As the capital of a country with a land area only about as large as one or two provinces, yet home to over a hundred million people, Tokyo had more than ten million permanent residents alone. That worked out to over six thousand people per square kilometer—more than six times BJ's density.
With so many people packed so tightly together, traffic jams naturally became an everyday occurrence.
Fujino drove back to Tokyo from Shizuoka before the evening rush hour.
Originally, he had planned to give Koizumi Akako a ride home while he was at it.
But after seeing the roads already clogged solid, he gave up on that idea and decided to keep Koizumi Akako around a little longer so she could finish the lemonade she had not drunk earlier.
At a window seat in Snow King Ice City.
Koizumi Akako refilled the lemonade she had ordered earlier.
After all, she had paid for it. Wouldn't it be a huge loss if she did not get to drink it?
Thinking that, she picked up the lemonade and started gulping it down.
But as she drank, she felt a faint, lingering gaze coming from beside her.
It was Ai Haibara, peeking around the corner!
Koizumi Akako's brow twitched slightly. Being watched with that little thief-catching stare made her deeply uncomfortable.
She then lowered her voice and asked Fujino, who was sitting across from her, "What is up with that little girl of yours?"
"You mean Ai Haibara?"
"Ai Haibara... yes, that should be her."
"You do not need to mind her too much. She is just afraid you will run off with me."
"Huh?"
Koizumi Akako froze for a moment, then understood what he meant. Somewhat baffled, she asked, "Are children this mature these days?"
"She is not a child."
Fujino