"Hey, bro, could you help me apply sunscreen?"
"Sorry, not the best time for me."
After politely turning down yet another woman's approach, Hayashi Yoshiki smiled and walked toward the shallows.
Conan was already there, sitting contentedly with his arms propped behind him and his legs stretched out to greet the incoming tide.
The breeze was light and salty.
Yoshiki looked at him and chuckled."You've spread your legs so wide if a sea urchin comes floating in, it won't be pretty."
"What're the odds of that?"
"Well, there's one over there," Yoshiki replied, nodding slightly.
"—!!"
Conan turned his head, and sure enough, a spiky sea urchin bobbed nearby. He clamped his legs together and immediately got to his feet."Yeesh… you weren't kidding."
Yoshiki smiled again, amused, and walked past him.
Haibara Ai was reclined in a beach chair nearby, reading quietly under the sun. She had insisted that lying on the shore was just as much a part of "enjoying the beach" as anything else. Yoshiki didn't press her.
In the shallows, Ran and Sonoko were playing in slightly deeper water.
Well—more accurately, Sonoko was snapping photos of Ran nonstop, directing her like a passionate professional photographer. Ran, meanwhile, was turning redder by the moment.
"Yes! That's it! Hold that expression—"
"What expression?!"
"That shy and pure look—perfect! Don't pose. That's what I want!"
"…Sometimes, Sonoko, you're like an old man with a camera fetish."
"GUH—"
The comment pierced deep. Sonoko clutched her chest theatrically.
After a few more playful moments, Sonoko elbowed Ran."Okay. Now it's time to get a shot of Brother Yoshiki, right?"
"…Right now?"
"I just saw a bunch of girls chatting him up. I couldn't butt in, so I figured we'd ease into it. Hehe, once I get a few shots, I'll share them with you too, Ran."
"You're seriously weird sometimes, Sonoko."
"You don't want copies?"
"…I didn't say that."
The two giggled as they walked back toward the beach.
But when they got there—
"Huh? Where's Yoshiki-nii?"
"Ah, he stepped away to grab drinks," Conan replied lazily from his seat.
"Alright… then let's just wait here for now."
Just then, a voice called out from behind:
"Excuse me, ladies. Are you free right now?"
Ran and Sonoko turned toward the speaker—a handsome, well-dressed young man.
"Would you… like to join me for dinner later? My treat, of course."
Before either of them could reply, the man added, clearly trying to be more selective:"Especially you, beautiful."
"...Me?" Sonoko blinked, genuinely surprised.
It was the first time she'd ever been approached before Ran. It caught her completely off guard.
—But to be fair, with her hair down and no headband, Sonoko looked stunning.
"T-Thank you?" she stammered reflexively.
The man's face lit up at her response. But then—
"I'm sorry, but we have something important to do."
Sonoko raised the camera she'd been clutching.
Just then, she noticed Hayashi Yoshiki returning with two cold drinks.
"Ah! Yoshiki-nii!" she called out quickly.
"Mm? Who's this?" Yoshiki asked, glancing at the unfamiliar man.
"He came over and tried to chat up Ran and Sonoko," Conan reported casually.
"I see."Yoshiki smiled and looked directly at the man."Do you mind if I ask your name?"
"Ah… Michiwaki Masahiko," he answered, a little hesitant now.
"Thanks. Well then, Mr. Michiwaki—let's play together some other time if the opportunity arises."
"…Yeah. Sure."
Taking the easy out, the man nodded and quickly excused himself.
Once he was gone, Yoshiki handed the drinks to Ran and Sonoko.
Conan, still watching the man's retreating figure, frowned a little."Still strange to see Sonoko get hit on…"
"What's so strange about that?" Yoshiki asked, bemused.
He raised his phone and—without warning—snapped a picture of Sonoko mid-reaction.
"H-Huh?!"
With a sly grin, Yoshiki sent the photo to Gin.
A few seconds later—
Gin: Are you free and have nothing to do?
In a dark alley, Gin silently lowered the smoking muzzle of his pistol from the lifeless corpse in front of him.
He looked at the photo on his phone, narrowed his eyes, and seriously considered putting another round in the body.
This bastard Cointreau again…
At first, Gin had mistakenly thought the photos were of Sherry, and he'd actually taken them seriously. Now?
He barely glanced at them before deleting them.
Was this Cointreau's way of telling him he was bored and wanted a new mission?
Possibly.
Gin sighed. After the Osaka incident, his bounty on the killer platform had doubled. The corpse at his feet was yet another hired gun looking to cash in.
Even the fun in killing was starting to fade.
Back on the beach, Yoshiki casually slipped his phone away.
"You two really need to be careful. Don't just let a smooth line scare off someone shady."
"Yes, Jiashu-brother."
"We really were turning him down, you know."
"Glad to hear it."Then, looking at the camera:"Sonoko, you wanted a picture?"
"Y-Yes!" Sonoko perked up.
Yoshiki smiled. "Go ahead."
As the girls excitedly fumbled with the camera, Yoshiki glanced toward the edge of the beach.
A familiar gaze was fixed in their direction.
Kyogoku Makoto.
The legendary karate champion, and Sonoko's silent protector.
Ah, Yoshiki thought, so you were here.
He had bought the drinks earlier partly to test that hypothesis—and it seemed he'd been right.