Chapter 57: New Year's Eve in the Temple 2

Akiyama Kanade gave up thinking and decided to speed up the progress of the script to avoid too much trouble.

The backup actors who had been arranged in advance came on stage, and when the two of them walked deeper into the woods, they met several people walking out, both young and old.

This is really rare in this cold winter.

Akiyama Kanade pretended to be curious and asked one of the young men, "Excuse me, is there anything in this forest? I saw a lot of people coming out of it."

Jinpei Matsuda also looked over curiously.

The young man said, "Ah, everyone must be here to find the wishing well. Legend has it that there is a wishing well in this mountain that only appears in winter. As long as you pray sincerely in front of the wishing well, you may get a response from the gods."

"Huh? Is there anyone who still believes in this kind of legend?" said the supporting actor Akiyama Kanade.

The young man smiled and said, "You may not believe it, but I saw it last year. And I did get a response from the gods at the wishing well, but the response from the gods comes at a price."

"Price? What price?"

The young man glanced at Matsuda Jinpei and said slowly, "...For example, you want to exchange a part of your soul?"

Adhering to the principle of stopping at the right time, the young man left the large-scale fraud scene after saying this, and met up with the backup body that had left earlier, waiting for the main body to be recovered at night.

"Officer Matsuda, how about we also go look for this wishing well?" asked Akiyama Kanade.

Matsuda Jinpei glanced at his frail body. He had been suppressing his coughs all the way. He didn't want to be discovered, so he turned his face away quietly every time, and Matsuda Jinpei pretended not to know.

But I've been out for so long, and I'm still thinking about running around. I really don't take my body seriously.

"You are actually interested in something like a fairy tale?" Jinpei Matsuda asked curiously.

But considering that this guy used to be into fortune telling, it doesn't seem surprising that he would believe in this.

It seemed as if everyone was saying that he was childish.

I'm so sorry for making something like a fairy tale.

It's all your fault for believing in science too much!

"Let's go, but no matter whether we can find it or not, we must return before dark." In the end, Jinpei Matsuda couldn't bear to reject Haru's rare good mood.

"If you could really get a response from the gods at the wishing well, what would Officer Matsuda wish for?"

The black-haired man buried his face in his scarf, as if the wind in the forest was too cold. He coughed a few times, but this time he couldn't suppress it completely, so he had to stop and cover his lips with a handkerchief.

"… Let's go back." Matsuda Jinpei stopped him and suggested.

He held the other's wrist through his sleeve and found that Chun was much thinner than he was three years ago.

"Don't look at me like that, I'll feel useless." Jiu Sheng Chun Shu smiled and said back, "I'm fine. Even if we fight now, you still can't be my opponent."

Of course, his paleness and thinness did not diminish the pride in him.

This is the same as it was three years ago.

He always has absolute confidence in his own strength.

He was once highly regarded by the Metropolitan Police Department as the most promising rising star in the entire criminal department. Everyone was waiting to see his rise.

But he has fallen, and will continue to fall.

Matsuda Jinpei pretended not to notice the blood in his handkerchief - he knew Haru didn't want anyone to see it. Noticing his pride in such a minor detail made Matsuda Jinpei even more uncomfortable.

If it hadn't been for that accident, Haru, who was still in the Investigation Division, would have achieved higher achievements and become a far better police officer than him.

"Officer Matsuda, let's hurry up." The black-haired man tugged at his scarf and urged, "I don't want to be waiting until dark without having walked a few steps."

Matsuda Jinpei came to his senses and followed the black-haired man who quickened his pace.

He is not one to dwell on the past and possibilities; he would rather seize the present than dwell on the irreversible past.

No matter if he wanted to catch the bomber himself to avenge Hagi, or now he wants to pull Haru back from the abyss that he cannot see.

In fact, even he himself found it strange, even though Chun was right in front of him at this moment, he could just stretch out his hand and grab her slender wrist again.

He still felt as if this person did not exist.

Just like the white snow covering the branches now, it will melt away soon.

"Come to think of it, you've been calling me Officer Matsuda." Since we first met three years ago. We're close friends, but you've always addressed me like a stranger. Matsuda Jinpei joked, "For the sake of courtesy, should I also call you Mr. Kyusei? Hmm?"

"... Let's just call you Chun. I like hearing you call me that."

The black-haired man said softly, "You are the only one who calls me that, so I knew you were here as soon as I heard the name."

His bright eyes became even gentler as he spoke these words, as if they were filled with the warm sunset glow.

Matsuda Jinpei said sheepishly: "You can call me something else... whatever you like."

The black-haired man smiled, "Are you really an idiot in relationships?"

Ah, why do you say that? Matsuda Jinpei didn't quite understand.

I clearly wanted him to call me closer, maybe he would be happier, but why did it seem like I had done something counterproductive?

"Officer Matsuda... I'll just call you that."

He turned his back and said, "The sun is about to set. Let's go back."

He looked so lonely, as if he was about to disappear.

"I will promise to restore your health." Jinpei Matsuda believes that sometimes you still have to follow your intuition.

His intuition told him that he should answer this question.

"If there really is a wishing well, I hope to see you again the way you were when I first met you three years ago."

The person in front turned his head slightly, and the setting sun cast a furry edge of light on him.

"Haru, I don't know what's wrong with your body... but I don't want to see you running away like this anymore. I'll go to the hospital with you, okay?"

Matsuda Jinpei had already decided that even if the other party gave a bad answer, he would take him to the hospital this time.

Jiu Sheng Chun Shu smiled.

"Officer Matsuda, don't be so nervous, I'm really fine."

He looked into the distance, the afterglow of the setting sun shining in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter whether you go to the hospital or not. To me, life is meaningless. The whole world has no meaning except you."

…

After he said that, Jinpei Matsuda's expression became strange.

On the way back, he remained silent, with his head slightly lowered, but his fingers firmly grasped his wrist through the sleeve of his kimono.

When the outline of the temple appeared before his eyes, Matsuda Jinpei paused.

"Then live for me," he said softly.

No matter what the reason is, it doesn't matter, just keep living.

Akiyama Kanade was in a good mood. He held Matsuda Jinpei's hand and said, "I don't know what you made for dinner. Let's go back and take a look. If you are not used to it, I can make it for you again."

He evaded the request.

Because Blue Curacao would not give Jinpei Matsuda a promise he couldn't keep.

Matsuda Jinpei was keenly aware of this.

The two had only been out for an afternoon when a murder occurred in the temple.

There were only four other tourists staying in the small temple, besides Mori and his group and Matsuda.

Among them was a murderer and a thief of Buddha statues in a temple.

When Akiyama Kanade returns, the case has been perfectly solved by the sleeping Kogoro, and Amuro Toru is blowing his rainbow fart beside him.

Bourbon is not easy.

In Akiyama Kanade's opinion, Kogoro Mori is a rather strange person. He seems to be a fool most of the time, but when solving a case, he suddenly becomes like Sherlock Holmes. Akiyama Kanade once suspected that he was also the backup body of a certain salesperson, or he had a split personality.

It's hard for Bourbon to suck up to such an idiot all day long. It's so hard to make money from the organization.

Tonight is New Year's Eve.

At the strong request of the temple abbot, Mao Li and his party postponed their return journey and planned to celebrate the New Year together in the temple.

Akiyama Kanade was waiting in front of the clock early in the morning to ring the New Year's bell.

Jinpei Matsuda was accompanying him.

"I'm fine myself." Akiyama Kanade felt that Matsuda Jinpei's desire to protect him seemed to be too exaggerated, and he would not allow him to leave his sight for even a second.

...Is it because his debuffs are too many and he looks too scary?

In fact, Blue Curacao's body is not at the point where it is about to die.

At least I can live for another half a year.

Jinpei Matsuda helped keep track of the time, and as the new year began, Kanade Akiyama rang the temple bell.

The deep sound of bells echoed among the mountains.

The children are having a snowball fight.

This is probably the last time I will spend the New Year as Jiu Sheng Chun Shu.

Jinpei Matsuda stared at him without saying a word.

Akiyama Kanade thought about it - uh, it seems like he accidentally said what was in his heart?

Although he has been trying hard to create an image of someone who is about to die so that Jinpei Matsuda will feel sorry for him.

But when he really shows this expression, it makes people feel reluctant - it's not just simple worry or sadness.

But it's a deeper level.

Akiyama Sou felt that he could not accept that Jiu Sheng Chun Shu would die.

But it doesn't matter.

Akiyama Kanade also thought of a countermeasure.

After he successfully sold the goods and cancelled the Jiu Sheng Chun Shu account, he displayed the Blue and Orange Liquor side in front of Officer Matsuda.

He will find that Jiu Sheng Chun Shu is not what he imagined.

He is not kind, but rather vicious, gloomy, cruel...all the words in the world that can describe evil can be used to describe him.

And that face, the only one that can be called beautiful, will eventually decay.

Maybe by then, he would even regret ever considering this person as a friend and having sacrificed his soul just to save him.

It's really pitiful that Officer Matsuda was deceived like this.

That look again.

Matsuda Jinpei thought.

It's that look again, as if having given everything, yet still feeling that love is not enough.

Look at yourself now! Please worry about yourself——

"To me, life is meaningless. The whole world has no meaning except you."

His anger suddenly deflated like a burst balloon.

The black-haired young man reached out and gently pulled the corner of Matsuda Jinpei's mouth, saying softly, "Smile, I don't like you making that expression."

The curly-haired police officer pulled the corners of his stiff mouth obediently.

...Is this what it means to smile with one's lips but not with his eyes?

"Officer Matsuda, Brother Jiu Sheng, let's build a snowman together!" Ayumi Yoshida shouted from a distance.

Conan Edogawa was attacked by a hammer because he was too professional in teaching Kogoro Maori to build a snowman.

Mao Lilan stopped her old father in time.

Akiyama Kanade suppressed his laughter and said, "Okay."

Matsuda Jinpei watched the black-haired young man join in. Perhaps because he was so good-looking, the children liked him very much.

In front of the children, Haru lost some of the coldness that he unconsciously revealed when facing ordinary people.

Matsuda Jinpei's insight was so strong that he had long discovered that Haru only pretended to be obedient in front of him.

In front of others, you are a completely different person.

He thought he was hiding it well.

"Aren't you going to play with him?"

Jinpei Matsuda lowered his head when he heard the voice.

It was the cool and mature little girl, she was wearing a duck cap that covered most of her face.

"I'm not interested in building a snowman. I'll just watch from here."

He inexplicably felt that this little girl seemed to know Chun very well. Even though she was still an elementary school student, he couldn't help but squat down and look at her, and asked the question that had been bothering him all night.

"Gray...hara, I remember your name is this, right?"

The little girl nodded modestly.

"I have something to ask you. I have a friend who has a very close... friend. The two have known each other for many years, but one of them still insists on calling the other by a honorific. Why is that?"

The little girl immediately looked at him as if he was an idiot.

"Are you sure this friend also regards your friend as just an ordinary friend?"