tiny flashbang to the floor.
As light and smoke cleared, the white-cloaked, top-hatted Phantom Thief Kid appeared before Tanaka.
Kid smirked, wind ruffling his cloak, fingers on his hat's brim. "I know this deeply."
"Because, like him, I'm a magician too!"
Tanaka stood stunned in the bedroom.
Kid's words hit harder than his identity.
Sorting her grandfather's belongings, beyond chat logs, she found his planned post-performance message:
Finally succeeded. How was this magic trick? —Deceiver Boy & Harui Kazama
Tears rolled down Tanaka's cheeks. Smiling wistfully, she said, "Even at that age, he insisted on performing…"
She turned, head bowed, and walked slowly out of the room.
Tsune and Dr. Agasa, peeking from the doorway, quickly stepped aside to let her pass, watching as she returned to her room.
"The real Phantom Thief Kid?!"
Dr. Agasa, clueless about the case details, was still utterly confused.
"What, time to make your escape?" Tsune stepped forward, chuckling.
This guy had holed up in his room all afternoon—probably just scripting that monologue.
"Thanks to your warning, I avoided any further mess." Kid reverted to his true form, once again the epitome of gentlemanly poise.
Her vengeful murder plot and the Escape King's death—Tsune had indeed tipped him off about both.
"I'll get back at that jerk sometime soon—as thanks for teaching me that magic trick!" Tsune meant Hamano Riya, the vanished "Bunny" from the chatroom.
"Deeply appreciated." Kid said, striking a dramatic pose in the wind.
"Until we meet again."
"Dark Knight, sir."
"When the bells of the century's end toll, we shall cross paths once more."
A fierce gale whipped outside. The white-clad thief unfurled his glider and soared toward the distant horizon, vanishing into the night.
…
"Tsune, that's too much!"
"You knew Doi Tower Katsuki was Phantom Thief Kid and didn't even tell me!"
The next day, in Dr. Agasa's yellow Beetle, Sonoko was still griping at Tsune.
So close yesterday, and she'd missed it!
"Miss, you've been on about this since last night…" Tsune clutched his head, headache brewing.
He really should've brought Sonoko upstairs to watch the show last night.
Good thing the Mouri family was in another car—otherwise, that little grim reaper would've hounded him with questions nonstop.
"Dr. Agasa, you saw Phantom Thief Kid too, right?" Sonoko shot him a dissatisfied look, turning to the focused driver.
"Y-Yeah." Dr. Agasa gave an awkward smile.
He'd peeked from behind the door and seen it all, even if he hadn't fully grasped it.
That Tanaka Kikue woman had been taken by police for questioning—who knew the outcome?
Did she really kill the chatroom host, Escape King?
"The red herring was Doi Tower Katsuki being Phantom Thief Kid…"
Sonoko muttered endlessly from the back seat, clearly regretting it big time.
Tsune could understand the feeling.
Uncle Mouri had sulked for ages last time he missed out on Yoko Okino's concert tickets.
In that sense, Phantom Thief Kid was just like Yoko—an idol star.
By the way, didn't Sonoko want to meet the Dark Knight?
With that thought, Tsune couldn't help asking, "Sonoko, I hear young folks are into the Dark Knight lately. No thoughts on that?"
Even Dr. Agasa glanced at the rearview mirror, curious about her reply.
Don't say the wrong thing!
"Dark Knight?"
"He's pretty cool and all, but how could he compare to an elegant, noble phantom thief!" Sonoko waved it off, her mind full of her idol.
After all, visually, he was just "all black"—no other details to even compare!
Tsune stared at the receding scenery outside the window, falling silent.
Next time, I won't let you meet him!
I'll knock out one of you two before it even happens.
"Heh heh…" Dr. Agasa chuckled at Tsune's expression.
See? Even you can't handle this young lady who treats you to meals so often.
…
Back in Beika Town.
Tsune didn't bother digging into the case's aftermath. He just, on a dark and windy night, gave the vanished Bunny a thorough beating…
(End of Chapter)
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