The three boys also noticed the "harmonious" trio over there.

Genta took a bite of his steamed bun and mumbled, "Hey, look... Yuzuru-nii and Officer Sato seem really close, right? Is he pursuing Officer Sato?"

Mitsuhiko pushed up his glasses, adopting a deductive stance: "Based on my observation, Hanyu-nii and Officer Sato are not far apart in age, and Hanyu-nii often helps the police. They have common topics, so it's very possible that they develop feelings for each other. However...aren't Hanyu-nii's girlfriends Ran-neechan and Sonoko-neechan?"

Upon hearing this, Ayumi immediately pouted, forcefully poking at the egg in her bowl with her spoon, and muttered under her breath, her voice filled with jealousy:

"Brother Yuzuru belongs to everyone... to Ayumi! He can't be so close to Officer Sato alone..."

Although Officer Sato is also very beautiful and handsome, but...

But... that's my future husband.

The little girl felt a little wronged.

Genta and Mitsuhiko, however, failed to notice Ayumi's slight mood and continued their discussion.

"But to be honest, Yuzuru-nii and Officer Sato look really good together!" Genta said truthfully.

"Yes, they're both very good-looking and very capable." Mitsuhiko agreed. "Hanyu-nii is smart and a good fighter, and Inspector Sato is the Metropolitan Police Department's ace. It's a perfect combination!"

The two little boys' unintentional words were like tiny knives, piercing Takagi Wataru's fragile heart.

Every strike is a critical hit.

Takagi Wataru: "..."

Please stop talking, please stop talking...

The child is innocent, but my heart is broken...

I'm Officer Sato's colleague, someone he works with every day, someone who shares his ideals. Why do I feel so desolate now, like I'm superfluous, just a background character, an outsider...?

He silently lowered his head, munching on the dry bread in his hand, feeling that life was bleak.

Just then, Conan, who was also extremely sleepy and yawning beside him, suddenly and keenly sensed the strong, familiar aura of "single's lament" and "unrequited love" emanating from Takagi Wataru.

Conan pushed up his glasses, and the lenses reflected an eerie light.

He glanced at Hanyu Nan, who was radiant and chatting happily with the beautiful policewoman, seemingly a model of a winner in life, and then looked at the policewoman Takagi beside him, who exuded a strong sense of "depression" and was practically growing mushrooms in the corner.

A strange sense of shared destiny, a feeling of being "fellow sufferers in the same boat," quietly rose in the detective's heart and quickly grew stronger.

Although the specific circumstances are different—his body shrank and he was forced to separate, while Takagi's love life was simply full of hardships—the bittersweet feeling of watching someone you love standing next to another, and being powerless to do anything about it...

He understands so well!

He shouldn't know too much! These are lessons learned through blood and tears!

Conan silently moved his small stool closer to Takagi Wataru, stretched out his little hand, and with a sense of understanding and sympathy like a "senior," patted Takagi Wataru's arm comfortingly. Then he gave him a heavy look that contained a thousand words: "Brother, I understand you."

When Takagi Wataru received Conan's gaze, he was first taken aback, then as if he had found his people, he was so moved that he almost burst into tears.

So... I'm not the only one suffering this pain?

Indeed, sometimes, friendship between men can be established with just a glance.

But the problem is...

How are you able to form a friendship with a small child?

As expected of you, Takagi!

...

The atmosphere at breakfast over there was slightly somber due to the silent exchange between the two members of the "Losers' Alliance".

Meanwhile, the discussion among the three seemed to have made a breakthrough.

Sato Miwako frowned as she looked at the keywords Ai had circled on the notice: "'Stepping on bases stained with blood'... If it doesn't refer to a train, then what could it refer to? And what else is 'red,' 'striped,' and related to 'movement' and 'starting point'?"

Ai didn't answer immediately, but instead looked out the window of the breakfast shop. The morning sun shone on the street, and the traffic began to increase.

Her fingertips unconsciously traced light lines on the glass.

Red... bar... starting point of movement... base stained with blood...

Am I overcomplicating things?

The bomber liked to mock the police in a simple, straightforward, yet wicked way. Perhaps the answer lies in the most obvious and easily overlooked "origin"?

A red, rising, iron "box"...

Just as she was lost in thought, Yuzuru seemed to tap the glass lightly with his finger, his gaze falling on the towering landmark in the distance—the East Tower.

"Speaking of which, the sightseeing elevator at the East Tower is also red in appearance." He said casually, as if he were just mentioning it offhand.

These words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly cleaving through the fog in Ai's mind!

East Tower!

A red sightseeing elevator!

Isn't that just a ready-made, huge, vertically movable "red iron box"?!

And that place is exactly where the first explosion occurred seven years ago! It is the "origin" and "starting point" of it all!

"It's the elevator in the East Tower!"

Ai suddenly raised her head, her voice still cold but with a hint of certainty, “'The blood-stained base' refers to the location of the explosion seven years ago, which is the starting point! And 'the steel home plate' may not refer to the train, but to that red elevator car that can move up and down!”

Sato Miwako's pupils contracted sharply as she instantly realized what was happening!

That's right! How could I forget that!

That bastard most likely pulled a "the most dangerous place is the safest place" trick, or rather, he wanted to go back to "where the dream began" and plant a real bomb there as a bloody and ironic opening act for this "overtime".

"Hold on tight!"

Without hesitation, Sato Miwako led the two into the car, started the engine with a roar, and the red Mazda sped off like an arrow as the tires screeched against the ground.

"Officer Sato, wait for us!" Upon seeing this, Takagi Wataru hurriedly tried to catch up, but only caught a mouthful of exhaust fumes.

"Takagi, you stay here, take good care of the children, and keep communications open." Sato Miwako said through the walkie-talkie without turning her head, and the car had already merged into the morning traffic.

Takagi Wataru could only watch helplessly as the red taillights sped away. He scratched his head, looked at the group of sleepy-eyed children around him, and felt a strange sense of loss well up inside him.

For some reason, he had a strong premonition...

It feels like missing this opportunity means completely losing out on something important.