VIP Shoutout: Massive thanks to Totersmcgee & Samuel Tijani for joining the Inner Circle!
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"Hello everyone, this is the Gotham Gazette. Recently, the kidnapping of a young girl by the Riddler shocked the city and caused widespread panic among citizens!"
"Fortunately, the hostage was rescued last night, and the perpetrator, the Riddler, was successfully captured and is now under tight police control."
The anchor paused for dramatic effect, adjusting his glasses as the camera zoomed in slightly.
"However, the person who rescued the hostage was neither the GCPD nor the rumored Batman, but a criminal—Kaitou Kid!"
A murmur of surprise rippled through the studio audience.
"We can't help but ask: why would Kaitou Kid take on the Riddler's challenge to save a girl who has nothing to do with him? Is it because he still possesses a precious conscience, or is there an inside story hidden behind the scenes that we don't understand?"
"This morning, a reporter from the Gotham Gazette had the honor of interviewing the kidnapped girl. Let's see how the person involved answered these questions."
The live broadcast shifted to a pre-recorded segment.
Janice appeared on camera, sitting upright in a simple chair, her face bright and animated.
There was none of the expected sorrow or lingering fear of someone who had just endured a kidnapping; if anything, her eyes sparkled with barely contained excitement. The dark-eyed reporter beside her looked almost exhausted by comparison.
"Kaitou Kid is definitely a great person! I've never seen anyone as elegant and gentlemanly as him. I really want to be held by him and fly in the sky again… By the way, Kaitou Kid's chest is super warm—"
The screen quickly cut back to the studio, the anchor clearing his throat awkwardly.
"Ehm... ehm... In short, through the victim's statement, we have gained a completely new understanding of Kaitou Kid today. He never steals out of greed for wealth, and he will also lend a helping hand to others in danger."
"Perhaps just like the saying that has recently emerged, rather than a thief who lives by stealing people's money, Kaitou Kid should be called the Arsène Lupin of the new century."
...
The video on the phone finished playing.
Darren pulled off his headphones, a small, secret smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he slipped the device into his pocket. He stepped through the school gates with a quiet feeling of satisfaction blooming in his chest.
Overnight, Kaitou Kid's reputation in Gotham had improved at least tenfold. Online forums were exploding; people who had once dismissed him as a flashy show-off were now forming fan clubs offline, printing posters, and debating his "true nature" in coffee shops.
Previously, the admiration had been shallow — close-up photos of his monocle and cape earning a chorus of "Wow, so handsome," and nothing more.
But now… people had suddenly discovered that Kaitou Kid seemed to have more than surface-level appeal. He was also someone who would stand up for others when no one else could.
Yes, some had already begun to consider Kaitou Kid a hero — just like the other masked vigilantes who haunted Gotham's rooftops. As for his habit of stealing things only to discard them, well, that was just his unique way of executing justice, wasn't it?
Whenever Darren scrolled past those earnest, serious-sounding remarks online, a warm, almost giddy comfort settled in his stomach.
He had no grand intentions of becoming a hero — not really — but the feeling of strangers spontaneously defending him, rationalizing his actions, speaking up for him without him ever asking… it was extraordinary.
Just as he walked into the classroom, the familiar morning hum of chatter greeting him, Darren spotted Tim waving from the seat next to his own. Tim's expression was unusually solemn, almost grave.
Darren walked over, ready to toss out his usual casual greeting, but Tim spoke first.
"Daren, thank you for saving me yesterday."
The words hit like a bucket of cold water.
"..." Darren froze mid-step.
How did Tim know he was the one who saved him?
Had his identity been discovered?
But how could Tim have seen through him as Kaitou Kid? He replayed the events at Miller Port in his mind — the smoke, the decoys, the careful distance. He shouldn't have left any flaws.
Don't panic. Stay calm. Poker face. Poker face…
"Huh? What are you referring to?"
Darren decided to play dumb, keeping his tone light and confused.
"I mean you covering for me by calling the school to ask for leave yesterday. Sorry, I used coming over to your house to play as an excuse without telling you first."
Tim said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, already pulling out his notebook.
Phew~~
"Oh, that. It's a small matter. Besides, it's not the first time I've covered for you."
Hearing Tim's explanation, Darren felt the knot in his chest loosen instantly. Relief washed over him in a quiet wave.
So that's what he meant by "saving." Not the rooftop rescue — just the sick-leave alibi.
"Speaking of which, what exactly were you doing yesterday? You were nowhere to be found all day. Usually, when you ask me to cover for you, it's at night. To think you'd skip school this time — that's quite rare for a straight-A student like you."
To avoid saying too much and accidentally letting something slip, Darren immediately turned the question back on Tim, leaning casually against the desk.
"Uh… well, there's not much to say. It's just that… secret Wayne Enterprises training class I mentioned to you before."
This time, it was Tim's turn to look embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact.
Heh~ Is this training class you're talking about called the Batcave?
Darren knew full well, but on the surface he maintained an obviously disbelieving expression, one eyebrow raised.
"The last time I heard you mention this training class was when we just graduated from elementary school. After all these years, you're still taking classes there?"
"They have teaching content for everything from elementary school to university."
"But you skipped an entire day of school. Shouldn't the training class hours be separate from school?"
"That's because something unexpected happened, and they had to temporarily change the time. It'll go back to normal in the future."
"Why doesn't your father know about this training class?"
"I told you it's a secret training class, so of course it can't be disclosed casually. I was only admitted as an exception by Lucius Fox, the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, after I won a big award in elementary school. It's not like I didn't tell you back then."
"If it's so mysterious, why did you tell me about it?"
"…"
After just a few short questions, Tim's back was already covered in cold sweat. He stared down at his notebook as if it might suddenly offer him an escape route.
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Thought this fic got deleted for a second there because of a 'Whoops! Work Not Found' error.
Literally the scariest five seconds of my life. Anyway, we're back in business—enjoy the chapter!
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12 Advance chapters:
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