"Alright, enough jokes."
Dean waved his hand casually, his tone relaxing as he looked at Dick Grayson.
"I get how you feel, Dick."
Dick frowned slightly, listening.
"You're a Wayne," Dean continued smoothly. "God knows how many priceless treasures in this city belong to your family. It's only natural to feel annoyed when people keep talking about Kaito Kid—especially when he might steal from you someday."
"What? That's not what I was thinking at all!"
Dick reacted instantly, almost too fast, his denial sharp and instinctive.
"I just think criminals shouldn't be welcomed," he said seriously, his eyes locked onto Dean's face. "No matter how flashy they are."
He paused, then asked honestly, "What about you, Dean? Do you like Kaito Kid too? Like everyone else seems to?"
Dean didn't hesitate.
"What I want to say is—you're right," he said firmly, nodding. "Criminals are still criminals. Kaito Kid is arrogant, and someone like that will be caught sooner or later. When that happens, everyone will see his true colors."
Dick's expression changed immediately.
"That's right!" he said, visibly encouraged. "GCPD, Batman, and Robin won't let Kaito Kid get away with it!"
Then he hesitated, scratching his head.
"Honestly, I thought you'd be one of those people who like him," Dick admitted. "That guy dresses like a magician. His style feels… theatrical."
He glanced at Dean. "And you're a magician too. I figured you might feel some connection. Though I don't really understand magician circles."
Dean raised an eyebrow, his expression exaggerated with disbelief.
"Who said magicians automatically like each other?" he scoffed. "Haven't you heard the phrase 'competitors are natural enemies'?"
He leaned back slightly, confidence dripping from his tone.
"And let's be honest—can what Kaito Kid does even be called real magic? Smoke bombs, decoys, distractions. That's beginner-level stuff. If I were him, I could do far better."
Dick fell silent.
From a certain angle, Dean's words actually made sense.
On one side was Dean—a young magician who had already proven himself on the stage of the Gotham Grand Theater. His skills were public, tested, and acknowledged.
On the other side was Kaito Kid—a mysterious phantom thief with limited confirmed information and only a few recorded actions.
Comparatively, Dean did have the confidence to back up his arrogance.
"…Okay," Dick said after a long pause. "You're amazing."
---
Ding—a-ling—a-ling!
The class bell rang.
A sharp-eyed, middle-aged teacher entered the classroom with professional efficiency.
Dean immediately turned around and sat properly, posture straight, expression calm.
At least on the surface.
Inside his head, thoughts raced.
Did I go too far just now?
Did Dick mentioning magic make me overreact?
With his back to Dick, Dean quietly analyzed the situation.
Relax. Don't overthink it.
There are countless magicians in the world. Just because I'm one doesn't mean suspicion would fall on me.
As long as he stayed normal, there was no reason for Dick to doubt anything.
Behind him, Dick was having his own internal struggle.
I must be crazy, he thought. Kaito Kid can't be Dean.
Alfred's casual comment from the night before echoed in his mind—about Dean being a magician.
That probably planted the idea in my head, Dick reasoned. Yesterday's failure just made me oversensitive.
After a bit of silent self-correction, both of them reached the same conclusion.
They were overthinking it.
---
Time passed quietly.
Soon, it was four in the afternoon.
The dismissal bell rang, and the teacher closed his book at lightning speed.
"Class dismissed."
No extra words. No dragging it out.
A true professional.
Dean packed his bag and stood up, ready to leave, when a voice called out.
"Hey! Thurston! Grayson! Want to play ball?"
Dean turned and saw a boy with a neat middle-part haircut, wearing a black top and gray overalls, holding a basketball at his waist.
It was Ai Kun, surrounded by several other boys.
"Not today," Dick replied immediately. "I've got something important tonight."
The moment he finished speaking, he jumped straight out of the classroom window and ran toward the school gate.
The classroom was on the first floor—no danger at all.
Ai Kun sighed and looked at Dean with hopeful eyes.
Dean shrugged helplessly.
"Sorry. I've got to practice magic. I need to prepare for next month's school dance performance."
"That's a shame," Ai Kun said disappointedly.
But he didn't push it, turning instead toward the basketball court with the others.
Dean didn't dwell on the moment.
Tonight mattered.
Tonight, the Angel's Blood Tears would be returned.
---
Dean went home, changed into casual clothes, pulled on a baseball cap, and slipped several spare masks into his pocket.
As night fell, he stepped out.
---
Gotham Gazette Building — 29th Floor
Star reporter Vicki Vale finally stopped typing.
She stretched, reread her article carefully, and smiled with satisfaction.
The past two days had been some of the most glorious of her career.
Because of Kaito Kid's front-page story, Gotham Gazette's circulation had skyrocketed. And as the reporter behind it, Vicki's reputation had soared right along with it.
Few people knew what happened before the case broke.
Days earlier—before the theft—Dean had sent Notice Letters to multiple Gotham media outlets, carefully planting the seeds for attention.
At the time, no one had heard of "Kaito Kid."
The letters were vague, dramatic, and easily mistaken for pranks.
Most editors ignored them.
But Vicki Vale didn't.
She had personally interviewed Two-Face, Penguin, Riddler, and Scarecrow—some of Arkham's most infamous criminals.
The moment she read the Notice Letter, it reminded her strongly of Edward Nygma's writing style.
Of course, Riddler was still locked away in Arkham, making it impossible for him to be the author.
That was exactly why most people dismissed the letter.
But Vicki chose to gamble.
And she won.
Not only was she present at the museum that night, she also captured the clearest close-up photo of Kaito Kid, taken from the best possible angle.
Because of that single decision—
The theft of the Angel's Blood Tears became almost exclusively her story.
And somewhere in Gotham's shadows, the real author of that story was already preparing his next move.
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