Chapter 230, Seventy-Third Cycle (60)
Conan Edogawa went to Poirot's Cafe again.
Now he goes there whenever he has free time, pretending to be an ordinary child to observe everyone who gets close to Amuro Tooru.
Conan Edogawa is somewhat anxious about his three recent discoveries.
He had already confirmed with Amuro Tooru about Amami Yuki, and received the answer that he didn't know her or understand her.
However, we can only selectively believe what Mr. Amuro, that big liar, says.
As for the matter of Morofushi Takaaki and Kuroda Hyōe... he hasn't told Amuro Tooru yet, mainly because the matter is too shocking. He doesn't know whether he should ask Amuro Tooru while he's still speculating, or what to say.
Tell me, Mr. Amuro, is Morofushi Takaaki Scottish? If he is, then Kuroda Hyōe is definitely in cahoots with him. This means that Scottish has already sent people to infiltrate the police department's upper echelons and is even watching me. You are in real danger right now!
But what if this is a Scottish conspiracy? Otherwise, why would Kuroda Hyōe say such things to him knowing he wasn't an ordinary child? Someone who could infiltrate and rise to the top of the police force couldn't be so impulsive and careless, could he?
After agonizing for two days, Conan Edogawa decided to find a quiet time to bring it up with Tooru Amuro offline, just in case, and didn't even dare to contact him by phone.
As for Hideyoshi Haneda...
Conan Edogawa thought with a headache, "Whether this is true or false, it's best not to mention it in front of Mr. Amuro right now."
If there were any problems with Hideyoshi Haneda's high profile, Mr. Amuro would definitely know about them.
“Okay! It’s decided! Let’s form an all-female band!” Sonoko Suzuki suddenly exclaimed excitedly.
Conan Edogawa snapped out of his reverie, withdrawing his gaze from the busy blond youth in the coffee shop. He glanced at the three high school girls beside him, wondering what new idea they had come up with.
Clearly, Ran Mouri and Sera Masumi were also puzzled this time: "Why are you suddenly saying this?"
Sonoko Suzuki chuckled and said, "Because I watched a show before about a super cool and cute all-girl band made up of high school girls!"
Conan Edogawa silently sipped his juice, his gaze drifting once more towards Tooru Amuro.
There weren't many customers at the moment. Amuro Tooru was talking to Enomoto Azusa next to him, and judging from his lip movements, it seemed like he was teaching her how to make the food more delicious.
Suddenly, he took out his phone from his pocket, glanced at it, and his expression changed slightly. His originally gentle, harmless, and cute droopy eyes instantly turned dark and became very scary.
Conan Edogawa's eyes sharpened instantly, and countless possibilities raced through his mind. He put down his cup, ready to run over and ask what was going on.
"Ran has long, straight black hair, so she'll play bass, bass bass!" Sonoko Suzuki had already started assigning roles to the band members.
The blond youth, whose face had been gloomy, suddenly looked over, his expression softening considerably. His sharp purple eyes, which had been like ice melting, became warm and gentle, as if he had heard something very pleasant and interesting.
Conan Edogawa froze, then followed his gaze to the three high school girls who were chatting animatedly.
“Huh? But I’ve never played bass before,” Ran Mouri said.
“Then I’ll play the bass. My brother’s old friend taught me a bit,” Sera Masumi said.
Amuro Tooru put away his phone, took a towel and a tray, and went to clean the table next to them where the guests had just left.
"Ding-a-ling~"
The coffee shop door was pushed open, and Conan Edogawa initially thought it was a new customer, but it turned out to be an acquaintance.
"Miss Azusa, I'm bothering you again." Midorikawa Hikaru walked in with a shy smile, carrying a plate of sushi.
"Not at all, everyone is very welcoming and looking forward to Mr. Midorikawa!" Enomoto Azusa's eyes lit up. "I heard from the boss that Mr. Midorikawa has developed a very delicious new recipe, which has been praised by everyone."
Conan Edogawa turned to look at Tooru Amuro.
The blond, dark-skinned youth seemed to be busy tidying up the table and did not go up to greet him. He just glanced up at him indifferently and returned a smile when Midorikawa Hikaru greeted him, which seemed to be a normal attitude.
"Ran, Ran, who's that handsome guy? Do you know him?" Sonoko Suzuki excitedly poked Ran Mouri's hand.
Ran Mouri sighed, "Sonoko... that's the new chef at the Iroha Sushi restaurant next door. His name is Hikaru Midorikawa. He used to be a wandering chef, but now he's my dad's second apprentice."
"Oh? Another detective?" Sera Masumi stared at Midorikawa Hikaru, her brows furrowing slightly.
Just as they were talking about Midorikawa Hikaru, a man with long black hair walked over.
He is also very familiar with Ran Mouri and Conan Edogawa, and he often treats them to sushi together. This time, he prepared just enough sushi for everyone to eat together.
Since there were still guests, Amuro Tooru simply smiled and told Enomoto Azusa to join their dinner party, while he turned his back to them and continued tidying up the table.
Hikaru Midorikawa tried to help, but was driven away.
Conan Edogawa's eyes darted around a few times. He didn't know if it was because he was being paranoid and overthinking lately, but he felt that there was something wrong between Amuro Tooru and Midorikawa Hikaru, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
He took a sip of juice, pondering when he could find an opportunity to tug at Morofushi Takaaki's beard and to see the exact shape of Midorikawa Mitsuki's eyes beneath his long bangs.
"I think I just heard you guys say bass?"
Hikaru Midorikawa sat down next to Conan Edogawa, his voice gentle and pleasant, and even clearer when heard up close.
Sera Masumi's expression changed slightly across from her.
"Yes, we were just talking about forming an all-girl band and planning to participate in the New Year's Eve countdown entertainment competition held in Beika Town at the end of the year, and then win the championship in one fell swoop!" Sonoko Suzuki clenched her fist.
"Oh? Will Beika Town hold a New Year's Eve entertainment festival at the end of the year? Can everyone sign up to participate?" Hikaru Midorikawa picked up the flyer on the table, looking interested but also hesitant, as if he was struggling to choose between social anxiety and the idea of having fun.
Taking the opportunity, Sera Masumi probed, "Mr. Midorikawa, would you like to participate as well? What musical instruments do you play?"
"I only know a little bass." Hikaru Midorikawa smiled shyly.
Sera Masumi's heart skipped a beat: "Oh, bass? What a coincidence! My brother's friend, whom I used to know, also plays bass and taught me how to play. Mr. Midorikawa looks a bit like him too."
The only difference is the completely different outfit, and the eyes are barely visible. Several years have passed, so she's having trouble being sure.
"Really? Maybe it's because my appearance is more common." Hikaru Midorikawa was clearly uncomfortable with other people's gazes, and even lowered his head to make his already long bangs cover his eyes even more neatly, so that not even a trace of his blue eyes could be seen.
Sera Masumi forced herself to remain calm: "Really? But I feel like I've seen Mr. Midorikawa somewhere before."
Hikaru Midorikawa shook his head and said softly, "It must be my imagination. This is the first time we've met."
Hikaru Midorikawa glanced at the New Year's Eve entertainment festival flyer on the table, asked Sonoko Suzuki about it, and then happily took the flyer to find Tooru Amuro.
Hikaru Midorikawa: "Amuro-kun, you said you can play guitar, right? How about we go with Kogoro-sensei to the New Year's Eve entertainment festival this year? Or maybe we could form a band like Ran-san and the others? Are you interested in that?"
Amuro Tooru: "A band? But it seems like Mr. Mori doesn't know how to play any instruments."
Hikaru Midorikawa: "Hmm... what about those three police officers who usually come to Poirot?"
Conan Edogawa subtly moved his buttocks closer to them.
As luck would have it, just then, the coffee shop door opened again, and three regular police officers from Poirot's Coffee Shop walked in.
They must have just gotten off work; they were both wearing regular clothes.
Matsuda Jinpei, with his sharp eyes, immediately spotted the flyer in Amuro Tooru's hand, strode over, took it, and asked, "What's this? A New Year's Eve concert?"
Kenji Hagiwara draped his arm over Jinpei Matsuda's shoulder and laughed, "What? You guys are participating too? What kind of performance are you planning? A mystery comedy routine by the two disciples of Detective Mouri?"
Hikaru Midorikawa felt embarrassed and quickly explained that he wanted to temporarily form a band to perform, while also expressing his desire to invite them.
Date Wataru laughed heartily, "Haha, sure, that sounds interesting. But I don't know any musical instruments at all, so I'll probably have to trouble you to teach me from scratch."
Amuro Toru chuckled: "Of course, no problem."
So the five people over there decided in just a few words to form a band and participate in the Beika Town New Year's Eve entertainment festival at the end of the year. The speed of their decision left the girls on the other side stunned.
"Alright! We can't lose to that handsome band over there! Let's find the remaining members now!" Sonoko Suzuki was anxious. She turned around and saw Azusa Enomoto. Her eyes lit up instantly, and she rushed over to grab Azusa's hand, saying, "Azusa-san is so cute! She could totally wear a skirt and pretend to be a high school girl to join our girls' high school band! How about the guitarist? Azusa-san looks a lot like the guitarists in movies!"
Enomoto Azusa was stunned: "Huh? But, but I've never touched an instrument like the guitar before. The guitar must be very difficult..."
Sonoko Suzuki quickly shook her hand and laughed, "It's okay, it's okay, it's very simple. You'll be able to play it very quickly with just a little practice!"
"Then why don't you try playing it?" The customers at the next table suddenly spoke up, annoyed. The tall man wearing sunglasses chuckled and took out his guitar for her. "I'll lend you my guitar."
The tall, muscular companion next to him, who had a shaved head and wore many earrings and looked intimidating, also joined in the loud cheering.
Conan Edogawa's attention was drawn back, and he frowned slightly.
Both of them were carrying instrument cases, and judging from their attire, they must be members of a band.
They must not be regulars at Poirot's place, otherwise they wouldn't have dared to bully a minor girl in front of three police officers.
But Sonoko Suzuki did indeed say something carelessly and offended people, so it's best not to say anything until they say something further offensive.
Sonoko Suzuki nervously slung the guitar over her body and, in a daze, barely managed to recall the pose from the movie and played it once.
The guitar suddenly emitted a piercing and unpleasant sound, and the two men who had been watching the spectacle burst into laughter. After laughing, they continued to press her relentlessly about how badly she played, asking why she hadn't said it was very simple.
Sonoko Suzuki stood there helplessly, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Lend me this." Amuro Tooru gently bent down and took the guitar off her, then hung it on his own shoulder and began to play with practiced ease.
Intense and extremely rhythmic guitar music instantly filled the coffee shop.
He was practically showing off his skills, but his movements and expressions were all very natural and relaxed. He was also good-looking, leaving almost everyone in awe.
Matsuda Jinpei, Hagiwara Kenji, and Date Wataru had never seen Furuya Rei play the guitar before. Although they knew he could, they were still amazed to see him play so well in person.
Is there anything this guy can't do?!
Conan Edogawa's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but admire how amazing it was.
Sonoko Suzuki's eyes were still wet, but they had already lit up as she looked at him excitedly, her face flushed.
They were even subconsciously afraid to make a sound that might disturb his perfect performance, and could only marvel at how amazing he was.
After he finished playing, Amuro Tooru returned the guitar to the men, smiling gently and saying, "Alright, these kids can definitely reach this level after some practice, right?"
The two men's eyes, which had almost popped out of their sockets, were still wide open when they closed them. Upon hearing this, they quickly shrugged their shoulders and whispered, "Yes, yes."
Even the expert has said so, what can the two of them do?
Then the blond youth turned to Sonoko Suzuki and whispered in her ear with a relaxed smile, "Ms. Sonoko, sometimes you should be more careful with your words."
"Mmm!" Sonoko Suzuki nodded vigorously, her voice still tinged with tears, but a smile of gratitude and happiness graced her lips.
On the other side, even though he had seen Rei Furuya like this many times, Wataru Date couldn't help but marvel inwardly and whispered to Jinpei Matsuda and Kenji Hagiwara.
Hikaru Midorikawa's smile widened even further.
After calming down, Sonoko Suzuki realized that Tooru Amuro's guitar skills were exceptional, and she invited him to teach them part-time.
Conan Edogawa, with his half-moon eyes, thought to himself, "There's no way he'd agree to that. Mr. Amuro is already busy enough."
"Part-time work is out of the question, but occasionally helping out with your practice is fine, like today. I'll be off work soon," Amuro Toru said with a smile.
Conan Edogawa was stunned: "???"
Huh? He actually agreed? Does he really have the time?!
Taking the opportunity, Sera Masumi looked at Midorikawa Hikaru and smiled, "Mr. Midorikawa, you play bass, right? I wonder if you could help us with our practice? Actually, I've only learned the most basic scales, and I'm still far from good enough."
Conan Edogawa took a sip of juice to calm himself down, thinking that there was no way Midorikawa Hikaru would agree to that; his get off work hours were later, and he had to go back to work now.
“Great, no problem. I was just about to ask my boss for leave and go practice with our newly formed band,” Midorikawa Hikaru said happily.
Conan Edogawa: "..."
Amuro Tooru nodded: "Yes, I can also ask for leave to accommodate the schedules of the three officers."
Conan Edogawa: "???"
Hey you two, isn't this job a bit too restrictive? Doesn't the boss have any objections?
The owner of Poirot Cafe was unaware, but the owner of the Iroha Sushi restaurant next door had no objections and readily gave Midorikawa Hikaru a day off.
So the two bands, which had just been formed that day, went together to the nearest recording studio.
They were still chatting on the way.
Both of the people Sera Masumi wanted to test were present, so they started talking about what happened three years ago.
Sonoko Suzuki suddenly asked curiously, "So, Sera-chan, your brother and his friends also formed a band? Is it a band full of handsome guys? Are they all good-looking? What's their name? Are there any videos? Can you find them online?"
Conan Edogawa, who had already guessed that they were Rye, Bourbon, and Scotland who were on a mission at the time: "..."
Conan Edogawa was actually a little hesitant. Surely there couldn't be another chance this time? It couldn't possibly be true, could it?
He couldn't help but glance at the blond youth beside him, only to find to his surprise that he was lost in thought.
Yes, Furuya Rei, who should have been very concerned about this conversation, was a little dazed, his thoughts wandering to a very, very far place, to a future where he might not even exist.
Rei Furuya glanced at the flyer in his hand.
The Beika Town New Year's Eve performance at the end of the year...
I wish I could really live to see that day.
He really wanted to participate with everyone.
I really want to celebrate the New Year with everyone, to say goodbye to this chaotic year and welcome a brand new world and future.
At that time, he should be able to stand on the stage openly and honestly with everyone under the name Furuya Rei.
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