Finally Waiting for Kaito Kid

"Phantom Thief 1412?"

Ran Mouri wiped the rain from her bangs and repeated the name, tilting her head. "What a strange name. What is it?"

"Eh, you don't know? Your dad's already a famous detective—he's a really famous phantom thief, with lots of fans." Sonoko Suzuki hopped excitedly. "A well-known thief who's been active for over a decade. He must be a handsome middle-aged guy, right?"

"Why would I know about that? I'm not interested in solving cases." Ran Mouri sighed. "Why are there so many of these 'phantom thieves' who act so mysterious lately…"

"Ah, Ran, are you talking about the 'Phantom Thief of Hearts'?" Sonoko Suzuki's eager expression didn't fade, and she continued enthusiastically, "Did he set his sights on your dad? Like, a 'fateful showdown between phantom thief and detective'? I saw on the news that after receiving his preview letter, three of your dad's clients suddenly confessed or publicly apologized for their wrongdoings."

Mentioning this, Ran Mouri sighed again.

She brushed her long hair back over her shoulder, avoiding the rain from the umbrella tips, and walked through the bookstore district with Sonoko Suzuki. "While it's not a bad thing, people who've done wrong should repent. But I really wish they'd pick a different target to stake out. My dad's been complaining these past two days that his business is affected; clients are afraid to hire him, worried about being targeted by strange people."

"Why should someone who's not guilty be afraid of this kind of threat to make them confess?"

Sonoko Suzuki waved her hand, finally remembering why she'd brought up the phantom thief in the first place. "It's good he hasn't taken any commissions. I want to ask him to protect my family's jewels. Your dad is so capable, he can definitely uncover Phantom Thief 1412's true identity, right?"

"Speaking of which, that so-called 'Phantom Thief of Hearts' is also so mysterious. No one has ever seen him appear. I wonder what kind of person he is…" As she spoke, Sonoko Suzuki's gaze shifted, and she suddenly became excited, waving ahead. "Karazawa-kun! Karazawa! What a coincidence!"

Tooru Amuro, who was looking down at his phone as he exited the subway station, still in his Teitan High School uniform, looked up in confusion at the call.

"Whoa—" Her heart skipped a beat seeing his handsome face blurred by the rain. Sonoko Suzuki immediately forgot what she was saying halfway through and trotted over to Tooru Amuro. "Did you forget your umbrella? Let's share one!"

Tooru Amuro, who was about to say his umbrella was in his bag: "……"

"Okay, thank you for the trouble." He awkwardly took Sonoko Suzuki's umbrella. Sonoko Suzuki happily moved closer, occupying half the space under the umbrella, and felt the gloomy sky brighten.

"Sonoko…" Ran Mouri, unable to stop her fanatically enthusiastic friend, walked over. "Karazawa, what a coincidence. Are you also coming to Shibuya to shop?"

"Mm… I was going to the underground mall shops to buy a drink." Tooru Amuro's eyes darted away. "Don't tell Mr. Amuro I came out for dessert again."

Actually, Tooru Amuro was here to support his family and, incidentally, to do good deeds.

Ever since their little confrontation with Tooru Amuro, Tooru Amuro had lost some of his daily freedom. If he stayed out for too long, Tooru Amuro would drag him back to the shop with a concerned tone, saying, "It's really dangerous out there, and I'm so worried about you like this."

Tooru Amuro had to compress the activity time for the "Phantom Thief of Hearts," maximizing efficiency as much as possible.

For example, collecting four or five minor "Shadows" that needed to be dealt with in the "Impression Space" all at once, then using a school day afternoon to rush through them at the subway.

Heaven knew he didn't have a "cat car" to ride and still had to work hard to earn money to support his household, running so fast he was almost spitting sparks.

Alas, overly strict home tutoring was an obstacle to the cause of justice!

"Mr. Amuro seems to be controlling you more and more strictly." Ran Mouri laughed at Tooru Amuro's expression. Just as she was about to tease him a bit more, her peripheral vision caught a familiar face as they crossed the crosswalk.

"!" She spun around abruptly, instinctively wanting to chase after him.

"Ran!" Sonoko Suzuki grabbed her arm. "What are you doing? It's a red light, be careful!"

"Shinichi! But I saw Shinichi over there!" Ran Mouri's voice trembled as she tried to get a clear look at the receding figure amidst the gaps in the traffic.

Sonoko looked confusedly across the street, while Tooru Amuro, holding his umbrella to shield her from the rain, raised an eyebrow.

It feels like I've encountered a famous scene, doesn't it?

"Phantom Thief 1412?" Tooru Amuro put down the coffee pot, ignoring Tooru Amuro's resentful gaze, and poured the remaining iced coffee into his own cup. "He is indeed a very famous criminal. Has he made another move?"

"He sent a preview letter to the chairman of the Suzuki Group—that's my classmate Sonoko's father." Tooru Amuro picked up the half-empty cup of coffee in front of him and relayed the news Sonoko had told them on the way over that afternoon. "He has his eye on the Suzuki family's 'Pitch Black Star,' the world's largest black pearl, and left a coded message. Sonoko ran to find Mr. Mouri upstairs and asked him to help protect the pearl."

"This person also has another name, Phantom Thief Kid. He's a master thief who specializes in stealing famous artworks and jewels. Not only has he never been caught, but his true appearance has never been revealed. Rumor has it he uses disguises and is a very tricky fellow." Tooru Amuro sat down opposite Tooru Amuro, watching him warily. "You're not thinking of going to the Suzuki Group to join the fun, are you?"

"I'm just curious…" Tooru Amuro smiled obediently.

"You stay put and behave yourself." Tooru Amuro flicked his forehead unceremoniously. "He's a thief that the media loves to hype. After all, he's always high-profile, mysterious, and rarely fails. Reporters love this kind of eye-catching topic and have given him a bunch of nicknames. The scene will definitely be swarming with police and reporters, so you won't see anything even if you go."

Kazami would have to prepare escape routes for Tooru Amuro, investigate the case, handle the miscellaneous tasks assigned by Tooru Amuro, and rush around putting out fires to prevent Tooru Amuro's photos from appearing in the media. The man felt like he needed to be split into eight to get everything done.

If Tooru Amuro appeared in a live TV broadcast because he got involved with Phantom Thief Kid, Kazami Yuya would probably choke and pass out.

"Alright, I won't follow." Tooru Amuro sighed with feigned regret. "I can help Mr. Mouri guess the riddle, that's fine, right?"

Of course, he wouldn't follow. Following the police and Kogoro Mouri, he wouldn't even catch Phantom Thief Kid's exhaust fumes.

His current task was to glance at the riddle and confirm if it was what he remembered. Once confirmed, he would directly head to Phantom Thief Kid's spawn point to wait for him.

As for the concerns about the news broadcast…

It's fine. Even if he appeared in the media's lenses, it wouldn't matter. Kazami Yuya, you can rest assured!

Tooru Amuro's mind raced as he smiled innocently and harmlessly at Tooru Amuro.