You Want Me to Curse Ono Yoko?

That evening, at the Kojima family's dinner table.

Kojima Genta wore a white napkin around his neck and shouted excitedly, "Eel rice! Eel rice! We're having eel rice tonight!"

Shu Yunwen looked up and rolled his eyes at Genta.

That little chubby kid was a total foodie. Just hearing about food was enough to get him excited. And out of all the things he loved to eat, eel rice was the one that got him especially worked up. During his time staying with the Kojima family, Kojima Genta had practically shouted for eel rice every day. Whenever they actually made it, he could put away at least four bowls—

Even Shu Yunwen couldn't eat that much!

Before long, Kojima Mie brought out the food. Once Kojima Genji had sat down too, he said, "Let's eat!" and everyone picked up their chopsticks and began. As they ate, Kojima Mie didn't forget to look after Genta and even served Shu Yunwen some food, the very picture of a gentle housewife.

They were halfway through dinner when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Kojima Mie stood up and opened the door. A few seconds later, she called, "Yunwen, someone's here to see you!"

Shu Yunwen put down his chopsticks. "Got it, Aunt Mie. I'll be right out."

He stood and hurried into the hallway. When he saw the two people waiting by the entrance, a smile spread across his face. "I thought you'd be able to hold out until I went to the agency tomorrow."

With a thud, one of them—the more disheveled-looking one—fell to his knees and stammered, "L-Lord Yunwen, I—I know I was wrong. Please remove the spell you put on me. Please don't use something like that on my family."

"Please!" The speaker was Matsushita Heisaburo.

His attitude now was completely different from the way he'd acted that afternoon.

The string of bad luck he'd suffered that day had left him terrified and trembling. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if an even worse "punishment" fell upon all his family and friends.

He was afraid.

Thursday.

"Ran, aren't you going to your club activities this afternoon?" At the shoe lockers, a girl called out when she saw Mori Ran leaving the school building with her bag.

Ran turned around and smiled as she shook her head. "I'm really sorry, but I have something else to do. Sorry!"

Sonoko poked her head out from behind her. "All right, all right! Don't mind her! Ever since that little kid moved into Ran's house, she's been turning into a perfect wife and mother. She's going home early to make him another fancy dinner..." Then Sonoko waved at Ran and called loudly, "Ran! Even though Shinichi's been gone these past few days, you can't fall for that kid named Conan instead!"

Ran turned around, exasperated. "Sonoko, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? All right, I have to go. I need to hurry home!"

As she left with her bag, a trace of worry crossed Ran's face.

Kudo Shinichi had been missing for a whole week, and she was truly worried about him. If there was still no news, she would have no choice but to call the police.

Shu Yunwen glanced around and smiled faintly. Just then, he saw Tsukamoto Kazumi approaching from nearby. She bowed slightly. "Hello, Yunwen. Are you free after school today? There's a coffee shop near the school, and I've heard it's pretty good..."

"Oh, Kazumi." Shu Yunwen raised his wrist to check his watch, then said, "If it's just a cup of coffee, I can manage that."

Over the past few days, Tsukamoto Kazumi had invited Shu Yunwen out twice more. But he'd been busy with the agency and turned her down each time.

Kazumi beamed at his answer. "Thank you, Yunwen."

After changing his shoes, Shu Yunwen left the school with her, amid the whispers of the students around them.

The coffee shop was called Daitou, and it really was close to the school. Once inside, they glanced around and saw that half the seats were already taken. Quite a few customers were wearing Teitan High School uniforms. They chose a table at the back, ordered two Blue Mountains and a slice of cake, and chatted casually.

They talked about Kazumi checking in on his studies and health.

They were enjoying their conversation when Shu Yunwen's bag suddenly rang.

Shu Yunwen apologized, then pulled a mobile phone from his bag and answered. "Hello, this is Shu Yunwen."

He had barely finished speaking when a voice came from the other end. "Lord Yunwen, it's Matsushita. I'm sorry to bother you, but there's a job at the agency that may need your help..."

"Need my help?" Shu Yunwen frowned. "Did someone die?"

He'd instructed the people at the agency not to disturb him on weekdays unless someone had died. After all, if someone had died, it might have been murder, and Shu Yunwen might be able to absorb a soul and benefit from it!

"Of course not," Matsushita said on the other end, wiping his sweat. "It's just a simple job. But if you have something else to do..."

Shu Yunwen checked his watch, then said, "Fine. I should be free in a little while. Tell me the time and place."

"All right, Lord Yunwen," Matsushita said quickly. "It's at seven thirty tonight, at a coffee shop in Beika Town, Fourth Street."

Shu Yunwen nodded. "I'm at Daitou Coffee Shop near Teitan High School. Please come pick me up at seven."

"Understood, Lord Yunwen."

Shu Yunwen hung up and put his phone away, then smiled at Tsukamoto Kazumi. "Sorry, Kazumi. I have something to take care of at seven, so..."

"It's all right. If you have something to do, don't worry about me." Kazumi smiled sweetly and took a sip of coffee. Then, somewhat curiously, she asked, "But can you tell me what you have to do?"

Shu Yunwen thought for a moment before explaining. "You might know this already. My father was an exorcist. A few days ago, I inherited his exorcist agency and became its new president. The people there just called to ask for my help with a job..."

Kazumi looked surprised. "Are you going to become an exorcist, Yunwen? But I remember you once said you wanted to be a manga artist... And you seemed to think that exorcism was a scam..."

"Uh..." Shu Yunwen froze. "Did I say that? Sorry, my memory..."

He didn't remember his predecessor having any such high-minded memories!

Still, now that he'd ended up in the world of manga, he'd actually developed some interest in it. He'd gone to the bookstore and picked up a few manga to read, only to discover that this world had been twisted. Many manga that had been famous in his previous life had never even appeared here...

If he really had the ability to draw manga, he might be able to make a fortune.

"It's all right." Kazumi shook her head. "Take your time, Yunwen. You'll make a full recovery someday. And when that happens, I'm sure Hozaka will..."

Kazumi's voice trailed off. Then she asked, "By the way, Yunwen, I've never seen an exorcist at work! As it happens, our social studies teacher assigned us to observe a profession and write a report about it. I doubt many students would think of exorcism. If I write about it, my report will be outstanding. So, Yunwen, could I come along and watch you work? I promise to do as you say and not get in your way. Please!"

Kazumi pleaded with him.

"Well..." Shu Yunwen hesitated, then nodded. "...All right."

Before they knew it, it was almost seven. Winter darkness had already settled over the sky.

A car pulled up outside Daitou Coffee Shop. Matsushita Heisaburo got out and entered the shop. After glancing around, he immediately spotted Shu Yunwen and Tsukamoto Kazumi sitting in the corner. He hurried over and bowed. "Hello, Lord Yunwen. Hello, miss."

Shu Yunwen nodded, picked up the unfinished coffee on the table, and drained it in one go. Then he said to Kazumi, "Let's go."

"Okay."

The three of them left the coffee shop together. Shu Yunwen and Tsukamoto Kazumi sat in the back, while Matsushita Heisaburo took the front passenger seat. Their driver was the secretary, Adachi Roppei.

Shu Yunwen asked what the job was about. Only then did Matsushita Heisaburo explain. "It's for an entertainer, Ms. Ikezawa Yuko. She wants someone to put a curse on her rival. Lord Yunwen, ever since Lord Keqin passed away, the agency's been operating, but business has been much worse than before. If we can help Ms. Ikezawa this time, it'll get the agency's name out there again..."

Put a curse on someone?

Shu Yunwen frowned.

When had he become so low-class that he'd curse people for a little money?

"Matsushita-kun, I may have this ability, but that doesn't mean I can use it however I want. Do you understand?"

"This is all for the agency," Matsushita Heisaburo pleaded again. "So please, Lord Yunwen! The agency's been struggling for two months now. If things don't change, we'll have to lay people off next month. Since Lord Keqin passed away, I've kept everyone on, aside from those who left of their own accord. The Keqin Exorcist Agency represents Lord Keqin!"

"Please, Lord Yunwen, you have to help us this time. Besides, Ms. Ikezawa probably only wants her rival to have some bad luck. Nothing we do would break any laws."

Tsukamoto Kazumi looked surprised. "Yunwen, are you talking about the entertainer Ikezawa Yuko? She... How could she..."

Shu Yunwen turned to Kazumi and smiled. "Kazumi, you can't tell anyone what you heard today!" Then he turned back to Matsushita Heisaburo. "Matsushita-kun, I'll agree to this sort of thing just this once. If there's anything similar in the future, you have to tell me a week in advance. Otherwise, I won't help. Understand?"

"Yes, Lord Yunwen!" Matsushita Heisaburo looked delighted. "Thank you, Lord Yunwen. I'm sorry for the trouble!"

Before long, the car pulled up outside the coffee shop they'd agreed to meet at.

Once they were inside, it was seven thirty when a woman wearing a hat and large sunglasses hurried in. After asking the server about them, she walked over to Shu Yunwen.

"Hello, President Matsushita..." The woman took off her sunglasses when she reached the group.

Matsushita Heisaburo stood up quickly. "Hello, Ms. Ikezawa. Also, I'm no longer the agency's president. This is Lord Yunwen, the son of our former president, Lord Keqin. He's our current president, and a very powerful exorcist. He can help you deal with certain problems..."

Ikezawa Yuko looked at Shu Yunwen, who was still wearing his school uniform, and nodded. "Hello, Lord Yunwen."

Shu Yunwen didn't stand. He simply gave her a slight bow from his seat. "Hello, Ms. Ikezawa."

After a few polite exchanges, Shu Yunwen got straight to the point. "Ms. Ikezawa, I'm short on time, so let's get right to it. You want me to put a curse on your rival, correct?"

"That's right." Ikezawa Yuko gritted her teeth. "That woman is better than me in every way. And to make matters worse, she stole the lead role in a TV drama that was supposed to be mine. Ono Yoko is simply, simply unforgivable!"

"Mm... Huh?"

When Shu Yunwen heard the name she'd mentioned, he froze.

Did she just say... Ono Yoko?

The biggest star in the entire Detective Conan world? Mori Kogoro's beloved idol, Ono Yoko?

And now that he thought about it, the name Ikezawa Yuko sounded familiar too! In the episode where Ono Yoko first appeared, wasn't there an actress who hated her with that same name?

Beside Shu Yunwen, Tsukamoto Kazumi stared in surprise at Ikezawa Yuko's twisted expression, as if she couldn't believe this was the idol she admired.

After a few seconds, Shu Yunwen nodded and asked, "So the person you want me to curse is Ono Yoko?"

"That's right. Please help me, Lord Yunwen!" Ikezawa Yuko bowed.

Shu Yunwen smiled faintly, then said, "Since you hate Ono Yoko so much, I'll give you a choice. I can help you curse her to death. All you have to do is pay double..."

"Yunwen..." Tsukamoto Kazumi was startled. She looked at Shu Yunwen in disbelief.

Matsushita and Adachi were equally astonished. "Lord Yunwen..."

Shu Yunwen raised a hand to silence them and waited for Ikezawa Yuko's response.

Ikezawa Yuko froze for quite a while before stammering, "N-No, I... I only want her to have some bad luck. I never wanted her dead. There's a live program at Nippai TV on Saturday night, and Ono Yoko will be on it. I'd be satisfied if she just embarrassed herself."

Ikezawa Yuko hated Ono Yoko, but not enough to want her dead. She was just a minor actress, and her conflict with Ono Yoko was, strictly speaking, just a professional rivalry. It hadn't gone that far.

A smile appeared on Shu Yunwen's face too.

He'd only claimed he could curse Ono Yoko to death to test Ikezawa Yuko. He had no intention of actually killing her. In fact, if Ikezawa Yuko had agreed to his offer, Shu Yunwen would have refused to take her on as a client.

"Fine. In that case, Ms. Ikezawa, get the money ready. On Saturday, you'll definitely see Ono Yoko..."

Before Shu Yunwen could finish, a female officer in uniform walked over from the hallway. She flashed her badge in front of Ikezawa Yuko. "Are you Ms. Ikezawa Yuko? I'm Takagi, a detective from the First Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. We have a case and need you to come with us to assist with our investigation."

"A d-detective?" Ikezawa Yuko looked alarmed. "W-Why are you looking for me? I haven't done anything..."

Shu Yunwen rolled his eyes.

Wouldn't that expression make her look even more suspicious?

Shu Yunwen stood up and greeted the officer. "Oh, it's Officer Chosuke. I'm Shu Yunwen. We've met at the Metropolitan Police Department."

That was Takagi Chosuke.

Because Shu Yunwen had been involved in two murder cases, he'd had to go to the Metropolitan Police Department to give statements. Takagi Chosuke had been the one to question him.

Takagi Chosuke turned to him. His narrow eyes swept over Shu Yunwen's face before he said, "So it's you, the high schooler with the middle-aged man's face. Why are you with Ikezawa Yuko? Hmm... Were you together all afternoon, too?"

"No, we only got here at seven." Shu Yunwen shook his head, then suddenly seemed to think of something. "Officer Chosuke, did something serious happen? For example... did someone die?"

He thought of the case in which Ono Yoko's ex-boyfriend had killed himself.

Could it really be such a coincidence?

Takagi Chosuke fixed his narrowed eyes on Shu Yunwen and stayed silent for a moment before saying, "Since you were with Ikezawa Yuko, you're connected to the case too. If you have time, why don't you come with me to the scene?"

Shu Yunwen stood and smiled. "Of course. I have time."

This was the first murder case Shinichi had solved after turning into Conan!

Of course Shu Yunwen had to go see the excitement~