Chapter 188, Seventy-Third Cycle (18)
July 1st, sunny.
5-chome, Beikacho, Beika City, Tokyo.
Poirot Cafe.
The blond, dark-skinned, and handsome man stood outside the door, glanced at the signboard on the wall, took a step back, and looked at the Mouri Detective Agency upstairs and the Mihana Iroha Sushi restaurant next door.
He seemed to have made up his mind, a smile spreading across his face, and stepped forward to push open the door of Poirot's Café.
"jingle--"
The doorbell rang crisply, and the waitress, Enomoto Azusa, immediately turned around and smiled, "Welcome! What would you like to order?"
Before she could finish speaking, she saw the person's appearance clearly. Their unusual and outstanding appearance made her pause for a moment, and the tone of her last few words became lower and slower, but she still managed to finish speaking properly.
Is she a celebrity? she wondered.
"Hello, sorry to bother you." The handsome blond youth scratched the back of his head sheepishly, revealing a gentle, shy smile. "Actually, I'm here to apply for a waiter/waitress position. Are you still hiring?"
"Applying for a waiter position?" Enomoto Azusa was taken aback, her eyes widening. "Are you serious?"
The blond youth was also taken aback, and asked cautiously, "What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
Enomoto Azusa realized she had been a bit rude and quickly waved her hand with an embarrassed smile: "No, it's nothing. Cough cough, I'll go call the manager."
As she turned to run to find the store manager, she was thinking to herself, "Someone so good-looking is going to be a waitress. It seems like their Poirot Coffee Shop is going to be very busy from now on."
You know, this area is frequented by many young people, especially students. You can easily guess how popular that blond, dark-skinned handsome guy will be; he might even become an internet celebrity.
Besides, these super popular handsome guys are usually not very good at their jobs and have quite a temper. When there are a lot of customers and things get busy, she'll probably be the one who's busy and stressed—otherwise, why would such a good-looking and capable guy work as a waiter in a small coffee shop? There's no such thing as a free lunch.
A blond young man named Amuro Tooru went in for an interview with the store manager, while Enomoto Azusa sat outside sighing.
Male beauty is a curse.
Although she also likes looking at handsome men, she is genuinely afraid of trouble and prays that the shop manager won't hire that person.
However, that's also unlikely.
Well, it's not his good looks that's to blame. If we find out he has a good personality, we should take care of and guide the newcomer. That's our responsibility as a senior.
Enomoto Azusa's inner thoughts went through several rollercoaster rides, but no one came into the store. Instead, the store manager and the blond young man came out with smiles on their faces.
The store manager walked over with a person and said happily, "Miss Azusa, this is Amuro Tooru. He will start working tomorrow. You can show him around today. I won't be coming here often after this, hahaha."
Azusa Enomoto: "?"
The shop manager cheerfully patted the blond young man on the shoulder: "Amuro-kun has relevant experience; he can make coffee, desserts, and meals. Hiring him is enough; I can continue to have fun without worry, hahaha—"
Azusa Enomoto: "???"
She looked up at the tall, blond young man in disbelief, wondering if he had given the shop manager some kind of mind-controlling drug. How could he have made the shop manager believe him so easily with just a few words?
The handsome young man with blond hair and dark skin seemed a little shy from the compliment, but he still smiled and said, "Not at all, it's just out of interest. I know a little bit of everything."
Azusa Enomoto: "..."
Enomoto Azusa began to consider the possibility that Amuro Tooru was a fraud.
If it really is a scam, should we call the police or ask the Mori detective upstairs?
*
After the store manager left happily, Enomoto Azusa decided to test Amuro Tooru first before asking Mr. Mori for help.
"What kind of coffee do you make?" she asked.
"I know a little bit of everything." Amuro Tooru smiled shyly.
Enomoto Azusa didn't believe him, so she personally showed him all the kitchen utensils and storage area, and then asked him to make a few cups of coffee from the shop's menu.
Amuro Tooru readily agreed, slowly and skillfully brewing the coffee step by step, even adding a pretty latte art design to a cup of coffee.
Azusa Enomoto: "..."
Enomoto Azusa has already started to believe, and her eyes lit up after trying each cup.
"How is it?" Amuro Tooru seemed a little nervous.
"Delicious!" Enomoto Azusa praised without hesitation.
"Um...what about the cake and desserts?" she continued, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
With all the ingredients available, Amuro Tooru made every dessert that was currently on the menu, and Enomoto Azusa ate until her eyebrows flew off.
Amuro Tooru knew that she was evaluating him on behalf of the carefree and unreliable store manager, so he gently asked her, "Azusa-san, should we also make noodles and snacks?"
Enomoto Azusa shook her head regretfully: "No need, I'm already full. There are very few customers now, and it would be a waste to cook more. Please come again tomorrow."
Amuro nodded with a smile and said, "Thank you for your trouble."
She gave him a few more instructions before the blond young man took off his apron and left to go home and prepare for his official start of work the next day.
Enomoto Azusa lay on the table, sighing contentedly. She was in a good mood, yet also a little doubtful about life.
"Are there really such perfect people in this world...?"
*
[Vermouth: Have you started contacting Kogoro Mouri yet?]
[Bourbon: Wow, you found out so quickly? Were you secretly monitoring the Mouri Detective Agency all along? (Cat tilts head in confusion.jpg)]
[Vermouth: Guess?]
[Bourbon: Guess if I guess?]
[Vermouth: ...]
[Vermouth: Bourbon, I don't think you've forgotten what you promised me, have you?]
Bourbon: Of course, I'm a person who keeps my promises.
[Bourbon: Don't worry, I won't hurt them, and I'll do everything I can to protect them.]
Vermouth's furrowed brows eased slightly as she recalled how Bourbon, disguised as Shuichi Akai, had even shot and saved Conan Edogawa from being captured by kidnappers during a bank robbery when he tested the FBI.
But she couldn't help but sigh: "Honestly, that bastard, I haven't even caught him red-handed, yet he's already found out my two most important secrets..."
Bourbon is becoming more and more terrifying; even she doesn't know what he's thinking or what he's going to do.
*
"Woof woof woof!" Harlow's ears twitched, and it instantly jumped up from the ground and rushed towards the door. Its joyful and excited emotions were clearly reflected in its bark and its frantically wagging tail.
Morofushi Kagemitsu immediately knew that Furuya Rei had returned.
Sure enough, when he walked over, the door had already been opened, and Haro took off, just in time to be caught by the blond youth who was bending down.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
"Hahaha, alright, alright, good boy, be careful not to fall." Furuya Rei held the excited puppy rolling and rubbing against him in one arm, closed the door with the other, and then looked up at Morofushi Kagemitsu, who was holding a spatula.
"I'm back," he couldn't help but laugh.
Morofushi Kagemitsu smiled as well: "Welcome back."
Haro's psychological trauma hasn't been completely soothed yet, but Furuya Rei has to go out for the next couple of days, so Morofushi Hiromitsu, who doesn't have much to do for the time being, can keep Haro company and take care of the fragile little puppy who hasn't been weaned yet.
Rei Furuya skipped dinner and joined the kitchen to help, quickly finishing today's meal.
First, they prepared food for Harlow before they sat down at the table to eat and chat about recent events.
"Is Zero going to start working at the Poirot Cafe tomorrow? And will he also become Mr. Mori's apprentice tomorrow?" Morofushi Kagemitsu exclaimed.
“Yes, but it will be a long time before Hiro goes to work at the Mihana Iroha Sushi restaurant next door. But don’t worry, I’m Mr. Mori’s top disciple, and I’ll keep an eye on the second disciple position for you.” Furuya Rei shrugged and smiled. “However… it might be several years, but it doesn’t matter, it’s only a few months for you guys anyway.”
Morofushi Kagemitsu, however, could not manage a smile.
Regardless, the gap between their understanding of time and that of Rei Furuya has always been a significant issue.
That's why Matsuda and the others insisted on the plan of three hugs every day, saying it was to let Furuya Rei feel the warmth of his peers, but actually they were worried that Furuya Rei would gradually become numb and lost in the chaos of time, and wanted to make his connection with them and the world stronger.
“I think Haro has basically calmed down now.” Furuya Rei changed the subject. “After tomorrow, let’s try leaving it home alone. The pet-view monitor is installed, so it can come back immediately if there’s a problem.”
Morofushi Kagemitsu had no objections: "Sure, but I don't have anything to do lately. As the plot progresses, the organization doesn't seem to have anything to assign me as long as I don't have any scenes. So if Haro is still uneasy, I can stay here without any problem."
"Hmph, because for the organization, only two months have passed. There's not that much to do." Rei Furuya was still a little annoyed. "The number of deaths caused by plot-related murders during this period is even more than the number of people the organization has killed..."
Morofushi Kagemitsu paused with his chopsticks, looked up at him: "Zero, you wouldn't be thinking of reloading a save file to save everyone you know is going to die, would you?"
Jianggu Ling: "..."
Morobuchi Kagemitsu looked at him without saying a word.
Rei Furuya reluctantly raised his hands in surrender: "Okay, I did think about it, but I've basically given up now."
"Is that so?" asked Morobu Kagemitsu.
“It’s true.” Rei Furuya sighed.
After finishing his milk, Haro started to feel sleepy and staggered over to Furuya Rei, tugging at his trouser leg.
Rei Furuya picked up the white puppy and put it in his arms. Haro immediately snuggled up to him and quickly fell asleep.
“If I could, I really would like to reload my save and save all the victims I know.” Furuya Rei gently stroked the puppy’s warm fur, then looked up to meet the sharp blue eyes of the black-haired youth opposite him. “It’s not impossible, just very difficult. Although we can change the plot to some extent now, there are still limitations. In the case of the twin lovers, I was warned by the world’s consciousness when I sent an email to subtly remind them half a year ago, but I didn’t change the plot afterward; I just managed to let the bride survive in the end.”
“If that’s all, I won’t give up. I’ve thought about waiting until the finale, making sure I know everything that happened during this save point, and then reloading the save to save all the victims based on the information in my mind.” Furuya Rei’s hand, which wasn’t holding the puppy, was still holding chopsticks. He casually reached out to pick up some food and continued, “But I don’t dare gamble with you, with the safety of the country, or with everyone in this world.”
"Reloading a save file isn't just about me; it's an uncontrollable event that can change the entire world." He looked down at the plate and the food in front of him. "Especially now, with the protagonist Conan existing and time in a chaotic save point, even I wouldn't dare gamble on what will happen after I load a save file, especially with frequent loadings in this chaotic time."
The dish that I was looking at was steadily placed into the bowl with chopsticks.
Rei Furuya said, "I hate the issue of making choices, but I've always been very clear about what my ultimate goal is."
“Zero…” Morofushi Kagemitsu’s eyes flickered slightly, but he was interrupted by a knock on the door just as he was about to say something.
Furuya Rei glanced at the door warily and suspiciously, made a quiet gesture to Morofushi Kagemitsu, then gently placed the sleeping puppy in his arms before walking to the entrance.
The knocking sounded again, followed by a hesitant young voice.
"Um, hello, excuse me... is Mr. Amuro here? I'm Hanagaki Takedo."
Rei Furuya saw the person outside through the security camera at the door. It was a thin boy with dyed yellow hair, who looked to be only the size of a junior high school student. He was also covered in injuries and looked like a delinquent teenager who had just finished a fight.
"Hanagaki Martial Arts?" Furuya Rei opened the door, looking at him with a puzzled expression. "Do you...know me?"
The delinquent looked at him and stared at his face for a while.
Jianggu Ling: "?"
After realizing what was happening, the delinquent immediately lowered his head, then looked around and whispered, "Mr. Amuro... can we go inside and talk? I have something very important to tell you."
Rei Furuya didn't see anything dangerous about him, but with Hiromitsu Morofushi inside, he wasn't going to let a strange delinquent into his house.
Seeing that he refused, the delinquent gritted his teeth and took a step forward, then, with exaggerated acting skills, stumbled and fell on top of him, before taking the opportunity to whisper, "Mr. Furuya..."
Rei Furuya's expression remained unchanged. He smiled gently and said, "How did you get so badly injured? Let me heal you." He then led the boy inside and closed the door.
Having successfully entered the room, the delinquent immediately let go, stepped back, and pressed himself against the wall. He nervously swallowed, then uttered another startling question: "Mr. Morofushi is here too, isn't he?"
Rei Furuya's expression darkened completely, his eyes sharply scanning him up and down, his muscles tense.
"What's wrong?" Morofushi Kagemitsu also cautiously approached.
Both men exuded the aura of public security police and black-clad organizations, and the skinny delinquent was so frightened that he trembled and almost cried.
"I...I..."
"What's wrong? It's nothing, tell me slowly." Furuya Rei smiled gently again, and even pulled the boy inside to treat his injuries, but in reality, he cleverly restrained the boy's movements.
The delinquent boy's expression was a mixture of gratitude and fear. He sat obediently in the chair, clenching his fists and taking deep breaths.
"Hello, Mr. Furuya and Mr. Morofushi. I am Hanagaki Takedo from the No. 1 loop group, from Tokyo Manji Avengers. I am currently on my third loop and just returned from twelve years in the future today," the boy said.
Rei Furuya and Kagemitsu Morofushi were both taken aback.
"The one who helped me travel through time was Naoto Tachibana, a detective in the Organized Crime Division in the future." The boy explained quickly, as if he had prepared a draft in advance. "I went back to the past from the future because I wanted to change the death of my girlfriend Hinata Tachibana, and to make sure that the Tokyo Manji Society, which rose rapidly after the destruction of the Black Organization, would not turn from an ordinary delinquent group into a powerful criminal organization that commits all kinds of evil twelve years later."
After saying that, he took a deep breath and mustered the courage to look the two people in front of him in the eye.
"And, entrusted by Public Security Police Officer Morofushi Kagemitsu twelve years later, to prevent Public Security Police Officer Furuya Rei from dying twelve years ago in an undercover mission that destroyed the Black Organization."
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