Later that evening, at Professor Agasa's residence.
"Right, I've got it. The opening ceremony is set for next Saturday, then?" Tsuneo said into his phone, leaning against the wall as he listened to Kogoro Mouri's booming voice on the other end.
It was a surprise, to say the least. Not only had Mio Tokiwa invited the "Sleeping Kogoro," but she had also extended the invitation to their entire group—people who, on paper, had absolutely no connection to her business empire.
"So, Great Detective, did you turn up anything useful today?" Haibara asked. She looked up from her book as Conan walked through the door, having just finished dropping the three younger children off at their homes.
"We went to see Mr. Kazama and Mr. Kisaragi," Conan said, hopping onto a stool and resting his chin in his hands. He shook his head dejectedly. "But unfortunately, I didn't get much. Kazama definitely has some professional friction with someone, but I couldn't get him to open up about it."
"Want to know who the killer is?"
"I can tell you right now if you're interested," Tsuneo said, hanging up the phone and walking over.
"Have you already investigated it, Tsuneo?" Akemi asked, her eyes widening in curiosity.
"No, I don't think he investigated a thing," Conan interjected, glancing at him. "He probably found out through Hiroki."
Conan was well aware of a certain Artificial Intelligence's capabilities. Noah's Ark could track signal locations and monitor data across the city; it was entirely possible the AI had flagged something the night of the murder.
"Heh," Tsuneo let out a small chuckle.
Things were much more convenient for him lately. Even if he revealed the culprit's identity ahead of time, everyone would just assume the information came from the digital omniscience of Noah's Ark.
"That aside, why would Miss Tokiwa invite all of us?" Professor Agasa asked as he walked into the room, looking puzzled.
"Maybe she has a death wish..." Tsuneo muttered under his breath.
He didn't really have a better explanation. Gathering so many "dangerous" variables in one place was practically a recipe for disaster.
"What about Mr. Hara?" Conan asked, looking up.
He had promised the Detective Boys they would visit Yoshiaki Hara the next day, but Tsuneo had mentioned Gin was on the move. He was worried.
"He's disappeared." Tsuneo pulled out a voice-changing mask and handed it to the Professor. "Make sure this is fully charged; I'll be needing it soon."
"Disappeared?" Conan's brow furrowed.
"A voluntary disappearance, I'd wager," Haibara added, flipping a page of her magazine without looking up.
"I handed him over to the FBI," Tsuneo confirmed with a nod.
Judging by how they had handled the "death" of Dr. Araide to keep him safe, the FBI were professionals when it came to hiding people. Besides, Yoshiaki Hara had internal data from the Black Organization—more than enough to make him a high-priority asset for them.
"I see." Conan let out a sigh of relief knowing Hara was safe. He stood up, preparing to head back to the detective agency.
"Tsuneo-kun... are we really going through with it?" Agasa asked, his eyes following the young detective as he walked toward the door.
The Professor was currently wearing a pair of pajamas decorated with a bear pattern—a set that matched Haibara's, likely bought by Akemi.
"Yeah..."
Saturday arrived in the blink of an eye.
As evening approached, the group gathered below the Mouri Detective Agency. Tsuneo pulled up in his car just as the rest were ready to go.
"I'm so excited for the party tonight!"
"There's going to be so much good food."
"I hope they have eel on rice!"
The three younger kids were already piled into the seven-seater car Kogoro had rented, their voices high with excitement. Last week, they had tried to visit Mr. Hara's apartment only to find a note saying he was away on business. They were hoping to catch him at the party tonight to ask about the case.
"Hey, hey, hey! Everyone's here, so get in already!" Kogoro shouted from the driver's seat. He was finally dressed in a sharp, cream-colored suit, looking every bit the successful detective.
"Wait, Dad! Sonoko isn't here yet," Ran said, holding her father back.
"Sorry for the wait, everyone!"
Right on cue, the heiress of the Suzuki Financial Group made her grand entrance.
"That's strange, Sonoko. Didn't you say you wanted to change your hairstyle?" Ran asked as she buckled her seatbelt.
"I asked my stylist, but they didn't have any good suggestions," Sonoko said with a shrug. She'd just have to ask Makoto for his opinion later!
"Move out!"
Kogoro started the engine, his mind already drifting toward the banquet hall.
"Caviar, foie gras, and all kinds of roast meats... this is incredible!" Kogoro's eyes sparkled as he held his plate.
"Oh! I want some of that, too!" Agasa's mouth watered.
"Absolutely not. The Professor is restricted to Japanese health food. I'll go get you some low-calorie options," Haibara stated, ruthlessly crushing the old man's dreams. She took her plate and marched toward a different buffet table.
"That kid acts just like your wife used to..." Kogoro muttered, watching her walk away. He felt a pang of pity for the Professor. You saw it often at these big banquets—middle-aged men being kept on a short leash by their family.
"Thanks to her, I'm hungry half the time," Agasa said with a small, fond smile. Being cared for like that was a "happy" kind of trouble, after all.
"By the way, that kid's appetite is as terrifying as ever," Kogoro said, nodding toward a corner of the room where Tsuneo had his back to the crowd, systematically demolishing a mountain of food.
"I... I suppose so," Agasa replied, his smile turning a bit strained.
Meanwhile, Ran, Sonoko, and Akemi were standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the sun dip behind the silhouette of Mount Fuji.
"It's so beautiful!" Ran whispered, her eyes fixed on the horizon.
"It really is. You're thinking that if you could watch this view with Shinichi, you'd do anything, right?" Sonoko teased, nudging Ran with her elbow.
"Stop talking nonsense..." Ran turned away, her face flushing crimson.
Akemi watched Hosui Kisaragi as he turned and walked away from the window. She turned to Ran with a soft smile. "Ran-san, how old were you and Shinichi when you first met?"
"..."
On the other side of the room, Hidehiko Kazama was speaking to some friends. "Actually, the original plan was for both buildings to have a clear view of Mount Fuji. But because of the land plots, it was impossible to achieve."
Hearing this, Conan's head snapped up. He realized that from Building B, the view of the mountain was blocked. He turned his head, looking through the crowd toward the windows on the far side, then back at the majestic peak in the distance.
Building B can't see the mountain...
So that's it!
A spark of insight flashed through his mind as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.
"By the way, I heard from the staff that the convertible in the center of the room is the grand prize for tonight," Tsuneo said, walking over with a plate containing a massive slice of cake.
"I've figured it out. The motive for the murders," Conan said quietly. "If I'm not mistaken, his target was never just Councilman Ooki."
Conan's eyes scanned the room, searching for a specific figure.
"Is that so? And what's the motive?" Tsuneo asked, nodding along as he continued to eat, seemingly unconcerned.
Conan looked up at him. Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and his gaze sharpened.
"A shattered sake cup... and a view of Mount Fuji sliced in half by a blade."
Conan paused, his eyes locking onto Tsuneo's.
"And another thing... Who are you?"
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