This is bad...

No wonder Jii-chan had returned to Central Park several times to search, only to come up empty. Even probing around the black market yielded nothing. Kuroba Kaito had almost convinced himself that the gem__ "The Last Dance" had vanished into thin air. At first, he hadn't ruled out the possibility that someone had taken the wrong case—but the thought was absurd. And yet, here they were. Kuroba Kaito was reeling.

"Seriously?! Who just grabs something in the middle of the dark night without checking what's inside first—at least under the moonlight or something... I mean..."

That guy didn't even check. Just picked it up and left?

Vodka? Is that a codename or something, definitely drink too much vodka.

The one and only KID, now trapped in the petite, delicate, almost-too-cute body of Ishikawa Kaito, clutched his head in absolute dismay.

How in the world was he supposed to retrieve the gem and return it to the police like this? If an ordinary civilian had picked it up, that'd be a simple matter. But no—of all people, it had to be the man responsible for shrinking Meitantei Kudo Shinichi... and for turning him into this pitiful state. Kuroba Kaito had no way to trace him.

Except—there was one.

A man who had once crossed swords with him.___Amuro Tooru of the Japanese Public Security Bureau, who also went by the alias Bourbon as an undercover agent within the Black Organization.

Whether Public Security or Organization, neither could be trusted. Kaito could never depend on them. First of all, the Public Security Bureau belonged to Japan's law enforcement—they welcomed criminals walking into their arms with open doors. Second, Bourbon... Setting aside whether Amuro had administered the drug knowing some survived with a child's body, or whether he simply intended to kill—was Amuro truly black or white? Kaito had no clue. If he were truly an undercover agent plant in the Organization, that would be tolerable.

But if he were the Organization's mole inside law enforcement?

Kuroba Kaito would flee Japan tonight under the cover of darkness.

Bourbon was likely aware that APTX had a high probability of shrinking rather than killing, at least for a rare few. Anyone who'd faced off against Edogawa Conan's razor-sharp deductions or knew him too well would start connecting the dots.

Did that bastard anticipate this from the moment Kaito crossed the threshold? That he would eventually come looking for Meitantei and try to lure him out?

"Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!!!"

Kaito stomped in frustration just as Haibara Ai happened to pass by, holding a long-life milk carton she'd taken from the fridge. She handed one to him.

"Ishikawa-kun, here. What's wrong? Can't reach your family?"

"...Yeah."

"Then stay a little longer," Haibara said indifferently. She clearly wasn't particularly interested in this frail-looking boy, only tossing a few casual words his way.

"You know... Not everyone in this world is kind or driven by justice. Not everyone's like Edogawa. You get what I mean? If you want them to stop, you could speak up. Ask for help. Or do the simplest thing."

Haibara finally turned to him. "Make friends. Don't isolate yourself."

"Why are you telling me this? What are you even talking about?" Kaito asked.

"I just don't want Yoshida Ayumi to look that disappointed again," Haibara shrugged, sipping her drink through the straw as she headed upstairs.

"...That woman... But honestly, I'd rather be bullied than have Meitantei staring at me all the time!"

Despite his grumbling, KID's recent behavior had sparked an uproar, wild conspiracies and ludicrous theories were flying. Kuroba Kaito had no choice but to take action as KID. With leads in really little information, the only potential way to recover the briefcase from the Organization was through one man.

Amuro Tooru.

In the past, KID might have only been wary of Bourbon. But now, even physiological fear responses were starting to surface.

No—he couldn't risk it. Kuroba Kaito waited until Conan was still chatting with Amuro, then slipped away the second no one was looking.

"Guess you'll have to learn the hard way, Suzuki-ojisan. I'll return the gem... later. Maybe next time you'll stop treating family heirlooms like sprinkling rose petals at a wedding."

Throw your petals wherever you like—just don't scatter them over Kuroba Kaito's grave.

Creak—

Kuroba Kaito calculated the door's opening angle to perfection. Not too much, not too little. Just enough to avoid the metallic creak of the latch and he could slide inside the house. With his left hand on the knob and his right hand steadying the door's inner panel, he eased himself through sideways.

He didn't switch on his phone or a flashlight. The living room curtains were half drawn. Any stray light would stand out sharply in this darkness. Once his eyes adjusted, he moved swiftly.

Carrying the briefcase, Kaito crouched and crossed the living room. He still didn't know what was inside, but the fact that the Organization had centered a deal around it only proved its importance.

If you want to keep something hidden—move it where only you know.

Unless he exposed himself, no one would suspect this empty villa. After all, Ishikawa Kaito and Kuroba Kaito—one seventeen and the other one seven years old boy—should've had no reason to cross paths. No one would ever think the secret would lie here, alongside his father's legacy.

He leapt into the hidden room. Tossed the case into the old record cabinet that his father had filled with vintage vinyls. Grabbed a few 90s magazines his mom had stashed away on the shelf and threw them in as camouflage. The cabinet already held several similar briefcases—this one blended in perfectly.

Before leaving, Kaito slipped upstairs to the master bedroom. From his parents' closet, he gathered a few garment bags, carefully packing away his suits and stage props.

Just as Kaito reached the front hall, instinct kicked in.

Years of dodging bullets and high-stakes escapes sharpened his senses. He halted, breath caught, and stepped back, hiding behind the coat rack near the door.

Click—

The front door opened from the outside. Two beams of flashlight pierced the darkness.

"Dad, are you sure you weren't seeing things? Who in their right mind would sneak in at this hour of night?" Nakamori Aoko's voice came from behind the front door where Kuroba Kaito was hiding. Which meant, naturally, that the man stepping into the entryway and taking off his shoes was Inspector Nakamori.

"I wasn't seeing things," Nakamori replied, flicking on a flashlight. "I heard something while watching TV, looked out back, and caught a shadow slipping past."

Aoko frowned. "Dad... you sure you're not just overtired? A shadow? You thought you saw a ghost or something?"

Inspector Nakamori gave his daughter a look. "A ghost? Come on. No. Chikage asked me to keep an eye on the place. Not that there's anything worth stealing in here, but still, better it doesn't turn into some homeless and thieves' hideout."

Kaito snorted quietly. This place was a thief's hideout.
All three of them were...

Inspector Nakamori, having done a sweep of the living room with his flashlight, found no suspicious tracks or footprints. Everything looked exactly as it had the last time Kaito left a week ago, just even more desolate. It was a bit jarring.

Confirming there was no sign of a break-in, he moved to leave.

"Looks like I imagined it," he muttered. "Come on, Aoko. Let's head home. I need coffee if I'm going to pull an all-nighter to finish that report."

"Didn't I say so? There's no way someone came back here without Kaito. And honestly, he didn't even give a heads-up. Just vanished. Dad... do you think he's hiding something from us?"

"Kaito? Huh? No way," Nakamori said, glancing once more around the place and then closing the door behind him. His voice faded as they walked away. "Even if the sky fell, he'd still be dozing on the couch with a comic book. Hiding something? What, like someone stole his chocolate cake?"

"Ugh—So you were the one! Dad! You ate the three cakes in the fridge?! I misunderstood Kaito for that!"

Only once the doors of the Nakamori residence were securely shut and locked did Kuroba Kaito slowly crouch down and crawl out from behind the coat rack.

"Damn it... so Keibu has been keeping a close eye on this place. Even a little noise could draw his attention."

He shot a resentful glance toward the kitchen cabinet, where his secret stash of snacks was still neatly stored: chocolate sticks, chocolate-covered potato chips, white chocolate rice crackers, strawberry-chocolate popcorn, and his long-lost love—the matcha chocolate baumkuchen.

His mouth watered. Kaito rose onto tiptoes, aching to grab everything and run. But the crinkling plastic packaging would be deafening in the dead of night. Worse, he'd need to drag over a chair just to reach the top shelf and retrieve the chocolate wafers. Even at 175 cm tall, he couldn't get whatever he wanted.

If he pushed it, Nakamori might suspect something. And then, his house would be swarming with cops.

And in the end, he wouldn't even get to leave with a single snack.

With a sigh, Kaito lowered his heels silently and slipped out the second-floor window that faced away from the Nakamori residence. His long legs hooked around a branch of the tree outside, letting him swing effortlessly out of the house. One hand gripped the trunk while the other reeled in the fishing line he'd rigged beforehand. Click — the window latch caught and locked behind him.

Even for the infamous phantom thief__Kaitou KID, this was a first: sneaking into his own home like a burglar. But after telling Nakamori Aoko he wouldn't be back for a while, he couldn't just waltz in and get caught. No amount of excuses would clear his name.

And if that happened, he'd be lucky to make it to school the next day without a few new bruises on his head. Kobayashi-sensei might even file a domestic violence report.

"Thank god," Kaito muttered, glancing back toward the Nakamori residence, where laughter and yelling could still be heard.

Some things were better left unsaid. Better not to drag anyone else down with him.

"No matter what happens, I can't let them find out. I won't drag them into this."

First thing first, he needed to know what kind of drug he had taken and what kind of drug he had on his hand.

—-----------------------------------------------

Thursday morning's routine was completely lost on Edogawa Conan. It was midterm day. Other students were flipping through textbooks and notes, trying to cram a little extra before the test. Conan, meanwhile, leaned on his elbow, hiding the fact that he was scrolling through his phone in the drawer beneath his desk. Beside him, Haibara Ai sat expressionless, keeping watch.

"Kudo... the teacher's heading this way," Haibara murmured.

Conan instantly slipped the phone into the back of the drawer, pretending to dig for a notebook instead. He looked up and mouthed a silent thanks as the teacher walked past.

Behind him, Genta leaned in.

"Conan, did you sneak a game console to school? Let me see it after the test! My parents took the one I won last time. So unfair..."

"It's not a game console," Conan said quickly. "I'm looking at crime scene photos. See? No games in here."

Haibara glanced at the two younger kids, "Oh? So you two are interested in corpses now?"

Genta and Ayumi immediately slumped back into their seats, disappointed and shaking their heads.

"But speaking of which, the midterm's next period. How are you guys feeling? I'm so nervous," Ayumi said. "Look, my hands are so sweaty I can barely hold a pencil. I kept going over what the teacher taught yesterday, but I feel like even if the same problem shows up, I still won't be able to solve it."

She wasn't exaggerating. Her tiny palm was clammy. The math wasn't hard—basic elementary arithmetic—and she understood the concepts. But when it came to the actual calculations in the test, she often made careless mistakes. Time limits only made it worse. The anxiety gnawed at her mood like a slow, creeping monster.

"Don't worry," Conan reassured her. "Just prepare with a calm mindset. It'll be fine. Elementary tests are all about being careful with the calculations, memorizing the language parts, and turning in your assignments on time. If you've done all that, your grades will be fine."

Genta squinted at him. "Conan, how do you talk like you've already been through elementary school?"

"Uh..." Conan laughed awkwardly. "That's just what Ran-neechan told me. I used to be super nervous about tests too, but what she said really helped me relax... hahahaha."

"Don't worry, Ayumi. Even if you bomb it, someone's bound to do worse," Genta declared, thumping his chest.

Mitsuhiko returned just then, holding their group's assignment notebook. "Are you talking about yourself, Genta? The teacher told you to double-check your answers after finishing the test and the homework, but you keep messing up the easy questions."

He handed Genta his pre-test worksheet. Genta scowled.

"Hmph. Not me. If anything, it'll be that new kid. I saw his homework—barely got anything right. So see, Ayumi? Even if you just flail through it, you won't be at the bottom..."

Kobayashi-sensei stepped up to the podium and addressed the class, "Everyone, may I have your attention, please? I have a few announcements to make. After this morning's exam, we'll be doing a thorough classroom cleaning this afternoon. Next week, we'll finally be going on the long-awaited autumn field trip. But I hope everyone can stay focused—give the upcoming test your best effort and answer carefully, alright? Now, check your pencil cases—do you have a ruler, pencils, an eraser? If you're missing anything, you need to speak up now. Once the bell rings and the exam starts, I won't be able to lend you anything."

The bell rang and exam papers were distributed. The questions were a breeze for Conan Conan. Not even halfway through the allotted time, he had already completed the test and handed it in. Teacher Kobayashi wasn't surprised in the least. Conan remained at his seat, flipping through his copy of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes that he'd brought from home, his mind drifting to the photographs.

Last week, the last confirmed sighting of KID was near the fountain in Central Park. Conan had noticed the odd footprints there—adult-sized, with a stride comparable to his adult self. But what stood out was the length of the steps. An average adult male's stride is roughly 70 to 87.5 centimeters, but the prints left that day were noticeably shorter—about 45 to 55 centimeters. Aside from stride, some prints had a deeper heel while the forefoot patterns were faint or missing entirely—no toe pressure, no clear "push-off" marks. Some sequences looked like a shallow dragging motion.

"Was it because KID was too weak to walk properly? Or was he being dragged? If an accomplice had rescued him, then why leave his suit jacket behind at the scene? Dammit... What's going on? He wouldn't take this long to return the gem unless something really went wrong. Did something actually happen to him?"

Almost at the same moment, Conan looked up and glanced at the clock above the blackboard—only five minutes left in the math exam. He instinctively turned to look back.

At this point, most students had already finished, some resting their heads on their desks, others meticulously reviewing their answers. Only one student was still writing furiously—new student Ishikawa Kaito, biting his lip, scribbling furiously, erasing, and rewriting, clearly struggling.

Speaking of the new kid, Conan remembered taking him to Agasa's house. Just after finishing his conversation with Amuro, Haibara Ai had casually pointed toward the door and said, "That little brat slipped out. Said he was going to buy some sweets."

".................."

Ishikawa looked genuinely invested in solving the problems. His was the only sound of writing in the otherwise quiet room. When the final bell rang, he still hadn't finished, but obediently put down his pencil.

"Time's up. Students in the last row, please collect the papers from back to front and bring them to me. Thank you."

"Oh? The great detective's going soft now, isn't he?" Haibara teased.

Conan turned quickly to face her. Haibara Ai continued, "If he really couldn't answer the questions, I doubt he can keep up with the rest of the curriculum. I've seen him napping through most of the classes this week. Not surprising if he couldn't finish."

"Even if it's just first-grade material, it can still be challenging for the average student," Conan replied. "Not everyone's a child prodigy scientist like you."

Conan wasn't sure why he even said that—but it had just slipped out. During the English written tests that followed, Conan again was the first to finish. Haibara finished hers but didn't turn it in right away, opting instead to rest her head and nap. Conan resumed reading, flipping to his bookmarked page, but his eyes kept drifting back.

Back to Kaito.

Kaito was looking right at him.

"If you've finished, feel free to read or rest—but no exchanging glances across the room!" the proctor scolded them. Conan snapped his head forward as the teacher descended from the podium.

"If you're stuck on a question, just make your best guess and move on. You won't finish in time otherwise."

"...But what if I don't know any of it? I already guessed all the answers by spinning my pencil—north, south, east, west, A, B, C, D. After guessing everything, I flipped back to try working on them."

Conan saw Kaito blinking innocently. The English teacher sighed after glancing at the exam paper. "Well, who knows, maybe you'll suddenly remember something later. And the rest of you—no laughing! There are only eight minutes left. If you have time to chuckle, you have time to double-check your answers! Everyone—turn your heads back right now!"

"Whew! Finally, the exams are over!" someone cheered.

With the last test wrapped up, the mood in the classroom instantly lightened. The gloomy, tense atmosphere gave way to cheer and buzz. Some students were already huddling in groups to plan their teams for the upcoming field trip. Class president Mitsuhiko stepped up front during homeroom:

"Everyone, the teacher will return the graded papers tomorrow. Over the weekend, we're expected to review and correct them. Please return them on Monday. As for next Wednesday's field trip, the teacher will soon come in to have us vote between two destinations."

Before he could finish, a boy raised his hand. "Can we go to the auto exhibition this time? I really want to see the cars! My cousin highly recommend it"

"Ooh, ooh! I want to visit the science museum! They just set up a new telescope there! I want to see the stars."

"How about the movie theater?" "Get real, Ayumi."

"Ugh, what if it's just like last year—another boring hike tour?"

The class erupted into a chorus of opinions. Mitsuhiko quickly grabbed the mic and called for order:"Guys! There are only two choices—either the zoo or the forest trail."

"No need to vote then—let's go to the zoo. The forest trail is just endless walking. Boring! Boring! Boring!"

"Yeah, yeah! At least the Beika Zoo has some rides and facilities!"

Kids are like that—speak whatever comes to mind, and a minute later, they're already buzzing with excitement, chattering with their neighbors about the day's events.

"Alright, everyone settle down," Mitsuhiko said. "I've got more announcements to make.Sensei wants us to form into groups of six. These will be our travel teams from the moment we leave school in the morning. Even once we enter the zoo for our class activities, we must stick together. No one should wander off."

He held up two fingers. "And each group should split into pairs. If by any chance the whole group gets separated, you must at least stay with your buddy. That means even for meals, filling up your water bottle, or going to the restroom—you stick together."

"Oooooh~ like a couple?" "Not like that!"

"The remaining time now is for us to form groups. Once you've got yours, write your names and student numbers on the blackboard. Oh! I almost forgot—there's going to be a treasure hunt next week! The group that finds the hidden treasure first wins a prize and gets exempted from writing a reflection report."

"That means we're still needing one more person," Genta counted on his fingers.

"We need the smartest pick... but we've got Conan and Haibara, so we're set. We're definitely taking first place."

He glanced around. "It won't be easy though. Look at Kuraki's group—they're already arguing about who to kick out. And the groups with more girls have already sorted themselves out. Ayumi, got any ideas? Maybe you should ask Chiba? ...Ayumi?"

"I'll go ask," she said, jumping up from her seat. Facing the back of the room, she didn't need to say it—Conan already knew who she was about to ask.

Her third attempt. This time, she was determined Kuroba Kaito wouldn't turn her down.

"Kaito-kun, join our group, won't you? There's five of us—just one spot left. If it's paired off, it's better if it's same-gender partners, so we really need a boy. Do you have a group yet?"

Kuroba Kaito looked up, visibly exhausted. He wanted to say no—again—but didn't have the heart to hurt the girl's feelings for a third time.

"...I don't. But... are you sure? I'm not very bright... I might drag you down."

The moment he didn't outright reject her, Ayumi beamed. "That's perfect! You're with us, then! Listen, we've got two champions—Conan and Haibara. We've practically got this treasure hunt in the bag. Don't worry about anything."

Kaito gave a hesitant nod.

"Then I'll pair you with Conan. I'll team up with Haibara, and Mitsuhiko goes with Genta."

... Conan could already hear Ayumi arranging everything without his input. Haibara glanced at him dryly.

"Don't get the wrong idea, perv. I didn't agree to be paired with you. But hey, this could be interesting. You'll get to know the new guy." Haibara teased him.

"You're mocking me, aren't you?"

Kuroba Kaito said, "I'll pass... really, I'd rather not..."

Kuroba Kaito wasn't about to send himself to the guillotine. Clearly, he was still dazed from the test—he hadn't stopped Ayumi fast enough. Truth was, he hadn't paid any attention to the teacher's announcement about the midterms before. He'd signed the booklet without reading the schedule. As a result, he was stuck trying to guess the class's average score, aiming to hit somewhere around 45%—low but not suspiciously low.

But what is the average?!

Eighty? Too high? Fifty? Probably closer. He vaguely remembered that the average for the class's calculus test hovered around barely passing.

Kuroba Kaito held his head in his hands. Back in his actual elementary school days, he could've aced this stuff in his sleep.

Now, he had to figure out how to not score above 90. It wasn't enough to write wrong answers—he had to make it look like he tried, show effort, feigned confusion. From elementary to high school, he'd always snoozed through tests and still aced them. But this time, fate had given him a cruel mission: play dumb. And not just any dumb—believable, sincere dumb.

No wonder he was exhausted. No wonder he hadn't really thought of Ayumi's invitation.

"Yoshida-san, if Ishikawa Kaito isn't willing, you shouldn't push him," said a voice.

It was Kuraki, plopping down onto the wooden table. His red hair stood like flames, and he scratched his head, revealing a grin missing two front teeth. "Hey! We've got a spot. Ishikawa-kun can join us. You go find someone else."

Conan instinctively looked over at Ishikawa. He could already tell what Kuraki was planning—none of it good. He knew what might unfold. But on the face of that quiet boy, Conan saw no fear.

More than anything, he saw relief.

On the walk home, Haibara brought up the case again. But as the conversation drifted back to school, she said, "Honestly, Kudo , I thought you'd step in."

"Step in? You mean the grouping?" Conan raised a brow. Haibara tugged her backpack strap.

"I thought a detective who saw what was coming would try to stop it. You just let it happen today. That's not like you."

Conan looked down at his feet, silently measuring his stride, "It's not that I didn't want to... but even if I did step in, and he didn't change how he responded to Kuraki—what's the point? So he ends up in our group this time. What about next time?"

"You've got a point. It's not our job to protect someone who won't ask for help," Haibara said, tilting her head to eye him. "Or maybe... you're testing him. Right?"

"Eh? What makes you say that?" Conan asked.

"Just as I thought. I noticed the way you looked at him. At first, there was genuine concern or care for the new student, but today... your eyes had changed. Just like when a detective is hunting a suspect." Haibara Ai, despite her detached demeanor, was always sharp and observant, rarely missing a detail,"You must have pieced something together."

"Exactly... The Organization's been far too active recently, but nothing has directly touched us. I'm worried... worried they may have planted someone. And the timing of Ishikawa Kaito's transfer is just too ..."

"Let me say this—impossible," Haibara said. "Setting aside your reasons for suspicion, the very idea that the Organization would shrink a child to infiltrate an elementary school is absurd. Not to mention APTX... you know over 99.9% of people die from it. Do you really think they would take such a risk? They kill directly. That is their way."

"You're right. But what if it's another Akai Mary? Another ally, perhaps, but I need to understand what's really going on."

"So, what did your full day of observation reveal?" Haibara asked.

Conan shrugged. "I'll need to wait for tomorrow's test results to make a judgment. But... I'm not one to judge based on intellect alone, Haibara... yet he really is stupid."

Conan's face darkened. "Not just in academics. Have you seen how he cleans a mop? He basically just stirred the dirty water until it was filthier, and I had to mop the hallway again. I had just finished cleaning when I saw him stepping all over it with his dirty shoes, leaving footprints everywhere. I asked him to leave—he stumbled out an apology and kicked the bucket over. Dirty water flooded the floor. If this is some spy tactic to get close to me, it's way too on-the-nose."

"...Hahaha." Haibara, unusually, laughed. "Conan, he's your 'Killer'."

"Killer? That gives him too much credit," Conan muttered. "When I told him to grab a dry mop, he brought... a window cloth. He's got to be kidding."

"And then?" Haibara had a look of theatrical anticipation. Conan sighed deeply: "I finally dried the place, took the bucket to the bathroom, and when I got back... he came out of the classroom holding his chalk box, forgot to watch for the still-wet floor, slipped, scattered pink chalk everywhere—splattering dirty water on the walls."

Wait a second... water trails?

"Hahahaha, sorry, Kudo..." Haibara wiped a tear from her eye, but then she froze. Conan followed her gaze.

Below the Mouri Detective Agency, standing at the cafe entrance, were two people.

"See you tomorrow, Kudo."

After Haibara left, Conan walked toward Cafe Poirot.

"Amuro-san, Azusa-neesan, what were you two talking about?"

Azusa turned around, apron on, crouched slightly to pat Conan's head. "Ah, Amuro and I were just chatting about today's special. I'll head inside. You two take your time."

"Amuro-san, were you looking for me?" Conan asked, fully aware of what it meant. Amuro took off his apron. The two walked up to the detective agency.

Conan didn't notice the white dove that had followed him the whole way, now perched silently atop a nearby streetlamp, eyes fixed on him.

"Conan, I can trust you, right? I need you to keep this secret," Amuro said.

"Did something happen on top of the Vodka mess?" Conan asked under his breath.

"Yes... and so far, no one besides Vermouth knows. Not even my superiors or colleagues in Public Security."

"What happened?" Conan could see from Amuro's grim expression that this was something serious. Very serious.

As an undercover agent, Bourbon's moves were rarely shared with anyone. Only in rare circumstances was Conan his contact to the FBI. Otherwise, it was up to Conan to deduce and investigate—sometimes even after getting metaphorically stabbed in the back.

They were individuals with their own codes, collaborating only when interests aligned. Trust wasn't a given. Amuro disclosing this now made Conan tense up.

"I was assigned to Central Park that day, with Vermouth. I believe Akai was aware of the Organization's actions that day as well, right?"

"Not sure. But... you saw KID, didn't you?" Conan pressed. Amuro looked away.

"Not just saw him—I shot him down."

"What?!!" Conan's voice cracked. "He... he's never killed anyone...!"

"I know. I didn't shoot as a Public Security officer, Conan. I was operating as a member of the Organization. If I hadn't done it, someone else would've. And he would've suffered worse. Vermouth was with me. I couldn't afford to blow my cover. Gin was nearby too, watching. I had no choice."

Conan turned pale. "No choice? What exactly did you do?! Don't tell me you..."

Amuro's confession wasn't about remorse or seeking forgiveness. It was a cold, objective disclosure made as an ally, not a friend.

"He took the same drug as you."

Conan's pupils dilated. He could barely process the words. So that's why KID never returned the jewel. Could he have died like most APTX users?

"No one's found his body... or even a trace," Conan said, voice hollow, matching the dull throb in his head. His thoughts felt like drifting cotton. He couldn't even name the emotion.

Was it grief? Regret? Shock?

Disbelief—that was it.

"I had my men look into it. No hospitals or funeral homes reported anyone matching his description," Amuro added. "Perhaps... like you, his body shrank. Maybe he got away."

Edogawa Conan swallowed hard. He understood Bourbon's actions and intent, but he couldn't bring himself to agree with them. Or rather, he knew that if the roles were reversed—if it meant saving KID's life—he himself might make the exact same choice, so long as he were acting purely on logic.

To place a person's survival odds on the table and gamble with their life... Conan couldn't stay calm in that kind of equation. For a moment, he didn't even know how to respond.

"Do you have any proof?"

"Conan, if you can't understand or accept what I did, I get it. But judging from the evidence at the scene, KID not only survived—he escaped. He evaded the police, and he took the Organization's suitcase with him."

Amuro Tooru's expression didn't carry any hint of concealment. Conan eased his tense posture slightly, but didn't stop pressing him.

"Why do you think that? I went to the scene too. There were no extra footprints. The only thing we can confirm is that KID fell into the water and vanished. If someone carried him away—Wait, footprints!"

It hit Conan all at once. That explained the bizarre trail left near the pond.

A normal adult's footprints show a heel-to-toe pattern—the heel hits the ground first, leaving a deeper imprint, and the ball of the foot transfers weight forward. That's why the front part of dress shoes often leaves a solid impression. But the prints at the scene were off. The heels had drag marks, shallow scuffs, not clean steps. The prints were vague, smeared from being dragged. And a person's walking rhythm is generally steady—even if they're running, there's consistency. But the spacing of those prints? Clearly not adult-sized. The distance between steps was shorter.

"If someone shrank, wearing oversized shoes would throw off their gait. You'd see inward or outward angles, the prints would skew. The ones closest to the pond showed a distinct limp—one foot dragging, the other barely tapping. That's why they were asymmetrical. And the muddy splashes on the bricks? Judging from their height and shape, they came from shoes being dragged through dirty water." Conan continued, voice low. "You pulled him into the pond, didn't you?"

"The water's shallow. Even sitting down, it wouldn't reach your neck. I had to make sure Vodka wouldn't immediately report to Gin. I left a note in his pocket, telling him to ditch the suit. That'd give the police something physical to latch onto. And it let me know he was still alive." Amuro said.

"He struggled for a bit in the water, then got out... using a child's body to escape the scene. No wonder he couldn't return the jewel—not just because Vodka took it, but because... he physically couldn't..."

Conan opened the door to the detective agency and looked at the Public Security Bureau officer in front of him. Amuro Tooru, despite the massive risks, had planned everything to the last detail.

"He survived... because of you."

Conan extended a hand and clasped Amuro's. As a detective, he thanked Amuro for the sake of his rival:

"Thank you for saving him."

—------------------------------------------------------------

Ishikawa was visibly stunned to find he was the second to arrive at the classroom. Kaito leaned on the window sill and waved at Jii-chan down below. When he turned around, he found the unexpected sight of Edogawa Conan, already there ahead of him.

An empty classroom. Just the two of them.

Conan dropped his bag, then walked over with his hands in his pockets. Kaito turned, wide-eyed, a little confused.

"Why're you here so early today?" Kaito asked.

"To set up early. Hunting criminals takes prep. Can't have them slipping away every single time, can we?"

Kaito nodded slowly. "Oh... Yoshida-san did say you're a detective. The kind of people who help the police, right?"

Conan gave a wry smile. "I don't always help the police. Sometimes, I have... personal motives."

"You must be amazing and very smart, not everyone can do what you do, Edogawa-kun." Kaito said it sincerely, and Conan smiled a bit more.
But he wasn't about to tip his hand just yet.

"So, Ishikawa-kun, are you usually an early bird?"

"Not really... I'd sleep in all day if I could. I'm the kind who doesn't wake up even with ten alarms. I could sleep till school's almost out. But Grandpa had a meetup this morning, so he dropped me off early. Edogawa-kun... can you not stand so close? It's kinda... weird."

He knew. He could see the way Kaito's face paled, the way he subtly leaned back.

Kaito feared him. And he should—if he were that person.

"Come to think of it... you and I really do look alike."

"Hahaha, really? Edogawa-kun... What are you... What are you doing? You're too close to me......it terrifies me."

Conan reached out, fingers just about to brush the bangs on Kaito's forehead—

Just then__

"Conan! Conan! Did you see the news today?!" Ayumi came barreling into the room, bag in tow. Mitsuhiko and Genta followed her in. She ran up excitedly, momentarily confused seeing Conan and Kaito so close together, but didn't think much of it.

"I just found out during breakfast. Something huge happened last night!"

Conan stepped back just as his phone pinged with a breaking news alert.

//
Sorry to keep you waiting. I had intended to return for "The Last Dance", but an injury to my foot has delayed me.

Then again, leaving another set of jewels, "The First Dance," in the museum all alone feels terribly cruel.

Therefore, this Saturday night at ten, I shall pay it a visit—and take 'The First Dance' for myself.

Kaitou KID

//