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It is a nice Saturday morning in Beika City. The sky is clear, the sun is shining, and it is warm but not too hot for the summer. Unfortunately, Deduction Queen, Suzuki Sonoko has to spend it all by herself.
Sonoko is at a newly built mall that was opened just last month. She was excited to spend the morning with Ran, browsing through some of the shops and relaxing at a nearby cafe.
But unexpectedly—or maybe predictably—there was a murder in Cafe Poirot. Normally, hearing that your best friend is at a crime scene in her building would be a cause for concern. But with how often murders seemed to happen around them, she and Ran were almost desensitized to it by now.
Ran had called to apologize for canceling their plans, her voice full of guilt as she explained that it would likely take after lunchtime for the police to wrap things up. Sonoko reassured her, saying she'd be fine on her own for the morning.
"Well, it looks like it’s just me today." Despite her earlier confidence, Sonoko still feels a bit disappointed, a bored sigh escaping her lips. She could go home right now and come back later, but since she's already here, she might as well make the most of it. She thought she would called someone else.
However, nobody is available right now. Makoto is busy training for his next match, Sera is tied up in family matters, and, Ran—murder. As for Shinichi... even if he’s in town, she wouldn’t call him. He wouldn’t know the first thing about fashion anyway. If it weren't for his mother, who is a beautiful and talented actress, he would have been wearing cargo shorts with socks and sandals. Or worse, a whole deerstalker.
Sonoko swipes through her contact list, muttering each name as it flashes across her screen: “Makoto, Ran, Sera, Shinichi. Makoto, Ran, Sera, Shinichi. Makoto, Ran, Sera, Shinichi...”
"How come I only have four friends, and one of them is Shinichi?" Sonoko mutters, feeling a twinge of exasperation. She and Shinichi barely have anything in common—he doesn’t care about the things she likes, and he always has that high-and-mighty attitude, like he’s too good for her interests. Sometimes, Sonoko wonders if Ran is the only thing holding their friendship together. And don’t even get her started on romance! Shinichi has no sense of it whatsoever. Unlike her KID-sama...
Speak of the devil. He's is the reason she's here in the first place. Her uncle, Jirokichi, sent yet another challenge to Kaitou KID—another elaborate trap to catch him, which, no doubt, will fail spectacularly.
Nonetheless, she's still excited to be there for the heist. It's a good thing her uncle doesn't know she secretly helped KID with his last operation; otherwise, he'd have forbidden her from going anywhere near this one. And since she wanted to look her best for her man (sorry, Makoto), she needs to find something beautiful.
Sonoko is now at a Fusae Jewelry shop. They have everything you'd expect—rings, necklaces, and bracelets. What sets this location apart from other Fusae stores, though, is that while their iconic ginkgo leaf design graces every product, this store also offers a wider range of designs.
As she browses through the jewelry, something catches her eye—a delicate silver brooch shaped like a crescent moon. The piece glimmers with faceted stones in shades of blue and red, and the highlights are star-shaped zirconia stones, surrounded by lavishly crafted star ornaments. It reminds her of KID-sama of how he swoops down from the night sky when the moon shines its brightest. The stars give her the same whimsical feeling that his heists bring. It's only 32,000 yen and is the last one. It's perfect.
After purchasing the brooch, Sonoko watches as the store staff carefully packages her item in a small box. While waiting, she glances out the glass door, and for a brief moment, she spots a familiar figure dressed entirely in black, complete with a cap, walking past the shop. It can't be... Shinichi?!
The sight surprises her, making her wonder what he’s doing here. When has he returned? Is he following a lead on a case, or is he simply out for a stroll? Either way, she can’t help but feel a mix of annoyance and curiosity.
Sonoko decides to follow him, keeping a careful distance so he doesn’t notice her. She recalls tips from online forums: keeping her body relaxed to avoid drawing attention, making small adjustments to her path to appear casual, and using the crowd to her advantage. It’s a little like performing a magic trick—distracting her audience while executing her true intention.
As they weave through the mall, she smiles to herself, proud of her stealthy approach. Maybe this magic practice is more useful than she thought.
Shinichi suddenly walks into a shop—a place Sonoko never imagined he would visit on his own. It's a boutique specializing in women's designer clothing, filled with elegant dresses and chic accessories. The bright displays and stylish atmosphere seem out of character for him, leaving Sonoko momentarily surprised. She peers through the window, curiosity piqued as she wonders what could possibly draw him into such a feminine space. When a man enters a women's clothing store, it can only mean two things: he's either buying a gift or he's with a woman, Sonoko thinks to herself. And since Ran isn't here, it should be the first one. If not, and he's cheating on Ran with another woman, then she can not let it slide.
She needs to get into the store without being recognized, so she walks to the shop next door. There, she finds a stylish trench coat, a pair of cat-eye sunglasses, and a scarf to wrap around her head, concealing her iconic hair. With her new disguise in place, she feels more confident as she heads toward the clothing store where Shinichi is.
He is browsing through the dresses on the racks, seemingly oblivious to her presence. Sonoko carefully makes her way to another rack behind him, pretending to scan while keeping a watchful eye. Shinichi seems completely engrossed in examining a dark blue cocktail dress, his fingers gliding over the fabric as he contemplates his choice with a thoughtful expression, his hand resting on his chin. While she thinks Ran looks far better in warmer colors, given Shinichi's notoriously atrocious fashion sense, this choice isn't half bad. (That is if he is really looking for a dress for her) Another surprise is that he's humming a new popular song he would normally not be interested in. This isn't the side she expects to see from him.
Because she was so absorbed in watching him, Sonoko didn't notice a salesperson approaching her, asking if she needed assistance. She tries to keep her composure, speaking softly so that Shinichi doesn’t recognize her voice. As she engages with the employee, she realizes that the guy is nowhere to be seen. He's not at the cash register. It hasn’t been long enough for him to have paid and left, which means he must be in a fitting room.
A surge of anxiety floods her thoughts. That’s it—he’s definitely with a woman, and they must be plotting something inappropriate behind the curtain. She must catch them red-handed.
Sonoko strides up to the only closed curtain, flinging it open with a burst of speed. To her shock, there's no woman inside—just her own stunned reflection in the mirror…and Shinichi.
He's standing there, mid-motion, hands halfway up the zipper of a dark blue dress he’s trying on. Although he’s clearly caught off guard, his expression is more puzzled than panicked. "Excu—" he begins, but before he can finish, Sonoko slams the curtain shut as quickly as she opens it.
Her heart racing, Sonoko has no idea how to react or even process what she just saw. Instinct takes over, and before she can think twice, she turns and bolts, fleeing the scene without a second glance.
When has this even been a thing? Her mind races faster than her feet. Does Ran know about this? Has he ever planned to tell them? Is this what he's been doing for the past six months?
Questioning if she really knows her friend. Sonoko stops by a nearby bench, sinking down as she tries to steady herself. Maybe it's always been this way, she thinks. Maybe Ran does know but hasn’t said anything because Shinichi didn’t want her to. He might even have worried she’d judge him. She wouldn’t but... has she ever given him a reason to believe that?
Sure, they clash sometimes. She’s made plenty of assumptions about him over the years. But he's her childhood friend too, just as much as Ran’s. And friends... friends should be able to share their true selves with one another, shouldn’t they?
"Do I really not understand Shinichi that much?"
While Sonoko is drowning in a mix of guilt and shame, she overhears a snippets of conversation from two women that are just a few feet away.
“I’ve been thinking of surprising him with an engagement ring, but with his build, it’s been tough,” one of the women says.
“Oh? How so?” her friend asks.
“Well, since he’s a construction worker, his hands and fingers are a lot thicker than average. It’s been nearly impossible to find one that fits unless it’s custom-made.”
Hearing them talk about hands and fingers jolts Sonoko back to another memory—her last heist with Makoto, when he told her that since KID’s ring finger is longer than his index finger, "I knew it couldn't be you."
As she mulls over that odd detail, a sudden realization washes over her, almost as if lightning has struck through her.
Could it be...? Of course—that must be it!
Sonoko springs to her feet, dashing back toward the store, her heart pounding as she hopes to catch that person before it’s too late.
Meanwhile, the man in black has already chosen the dress and is heading toward the elevator, ready to wrap up his shopping. Just as he’s about to step inside, he hears a voice call out, “Wait!”
He halts mid-step, turning his head to see the same young woman from earlier.
"I'm so sorry for what happened," Sonoko says, catching her breath.
"Ah, don’t worry about it. It was an accident," the man reassures her, giving her a calm smile.
"Actually… it kind of wasn’t," she admits, cheeks reddening. "I've been, well, sort of… spying on you all morning, thinking you were someone I knew, and… As the result, I've jumped to some big conclusions about both of you."
The man raises an eyebrow, intrigued, as she continues, "But, honestly, can you blame me? You’re practically identical—from your face to your voice—even a childhood friend could mistake the two of you."
He turns his whole body toward her, a mysterious smile playing on his face, and asks, "Oh? Then what made you realize I’m not him?"
Despite how familiar his demeanor feels, Sonoko brushes it off and explains, "When you were in the shop, a women’s clothing store, the presence of a man would normally alert the staff to assist him. But no one approached you, nor did they seem to pay much attention, which means you’re likely a regular there. And since this mall only opened last month, that friend of mine wouldn’t know about this place since he’s been in and out of town for six months."
"I see, but that could mean your friend has been secretly going into the shop without you knowing."
"It wasn’t just that. While you were scanning the dress, you were humming a tune. My friend is really tone-deaf; he couldn’t even hit a proper 'Do-Re-Mi.' And since I could tell what song you were thinking of, you can't possibly be him."
"Well, then I'm sure your friend would have improved in his six months away."
"But he couldn't change his body in such short notice." The guy tilts his head at that last statement.
"When I saw you in the fitting room, I noticed how slender your fingers were. They could indicate that your job or hobby requires dexterity. That friend of mine would rather focus more on developing his mind than on his hands coordination, so I know you can't be him."
The guy chuckled, a light, playful sound that broke the tension in the air. "Well then, Miss, if you're so good at deduction, have you realized who I am by now?" His voice is smooth, almost theatrical, with a hint of mischief.
Sonoko narrows her eyes, taking in his presence with renewed scrutiny. "I think I do. You're interested in women’s clothing. You’re dressed in black despite being drawn to that blue dress. You have the aura of a stage actor."
There’s a brief silence as he waits for her to finish, a smile playing on his lips.
"You're..." she starts, the pieces clicking into place.
"A closeted drag queen!" Sonoko concluded.
When she uttered that last line, it was as if a thunderous thud echoed in the air. The guy in front of her looked utterly dumbfounded. He was absolutely caught off guard.
"Oi..." he stammered, trying to process her words.
"Was that not it?" Sonoko asked, a note of dejection creeping into her voice.
"Well, you're not completely right or completely wrong, either. Close, but not quite," he replied cryptically.
"But hey, you’ve made it this far, so you should be proud of your detective skills," he continued, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Not to mention, you’ve been following me without me noticing. That also nean you have the skills of a magician as well."
Those words had slightly cheered her up until he added, "You must be really close to this friend of yours to understand him so well." Sonoko felt a warmth spread through her at that statement.
"I guess I am," she replied, a smile blooming on her face.
"Welp, I'm off," the man said, casually pushing the elevator button.
"Hold on, I’m not done," Sonoko said quickly, reaching into her bag and producing a small package adorned with the ginkgo leaf branded. She handed it to him, her expression earnest.
"I would like to properly apologize for what I've done today—for the spying and for misunderstanding you."
"This is a brooch from Fusae Jewelry," she continued, her voice softening. "It’s really beautiful, and I think it would look stunning with the dark dress you picked."
She watched as his expression shifted from surprise to genuine appreciation, his fingers brushing over the delicate packaging as if it were something precious.
"It is rather rude to refuse gifts from a lady," he said with a charming smile, taking one of her hands and kissing the back gently.
Sonoko felt her cheeks flush at his unexpected gesture, blood rushing through her face. Before she could react or gather her thoughts, the elevator doors opened again, revealing an empty space inside. He stepped in, turning back to her with a playful glint in his eye.
"I hope we get to see each other next time," he said, bowing gracefully with one hand raised and the other resting on his chest as the elevator doors closed.
Sonoko stood frozen, her heart racing. She barely managed to catch his last wink before the doors shut completely, leaving her standing in the mall, a mix of embarrassment and astonishment. Could it be that he was...no it couldn't be, could it?