"Hayato-nii, look! There's something floating in the spilled lemon tea!"
While everyone seethed with outrage, Conan pointed at the puddle on the floor.
For once, no one scolded him for poking around a crime scene.
An officer quickly scooped up the object with a tool, examined it, and declared, "It's a drug capsule!"
"A capsule?! So the culprit stuffed sodium hydroxide into it, slipped it into the lemon tea, and waited for the poison to dissolve before Sayuri drank it, right?!"
"Capsules usually dissolve in about ten to fifteen minutes. That means whoever visited the bride in that window is likely the killer."
The police were unusually sharp today.
With Kiyonaga Matsumoto's daughter involved, everyone was fired up.
Luckily, Sonoko and Ran had been filming the whole time. From when Sayuri got her lemon tea to the last fifteen minutes, every guest who entered was caught on tape.
"The lemon tea was brought in by Sayuri's friend, Kazuha Takenaka. After that, only Umenomiya-san and the groom, Toshihiko Takasugi, came into the room."
"Takasugi came in eight minutes ago. If he'd poisoned it, the capsule wouldn't have dissolved yet."
"So the suspects are just Kazuha-san and Umenomiya-san, then?"
The police's minds were racing.
Only three suspects. They quickly ruled out the clueless-looking Takasugi, turning their scrutiny to Kazuha and the bride-obsessed student, Umenomiya.
Even Conan was leaning that way.
"Why does the sodium hydroxide have to be in a capsule? Couldn't it have been tossed in separately at the same time?"
Hayato Masaki's question stopped the officers cold.
Yeah… why not?
Back on the suspect list, Takasugi's face twisted in shock. He pointed at himself. "Me? Why would I ever hurt—"
"The lemon tea came from Kazuha-san, and she never touched it again afterward. If she poisoned it, it had to be right at the start."
Hayato Masaki fixed his gaze on Takasugi.
Under the man's stunned expression, he continued, his tone even.
"From a novelist's perspective—"
"If Kazuha-san poisoned it, that's way too blunt. Handing the victim a spiked drink? Might as well stab her with a knife."
"Boring. No depth."
"Umenomiya-san's case is similar."
"He's… interesting. The footage shows him giving Sayuri-sensei flowers, claiming 'only he can make her happy.' Sure, that screams motive. But his behavior—cocky, superior—suggests he thinks he's clever. Someone like that using such a clumsy poisoning method? Hard to picture."
In the crowd, Umenomiya stared at Hayato Masaki.
Was that… a compliment?
He wasn't sure.
Hayato Masaki pressed on.
"Which leaves you, Takasugi-san."
"As the groom, you've got built-in shock value. Poisoning with a capsule muddies the waters, lets you slip out of suspicion. Suspense, twists—it's all there. If I were writing this, you'd make the most compelling killer."
"…You're basing this on what makes a good story?"
Takasugi gave a weak laugh. The mild-mannered man wiped his sweat, forcing a smile. "There's no evidence. Why would I ever hurt Sayuri…?"
"The capsule dissolved intact, not split open. If you're the culprit, the sodium hydroxide was stored separately, not pre-packed."
The police looked puzzled, but Conan caught on instantly.
"Sodium hydroxide absorbs moisture and turns liquid when exposed to air," Conan piped up, then flashed Hayato Masaki a big grin. "Hayato-nii's saying if the groom's the killer, he'd need something to keep the chemical dry, right?"
"Exactly," Hayato Masaki nodded.
Takasugi's face paled.
He was the poisoner.
But he hadn't expected his capsule trick to fail so spectacularly, leaving him no time to ditch the evidence in his clothes.
A hospital was nearby.
After Kiyonaga's urgent call, an ambulance screeched in, and the unconscious Sayuri was whisked away. The police turned their full attention to Takasugi.
"Let's check the scene. Takasugi-san… you don't mind a search, do you?"
Under their intense stares, Takasugi couldn't say no.
They soon found a small bottle with desiccant in his suit's inner pocket, traces of sodium hydroxide powder still inside.
The evidence was undeniable—
"You bastard! Why would you do this to my daughter?!"
Kiyonaga's rage exploded. He shoved past his men, grabbing Takasugi's collar.
Facing those furious, bloodshot eyes, Takasugi suddenly grinned, then laughed.
"What's so funny?!"
"I wanted you to feel the same pain!"
Takasugi's face twisted with warped satisfaction. He glared at Kiyonaga's stunned expression. "Twenty years ago, you chased a criminal, and his car killed my innocent mother. Don't tell me you forgot!"
"What…?"
Kiyonaga froze.
Twenty years ago, during a chase, a murderer's car had struck a mother and son out for a walk.
"My mother was still alive then. If your police car had taken her to a hospital, she could've been saved! But you didn't care—she died because of you!" Takasugi's eyes burned with deep-seated hatred, his usual meekness replaced by venom. "I've never forgotten your cold, heartless face!"
"…Sir, is this true?" Megure Juzo asked quietly.
Kiyonaga stayed silent.
But meeting Takasugi's gaze, he admitted, "It's true… I was focused on the chase. That killer was dangerous—if he'd escaped, more would've died. I didn't see anyone on the ground. By the time I learned of the accident and went back, no one was there…"
"Hmph. After I lost my only family, the childless Takasugi family took me in. Seven years ago, I met a girl with Kazuha—your daughter. That's when my need for revenge became unstoppable!"
"Then why?! Why not kill me?! Why hurt my daughter?!"
"If you died, how would you feel the agony of losing someone you love?"
"But the one who killed your mother was that criminal, not him," Hayato Masaki cut in, genuinely puzzled as Takasugi reveled in his revenge.
Takasugi's expression faltered.
"You don't get it! If he hadn't—"
"So you're just thinking about yourself, huh."
Hayato Masaki's calm was almost unnerving, his quiet confusion a sharp jab at Takasugi.
"Not going after the real culprit, but blaming Matsumoto-san for not saving your mother… If you'd killed him out of hate, I could get it. That pain did torment a young boy for twenty years."
"But dragging an innocent person into your grudge? Don't play the victim, Takasugi-san. Have some shame."
Takasugi had no comeback.
Deep down, he knew it, but his hatred had warped him, driving him to crave Kiyonaga's regret.
All he could muster was a sneer. "That clueless woman probably only cared about the Takasugi family's money—"
SLAP!
A sharp crack rang out.
Pain seared Takasugi's cheek. Stunned, he saw Kazuha Takenaka, eyes brimming with tears, standing before him.
"You're the clueless idiot!"
"Wha—"
"Sayuri knew! The accident twenty years ago, your real identity—she knew it all!"
"No way! If she knew the truth, why would she marry me?!"
"Haven't you figured it out from her lemon tea?!"
Cutting through Takasugi's disbelief, Kazuha's red-rimmed eyes blazed. "Sayuri told me about a boy she loved as a kid, tied to lemon tea. When she met you, she kept saying you looked like him… so I helped her dig into your past. After your proposal, she agonized over how to earn your forgiveness, but you—you're this kind of person!"
"…"
No way that could be true.
Takasugi's eyes wavered.
He couldn't accept that Sayuri had known his motives all along.
"Maybe Sayuri-sensei saw you poison it," Hayato Masaki said, his voice softening as he watched Takasugi's growing doubt. "Maybe, to atone and seek your forgiveness, she drank it anyway, knowing it was laced…"
"I…"
Recalling Sayuri's brief hesitation before drinking, the deliberate kiss she gave him, Takasugi's mind spiraled.
"The good news is, Sayuri-sensei's not in danger. She'd probably forgive your attempt, too," Hayato Masaki continued. "But—"
"What now?"
"Some things, once done, are done, Takasugi-san."
"Emotional wounds can be patched, but they never fully heal."
"Even if Sensei forgives you and acts like nothing happened, in all the days and nights to come, seeing her smile—can you really forget her lying in the blood you caused, or the sadness in her eyes as she drank that poison?"
Takasugi's face drained of color.
Hayato Masaki's steady gaze made his breath hitch, his limbs numb.
Regret and panic slowly drowned him…
As Hayato Masaki said, he couldn't escape it, nor could he bear it.
"Hayato-nii…"
Ran, watching his composed face, sensed he was holding something back.
He heard her, offering only a faint smile.
A rushing officer brought good news: Sayuri was stable, saved in time, and would recover after some rest.
Everyone exhaled in relief.
As Takasugi was cuffed and led away, Hayato Masaki stepped outside with his phone.
Hayato Masaki: "All wrapped up."
On the other end, Gin stared at the text, not even twenty minutes since the last one, and went quiet.
Then another ping.
"Took a bit—the guy dragged out his confession."
"Your case?"
"?"
"?"
"…"
You're hitting me with a "?" now?
Hayato Masaki's eyes narrowed, but a second later, Gin texted again.
"What's tomorrow's date?"
"June 19."
"And the day after?"
"…Didn't know we were so chummy, Gin. You're really looking out for me, huh?"
Dodging the question, but confirming it.
Gin knew he was referring to the psych ward check, but he didn't care.
Still, Cointreau—actually having mental issues?
"That doctor any good?"
"What? You need therapy too?"
That punk…
Gin stayed cool in gunfights, but this? His grip tightened on the phone.
"I'll get you a better shrink."
He pocketed the phone, done talking.
***
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