Arrival at the Villa
After sending a handful of photos to Gin, Hayashi Yoshiki received no reply.
Strange... shouldn't he be sleeping by now?
He chuckled to himself as he continued the drive.
Their destination was a quaint Western-style villa nestled on a snow-covered hillside. The snowfall had intensified, blanketing the surroundings in white. A suspension bridge loomed ahead, swaying lightly in the wind, too narrow for the car. They parked and crossed the bridge on foot.
"It's snowing so hard today!" Ran said.
"Feels like perfect weather for a snowball fight," Sonoko added with excitement.
"Maybe we can go out and play later."
"Will Ai-chan be cold?" Ran turned to ask, concerned.
"…I don't think so." Haibara Ai replied, her tone flat as always.
Their banter echoed softly as they walked toward the villa, the crunch of snow beneath their feet adding rhythm to their conversation.
"The whole setting's like something out of a novel…" Sonoko mused. "Suspension bridge, hilltop manor—classic."
"What are you talking about?" Ran asked.
"He's probably referencing the Snowstorm Manor trope," Haibara explained evenly. "It's a common setup in detective fiction. A group of people are trapped in an isolated setting—like a mountain villa during a blizzard—and a murder occurs. No way to contact the outside world, no way to leave."
"Right," Yoshiki added. "If this bridge collapsed and the mansion's signal cut out, we'd be in a textbook Snowstorm Manor case."
He smiled as he said it, but then added:
"Not your kind of topic, I imagine. We won't go too deep."
"Well… I guess it's fine," Ran said with a nervous smile, echoing how she used to respond when Shinichi rambled about similar things.
They reached the front steps.
Sonoko rang the doorbell, a mix of pride and nerves dancing in her expression. She was eager to see the online crowd's reaction when they realized the "30-year-old man" they'd been chatting with was, in fact, a high school girl.
The door opened.
A friendly older man smiled warmly.
"Welcome! You must be Magician's Apprentice, right?"
"…Yeah, but—how did you know?"
"Your tone online gave it away immediately. You sound exactly like a girl pretending to be a man."
Behind him, laughter erupted. Other party guests—fellow chatroom members—peeked around the doorway, grinning.
One of the girls chimed in:
"I knew from the first message! I was dying behind my screen."
Sonoko's triumphant reveal turned into a blush-filled embarrassment.
Things only got worse when she saw Red Herring, aka Katsuki Doito—a chubby young man with cheerful eyes and no trace of the cool mystery she'd imagined.
Fantasy: shattered.
She sighed heavily, then turned toward Hayashi Yoshiki, silently thanking the heavens that she had asked him to come along.
Unbeknownst to her, Kuroba Kaito—disguised as Doito—recognized Hayashi at a glance. He hid his smirk and mentally bookmarked the moment for a later prank.
"Who are your guests?"
"I'm Mōri Ran," Ran said politely. "I'm here with Sonoko."
"Sorry for the intrusion," Yoshiki added. "I'm Hayashi Yoshiki."
"Ah! That Hayashi Yoshiki?!"
The mention of his name lit up the room. Thanks to Futaba Publishing's aggressive marketing push, nearly everyone had heard of him. The gathering transformed into a mini-fan event.
Yoshiki, ever gracious, signed autographs and exchanged pleasantries.
Soon, rooms were assigned.
Ran and Sonoko shared one, of course. Haibara, younger and unfamiliar to most, ended up in the same room as Hayashi Yoshiki.
"How are you feeling?" Yoshiki asked, setting down his bag.
"What?"
"About anything. No wrong answer."
Yoshiki walked to the sliding door and stepped out onto the balcony.
Outside, the snow had turned the world silver. The pine trees shimmered under their frosty coats, and sunlight peeked through thin clouds. The view was breathtaking.
"Not bad for someone who spent so long cooped up in a lab, right?"He leaned against the railing and smiled gently. "You're smart. You're cute in your current form. Smile a little."
Haibara Ai blinked.
Smile…?
No one had ever told her that before.
She didn't respond, but her feet carried her to the balcony. She stared out at the snow silently.
"It's beautiful," she murmured, "but... cold."
"Careful not to catch one, then."
Yoshiki squatted down and gently wrapped his scarf around her neck, adjusting it so it sat fluffy and warm. The fabric still held his body heat.
"…Thank you."
"You've said that before."
"You can't just stop saying it because it's been said too much."
To her, saving her sister—and herself—was an unpayable debt. That, more than anything, made her strive to be a little warmer, despite her nature.
"Then repay me with a smile, even just this once."
"…"
With two fingers, he pressed lightly on both corners of her lips, curling them upward.
It looked awkward—but adorably sincere.
She let him, lips twitching into a crooked smile as he chuckled and stood up again.
What is he thinking...?
He looked out at the snowy forest again, peaceful, enigmatic.
He wasn't like Gin or the rest of the cold-hearted Organization. And yet... there was no going back for him.
What kind of pressure was he carrying?
What kind of pain?
Maybe the only one who truly understands me… is him.
She tugged the scarf a little tighter around her neck.
Then walked up beside him, shoulder to shoulder.
"…"
The snow fell silently.
Hayashi Yoshiki admired the pristine landscape, but inside, he was scheming.
Would it be worth it to sneak into the kitchen… just to toss a frozen fish at Kuroba Kaito?
Tempting, but—
Ugh. The fish are probably freezing cold.