"Victim: Tatsuji Kuroiwa. Cause of death: cardiac arrest…"
"Preceded by extreme panic, even strangling himself to the point of near suffocation."
"Possibly triggered by a terrifying hallucination."
"So, he stepped out after 9:30, saw the name Keiji Aso, and just… lost it?"
Since Moonlight Island fell under Tokyo's jurisdiction, Inspector Megure led the response.
Before questioning, he had the letter bagged as evidence, curious what kind of power a mere note held to unravel a man like that.
Nothing stood out.
"Bet he had a guilty conscience. One look at Keiji Aso and he freaked himself to death," Kogoro Mouri declared, as if it were obvious.
Megure rubbed his chin, nodding in agreement.
With so many witnesses, it seemed the only explanation.
Even Conan had no doubts.
But he sensed more—Kuroiwa's reaction to Keiji Aso screamed that the fire twelve years ago hid something dirty. The letter's line about "shadows vanishing again on the next full moon" felt like a murder warning to him. With Kuroiwa dead, Conan was already plotting where to dig next.
The trio—stocky, tall, and short—stood lost in thought, oblivious to Ran's mounting fear.
"You okay?"
Hayato Masaki asked her softly.
"Hayato-nii…"
"Eri-san mentioned you're scared of ghosts. That scene spooked you, huh?"
"Yeah…" Ran nodded sheepishly. "Hayato-nii, you don't think it was really Keiji Aso's ghost, do you?"
"No way that's real. You didn't see any ghost either, right?" Hayato Masaki's calm, steady voice was reassuring. "Even if it was a vengeful spirit, seems only the guilty can see it. Nothing to do with us, right?"
"…True."
"Here, put this on."
He slipped off his suit jacket, smiling as he handed it to her. "It's an island, and it's getting chilly at night."
"But what about you, Hayato-nii?"
"Shh."
He pressed a finger to his lips, his smile silencing her protests.
Ran's heart warmed.
She obediently draped the jacket over her shoulders, suddenly noticing… Hayato-nii was pretty tall, wasn't he?
His gentle, refined aura and striking face often stole the spotlight, making his height easy to overlook.
Narumi Asai stood nearby.
He watched Hayato Masaki discreetly, desperate to understand.
Kuroiwa's death seemed unconnected to Hayato Masaki—no angle suggested otherwise.
But Narumi Asai knew better. Kuroiwa was a vile man. Beyond the drug trafficking, his tenure as chief was marred by bullying and complaints. A guy like that, scared witless by a name?
"Let's call it a night. Maybe we just crash here," Kogoro said, turning to Hayato Masaki.
Given the island's location, waiting for the police had taken over an hour. It was past 11:00 now.
"What, here in the civic hall?"
Ran balked.
It'd just hosted the former chief's third-anniversary memorial, and now the current chief had died here.
"No choice. Island's got no hotels."
"Don't worry, we police are staying too," Megure reassured her.
"Ran-neechan, why're you wearing Hayato-nii's jacket?"
"Oh, this—"
After some debate, they agreed to stay.
The civic hall doubled as a rest spot for visitors and a community hub.
But as they prepared to roll out bedding, Narumi Asai spoke up. "Masaki-san, can we talk privately?"
"Oho…"
Kogoro raised an eyebrow, shooting Hayato Masaki a knowing "nice move, kid" look.
Hayato Masaki didn't clarify, just nodded and followed Narumi Asai.
They headed toward Asai's clinic.
Under flickering rural streetlights, the distant tide's rhythm was steady, haunting.
"…Was that you, Masaki-san?"
Narumi Asai asked the question burning in his chest.
Hayato Masaki smiled.
"Wouldn't it be simpler to call it a ghost's revenge—or Kuroiwa scaring himself to death?"
"…It was you."
Narumi Asai couldn't pin down his feelings.
Excitement? Confusion? Fear?
A storm of emotions left him speechless.
Finally, "You said you'd help me. What do you want in return?"
"Asai-sensei."
Hayato Masaki stopped, turning to face him, his title a nod to his role. "I might need your help with something down the line."
His smile was too casual.
Misty, almost indifferent.
Narumi Asai had never met anyone like him… and he didn't seem to care much for Asai's answer.
"…"
Narumi Asai paused briefly, then nodded. "I understand. If you help me…"
He'd already been ready to throw his life away.
Hayato Masaki wasn't surprised.
Even if Asai had refused, it wouldn't have mattered.
He'd have acted like nothing happened.
—Truly nothing, including the truth he'd gleaned from the score.
Without interference, Asai's festering hatred would've driven him to kill, likely dying in flames with his enemies.
Even then, Hayato Masaki would've kept silent.
***
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