Clink.
Two bubbling champagne glasses met with a gentle tap.
"Cheers." ×2
Hayashi Yoshiki and Tokiwa Mio sat across from each other.
Between them was a spread of sumptuous dishes. After setting down his glass, Yoshiki offered a courteous smile.
"Thank you, Miss Tokiwa, for finding such a wonderful restaurant."
"Mr. Hayashi, what are you saying?" she replied with a gentle smile. "If not for you, I might not be here at all."
"You're surprisingly calm, Miss Tokiwa."
"Yes..." she said softly.
The revelation that Hosui Kisaragi had murderous intentions toward her had left her with complex emotions. Even now, part of her refused to believe it.
She had always respected that stern old man. Not even the deaths of Councilor Oki Iwamatsu and Hara Yoshiaki had made her suspect him.
"I heard from the police that Mr. Kisaragi's remains were found?" Yoshiki asked gently.
"Yes. After the fire on the 45th floor was extinguished, one of the bodies was Kisaragi-sensei's."
"He told the police he didn't want help, didn't want the elevator, insisted on staying behind…"
"He must have decided from the beginning to remain in the fire," she sighed. "The teacher was... purer than I thought."
She hadn't known the twin-tower project would cause such damage to the Feng Shui of Kisaragi.
But even if she had—she would have moved forward with the project anyway.
Tokiwa Mio had aimed to make it the Tokiwa Group's signature achievement. Yet now, after the explosion, that vision had collapsed. As project lead, she bore the lion's share of responsibility.
Her dream of becoming heir to the Tokiwa conglomerate? Probably over.
Yoshiki observed her carefully.
A woman like Tokiwa Mio, who had sold off Kisaragi's paintings to win favor, accepted bribes, and pushed ahead with the twin towers for personal gain—she was no fool. Ambitious, calculating, capable.
If not for a series of accidents—and the interference of Gin and his group—she might have succeeded.
But now? Unless a majority of the other heirs disappeared, her chances were near zero.
Not that I care to help her, Yoshiki thought.
Being president of a legitimate company wouldn't benefit him—and using the Death Note to change her fate would only raise the risk of exposure.
"Mr. Hayashi, was there something you needed from me?" she asked smoothly.
"Yes, actually…" he replied, composing himself with a smile. "Miss Tokiwa, are you familiar with the concept of artificial intelligence? I was wondering if there's any current activity in that area of the IT industry."
"AI?" She blinked. "The concept's been around since 1956. A lot of IT firms use it as a buzzword to attract investment. But most of them haven't achieved anything significant. Why do you ask?"
"A friend asked me to look into it," Yoshiki said with a wry smile. "I warned him it probably wasn't very reliable."
"I see." Tokiwa Mio chuckled.
Given his identity as a novelist and detective, she had no reason to suspect any deeper motive.
Before he could shift the topic, she volunteered:
"There's a company in the U.S. called Sindorah—a giant in the IT field. About a year ago, they began aggressively recruiting programmers with high salaries. Word is, they've been entering the AI sector seriously."
"Sindorah…?" Yoshiki echoed.
"Yes. They've even worked with our Nagahama Group on some deals. Not just us—Sindorah has been buying up massive server clusters from tech firms around the world since last year."
"I see…"
A year ago.
That timeframe tugged at something in Yoshiki's memory.
It was around then that his work had begun. If Sindorah was the "apple" he'd been seeking—this connection couldn't be ignored.
He asked no further questions.
Instead, he calmly finished dinner with Tokiwa Mio.
"Heading back already, Mr. Hayashi?" she asked with a hint of something beneath her voice.
He smiled warmly.
"Yes. I've got plans with friends, so I'm returning to Mihua first."
"I see... Please be careful on your way back."
She sounded faintly disappointed.
But Yoshiki had already made up his mind. He noticed the subtle shift in her tone—yet had no interest in pursuing it. A one-night stand was meaningless to him. Worse, it risked emotional entanglement.
Elsewhere…
After a long day, Kisaki Eri had just settled in for a quiet evening with a movie.
Her phone buzzed.
Ran:"Mom, do you know what Yoshiki likes to eat?"
Kisaki Eri raised an eyebrow.
Her curiosity instantly sparked. She typed back.
Eri:"Why the sudden interest?"
Ran:"I just realized... Brother Yoshiki always seems to go along with what other people want."
Ran:"…""…"
Ran recounted what had happened that afternoon at the agency.
Eri understood immediately.
Yoshiki was always like that.
He downplayed his efforts. Made himself seem unimportant. Even when Ran earnestly wanted to thank him, he brushed it off—offering cake, of all things, which he didn't even like.
So gentle it was heartbreaking.
When she thought of the twin towers incident, Eri still broke into a cold sweat. Even after Ran and Yoshiki returned safely, she couldn't stop trembling inside.
But Yoshiki never brought it up. Never took credit.
Eri sighed.
Yet knowing that Ran had picked up on it—that filled her with quiet relief.
Eri:"His favorite thing is McDonald's nutritious breakfast."
Ran:"Huh?"
Eri:"I know. But it's what he likes."
Ran:"But… he saved me. Isn't McDonald's a bit too…"
Eri:"That's not the point. What matters isn't the meal—it's the meaning behind it. As long as your intent is sincere, it doesn't matter what you give."
Eri:"Would you like some advice?"