Chapter Eight: The Lost Bride (Casette Tape)

Third Person's View

Ten years later...

"The bride is missing!" One of the stylist in the bride room shouted as she ran towards the guest's room.

"What?! Are you sure?" A woman in a white silk dress stood up from her seat. Her accessories are all white pearls. She is a yellow short-haired woman, happily married.

The man beside her also stood up. "Did you check every room she could possibly go?" he asked.

The stylist nodded. "Yes, Sir, but it is a disappointment. She is not there."

Suddenly, a man in his sixty's or seventy's or maybe eighty's?— I don't know what his age was—stood up from his sit, fix the suit he's wearing, and his chin up while his lips pouted normally.

"I, Mouri Kogorou, will find where the bride, my daughter, Mouri Ran is!" Then, he fled away to the room.

Yes. The missing bride is Mouri Ran, whose twenty-nine years old now.

"That old man doesn't really think straight," the yellow-haired girl said and looked at the stylist. "Do you call the police?"

"N-No. I think I should inform you this first," she answered.

A woman stood up from her seat. Her hair is pitch black. "Good. We need to find where Ran's evidence are."

"Evidence? What do you mean, Sera?"

"Sonoko, Ran wouldn't just escape that easily unless she did something."

Sonoko and Sera are guests in Ran's wedding.

"I'll go outside and search around. Sonoko, call Hattori-kun and his girlfriend. I'm sure they'll come here in aby minute."

Sonoko nodded and call Heiji immediately. As she puts her phone to her ears, she glanced at the stylist. "Call the police, please. Beika Police Headquarters to be exact," Sonoko ordered. The stylist nodded and also took out a phone.

The other line suddenly picked up. "Moshi moshi?"

"Hattori-kun, this is Sonoko. Where are you and Kazuha-chan now?"

"On the way there. Why?"

"Ran went missing. She escaped the bride's room when no one's in there. Looks like she get the opportunity to escape when no one is looking."

"Ran-chan did a great job escaping her wedding then!" Kazuha shouted on the other line.

"What is great on that?" Heiji complained and go back to talk with Sonoko. "Sonoko, we'll be arriving there soon. Call the police. We need them."

"The stylist called them. We'll be waiting for your arrival," Sonoko replied before ending the call.

~~~

A few minutes later, Heiji and Kazuha pulled the car on the parking lot and got out of it. They met Kazuha and the others in front of the apartment that they rent for the bride' s preparation.

"Yo, minna-san," Heiji greeted and put his hand up to the air to wave it to everybody while having a grin on his lips like he has a great day.

Kazuha elbowed him to his waist. "Heiji, the atmosphere isn't a happy one so don't act like one. Idiot."

Heiji glared at Kazuha before looking at the people in there. They're looking gloomy, disappointed perhaps. Heiji observed the guests to the staffs whose preparing Ran for her wedding.

"Did any of you saw Ran-kun before she disappeared like thin air?" Heiji asked.

"M-Me," the stylist said. "I am with other few staffs. We've been dealing with dress. It is a very expensive dress from one of the famkus, desingers in Brazil so we have to take care of it."

"So, you're the stylist Sonoko is talking about. A dress stylist perhaps?"

The stylist nodded. "Yes. I was the one assigned to make the dress decent as possible."

"Any other staffs saw Ran before she disappeared?" he asked again, looking to the people who didn't answer his question yet.

"I am the hair stylist of Ms. Mouri," a man said while raising his hand. His hair is full of different colors. He is a gay. "I was with the dress stylist. I was fixing Mouri-san's hair when suddenly, I have to take a call from my mother. She is in a hospital right now and I need to pick up the phone call so that she won't feel alone."

Heiji nodded and looked to the left ones who left the question unanswered. "Any answers?" All the left ones shook their head. Heiji frowned as he felt something—or perhaps, someone was missing. "Where's old man?"

"About that--" Sonoko's words was being cut off when someone suddenly got out of the bushes in the dark. All were shocked and moved backward while Heiji and Kazuha standby to fight if there's any attack going to happen.

That 'someone' suddenly pounced to Heiji. He dodged the new arrival and kicked him to the back. The 'someone' goes to Kazuha's direction. She pulled the 'someone's' arm and circled its wrist to the air. Its body fly to the air and landed to the ground in just a sec.

All people surrounded the new arrival. They stunned to their feet and blinked their eyes a few times as they saw the face of the new arrival. That familiar mustache resembled the new arrival.

"Old man?" Heiji said confusingly as he frowned. "What are you doing there?"

Kogorou quickly recovered and got up. He groaned as the pain shot behind his back. "Damn. I was just running to catch up here for my daughter's investigation. There's no need to be violent." He groaned. Kazuha helped him out stood up on his knees. "Thank you, dear." He looked at Heiji ang glared at him. "If you aren't my daughter's friend, I would've made you go to the police headquarters right now and put you behind bars."

Heiji's brows furrowed. "I didn't do anything. Kazuha did something brutal, not me. I' innocent."

Kogorou snorted. "Yeah, right. Innocent, your ass, kid. You kicked me in the back and that's painful."

Someone cleared their throat to caught everyone's attention. It was Sonoko. She stands there while her hands were on her waist and an eyebrow was raised as she looked at Heiji and Kogorou with that look.

"Geez. You still fight even Ran went missing." She shook her head. "I can't believe this." Sonoko looked at Heiji. "Ne, Heiji-kun, let's go back to our topic.

Heiji nodded and cleared his throat. He looked to the people there seriously. "Don't go anywhere until anything is clear, alright?" Everyone nodded. "Good."

"Heiji-kun," Sonoko called him out before he could even turn his back on everyone. He glanced back. "Sera-chan is taking a move. I think you should look for her. She must be somewhere. She investigated this herself."

Heiji nodded. "I will."

Sonoko sighed in relief. "That's great."

"Kazuha, let's go," Heiji called out before he turned his back on everyone. Kazuha assisted Kogorou to Sonoko's care before catching up to Heiji. "Kazuha, check all the things inside. Find anything that looks suspicious. Even looked at the unusual places. Maybe Ran-kun left something."

Kazuha nodded. "Got it," she said then went inside.

Heiji took a different path. He walked around outside the whole area until he saw someone near the bushes. He slowly walk towards the person and put his hand to the person's shoulder.

The person have a fast movement. It literally pulled him down the floor and put its weight to his stomach and lift his hands above his head forcely.

Heiji's eyes and the person's eyes widened as their eye contact to each other. The person quickly pulled itslelf off Heiji while having its cheeks red in so much embarrassment.

The atmosphere filled with awkwardness. The position they were on before were too sexual and that's unexpected.

"W-What are you doing here in this dark area?" Heiji asked, still not looking at the person's eyes.

"I-Investigating," it answered.

"Did you just come here, Sera-kun?" Heiji asked. Yes, it was Sera. The one and only girl friend detective of Ran.

"Y-Yes."

"I saw you looking down behind the bushes. Did you find something?" Hattori asked again. He is now looking at Sera, completely forgotten what happened a minute ago.

But Sera still can't move on. Her cheeks was still red as a tomato. "Er... Welk, um... Just the thing that Ran used to climb off the second floor." Sera pulled it out of the bushes. It was quite long. "She tied up all the curtains to form a long rope to escape. It was really tightly tied up," she explained as she pulled the rope to its knot. "The curtain was being pulled tbrough from below. The room is soundproof so no one heard all what she did. Ran really outsmart us this time."

"Heiji!" Kazuha shouted from above. She is waving the thing she is holding. "I found a casette tape on her room's wardrobe!" Heiji and Sera quickly got inside the apartment to see what Kazuha found. "It is to the top corner of the wardrobe, hardly being seen by anyone because there's hidden hole. It was precisely made. Maybe you should look to it."

Heiji looked as what Kazuha's description said. The hole was really precisely made. It was like really intentional that the hole was in there.

"Thank you for helping, Kazuha," Heiji said to her. Kazuha nodded with a smile. "We jut need to imform the police that--"

Suddenly, there's a loud siren being heard from outside. "It's the police," Sera announced as soon as she looked out of the window to see.

Heiji nodded and invited them to go downstairs. A few minutes later, polices came out of the police cars. One of the police officers came to them and took out its information card.

"What happened here?" the police officer asked. It was the way that police will really asked for confirmation about the case.

"The bride, Mouri Ran, went missing," Heiji said. "Sato-keibu, Kazuha found a casette tape on the scene. I think you should sent it to Kudo-kun. I heard that he just arrived in Tokyo with his parents. I think he needs to see that casette tape."

"Its design is not an audio casette tape. Did Ran-chan left this?"

"Probably she left it there on purpose. I know Ran-chan. She just won't escape without a reason," Kazuha said and crossed her arms. "She doesn't love her bride at all. She was just forced as what she said to me months ago."

"Poor Ran-kun," Sato-keibu muttered and stared to the casette tape before glancing at Heiji. "I'll make sure that Shinichi will receive this casette tape. For now, Takagi and the others will take care of the scene. I'll sent this to Kudo-kun. Bye."

Sato-keibu left the scene quickly and drove to the exact location where Ran scribbled it on a tape stick in the center of the casette tape.

Title:

THE FIRST AND LAST MESSAGE

M. Ran

To my love, Kudo Shinichi

Kudo Family's Mansion

~~~

In Kudo Family's house...

"Shin-chan, come here nad help Mom to pack this to your room!" Yukiko shouted to his son as she puts the box down near the stairs. She looks at his son.

He is reading a book again. It was a huge dictionary being put down on the rectangular glass table.

Yes. The Kduo's house was being renovated. All of their stuffs were changed mostly except for the things inside the bedrooms and the library. Even so, it is still fully cleaned. The door was still wooden but it has the modern design. The floor was being carpeted with gray carpet floors and the walls was being painted new. No wonder Kudo Family have all the connections in the whole world. Even their house was being renovated even they're not in Tokyo.

Yukiko's only son closed the big OxFord dictionary he is reading and helped his mother bring the last box to his room.

Yes. That is Kudo Shinichi, twenty-nine years old. His work was still being the full-fledged detective but his attitude of being that lessened. Know why? Nah. Maybe another time with the story telling.

Suddenly, the phone near the stairs rang loudly. It was an old phone and was never been changed. It was still working so they didn't change it. Yukiko immediately picked it uo and put the main on her ear.

"Moshi moshi? This is the Kudo Family's house. How can we help you?" she asked in a jolly voice.

Kudo Yukiko is known for being a bubbly but a humble person. She is a good mother and a great actress too even though she's an ex-actress in the past.

"This is Sato-keibu, Yukiko-san. I'm on my way to your home. Can you give the phone to Kudo-kun please?"

"Yeah. Just a minute." Yukiko covered the speaker of the phone and shouted to Shinichi to come down for a sec. "Someone wants to talk to you. It's important."

Frowning, Shinichi takes the phone and puts it on his ear before saying, "Hello? Who is this?"

"I know you can't remember me, but I'm Saito-keibu from the Beik Police Department. I'm coming on my way to your house, Shinichi. I have something for you from a case."

"A case?" Shinichi asked, confirming if he heard it right. This was the first time he ever had received a case from the Beika Police Department—or so he thought. "What case?"

"The bride went missing. They assumed she escaped. My former assistant, Takagi-keibu, asked the other detectives in the scene. One of the guests called one of them, Hattori Heiji-kun of the West, from Osaka. Ring a bell?"

"What are the things they saw in the scene?" Shinichi asked, completely ignoring the officer's question about the Detective of the West. He's sure that he is the famous detective in Tokyo because his mother said so but another detective from the opposite direction? No way he could believe that.

"Curtains that was being tied up together to form a rope and was being tied to the veranda from the seconnd floor and also... A casette tape. It was addressed to you, Kudo-kun."

"To me? What is this supposed to do with me?" he asked the police officer from the other line, frowning as he was confused. "Are you sure?"

"Really sure. It was from the bride, Kudo-kun. I'll bring it there in a minute. Gonna hang up the call now. Bye."

Then, the call went dead. He puts back the phone down on its real spot. He stared at the phone from the moment.

A casette tape... Was it really just his head or someone's name just popped out to his mind suddenly? He didn't know whether the name that popped out of his head was real or not. But he knows one thing: his head is saying that the name was real, meaning it is living with a person named on it. He doesn't know why but his heart felt pain, happiness, and satisfaction at the same time. Was it just an affect of the case? Probably. He thought.

A few minutes later, the police officer who called on their phone line beeped the police car many times in front of the Kudo Family's house.

Yukiko walked out of the door and saw the police car. She smiled and waved back at Sato-keibu who waved at her. "Shin-chan, Sato-keibu is here!" she called Shinichi.

Shinichi stood up from the couch and walk beside his mother. He frowned as he saw the so-called "Sato-keibu" walk passed their gate without any permission and walked towards them.

She bowed at them. "Good night," she greeted the two.

Yukiko smiled and also bowed back. "Hi, Sato-keibu. Nice to see you again. I guess this isn't a good night after all, isn't it? From what I heard, this is an important matter. What is it?"

Sato glanced at Shinichi whose still looking at her curiously. Yukiko noticed that so she leaned in to Sato and whispered, "Shin-chan can't remember you. He had an accident in America. I'll tell you the story some other time."

Sato nodded and cleared her throat before glancing at Shinichi like she didn't heard what Yukiko just said. "Kudo Shinichi-kun, I'm Miwaki Sato from the Beika Police Department. Nice to meet you once again," she said and puts her hand in front of Shinichi.

"Evidence," Shinichi blurted out.

Sato frowned in confusion. "What?"

"I said the evidence, that you are from the police department and not just faking your one of the policr officerd from a crime scene."

"It's not a crime scene, Kudo-kun," Sato-keibu said, retrieving her hand to herself and cleared her throat again. "There's no dead body found in the scene."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "So, what do you want from a detective like me?"

"As what I said in the call, the bride was missing minutes ago. Between 6:00PM-6:53PM. And..." Sato took out her information card out of her pocket and put it in front of Shinichi's face. "...this is my proof that I am a police officer from the Beika Police Department."

Shinichi stared at it for a few second before believing that Sato is really a police officer from a police headquarters. "Good that we're talking clear here," Shinichi stated and looked at her seriously. "So, where's the casette tape you're talking about?"

"Casette tape?" Yukiko asked, frowning as she heard the word. She looked at Sato-keibu curiously. "I have a name of the bride in mind. But let me ask... Sato-keibu, who's the bride?"

"It is Ran-kun, Yukiko-san," Sato-keibu answered, making Yukiko's eyes widened. "She escaped the apartment secretly."

"Oh, my." Yukiko puts her hand in her mouth. "Ran-chan is going to get married?"

For some unknown reason, Shinichi felt pain inside his chest. What is this pain I'm feeling right now?

"Well, supposedly, yes but I think the wedding would be canceled," Sato answered. Somehow, Shinichi felt a relief. Sato looked at him and handed the casette tape. "Here. Ran-kun wants to give you this. It's the important thing in the case. You should watch it."

"Watch? This isn't audio?"

"Unluckily, no. It's not so, please cooperate to the investigation." Sato gave him her number. "Once you watch the full clip, please call me to that number. I'll pick up immediately." Sato stepped back and bowed again. "Well, have a good night. And Kudo-kun..." Sato glanced at him. "...I guess sweet dreams to you."

Shinichi watched the car fled away as he was left confused by what the female police officer said. Sweet dreams... Why did she say that?

Shinichi looked at Yukiko whose looking at the empty front sadly. "Geez. Ran-chan must have gotten in a lot of trouble these past years wtuhout you, Shin-chan," she said.

"What do you mean by that, Mom?"

Yukiko turned ti face him and crossed her arms. "Well, I can't tell you." She smiled at her son. "You'll found out once the time comes of who is Ran-chan to you." Then, Yukiko left him outside.

Shinichi stared at the casette tape and read what's scribbled on it. "Title: THE FIRST AND LAST MESSAGE... M. Ran... To my love, Kudo Shinichi... Kudo Family's Mansion..." He stared at it for a few minutes before he read the third part over and over again. "To my love, Kudo Shinichi... To my love, Kudo Shinichi... To my love, Kudo Shinichi..." He scoffed. "Love, huh? Is this woman insane? She even knew my full name."

He shook his head before going in the house. He saw his mother in the kitchen preparing the dining table. "Shin-chan, Hayley will go here for a visit. She will arrived in a few minutes, alright?"

Shinichi just nodded. "Mom, I'll just go to my room," he said and left the kitchen without waiting the response of his mother.

He locked himself to his own room and put the casette tape on a videocasette recorder. Yes, he have one.

He started playing it and sat beside it while looking on the blank wall that was being enlightened by the light of the recorder in a minute.

It was only black but when five minutes had passed, a video appeared. There's a woman in front of the camera with a long brown hair anda blue ocean eyes. She is smiling. Shinichi gaped in awe as he saw the woman.

"Beautiful..." he muttered as he stared at the woman's face. So, this is Mouri Ran, huh?

The woman suddenly started to talk making Shinichi flinched and go back to his mind state.

"March 29th, Year 1.

Hi there, Shinichi. Are you okay there in America? Did you eat your food well? How's your sleep? Is it good in your new school? Do you have new friends? How's your operation there?

It's been a month now since you left Tokyo, since you left me and since you left everyone you have been close with.

If you can't remember me, I shall introduce myself to you right here, in front of the camera. Hi! I'm Mouri Ran, your childhood friend. You confessed your love in London before and I reciprocated it back in a different time."

"My childhood friend... Mouri Ran." Unconsciously, Shinichi smiled at the thought. "My childhood friend, huh... My beautiful childhood friend..."

When you see this video in an unexpected time, in an unexpected way, or after ten years, just continue watching this clip. This one video are containing how I deal my life here without you.

'Ran, give me some beer!'

Oh! That's Dad. I think he is going to drink a beer again. See ya!"

Then, the video ended. Shinichi laughed and shook his head. "Uncle really doesn't change," blurted out. He suddenly stilled as he repeat the sentence he said on his head. "Uncle? Why do I say that like I know them?" He fisted his hair in frustration as his head felt a little bit of sting inside. "Damn it."

He looked at the wall again. A video appeared again. This time, Ran is wearing a graduation robe and cap. She's still smiling but her eyes held something opposite.

"June 16, Year 3.

Happy graduation day, Shinichi! Right, you're not here with us, walking up to the next chapter of our lives. But it's fine. I think you' re doing pretty great to your new school. Let's just fight, okay?

'Yo, Shinichi! How are you there? Give us some things when you get back here, alright?'

Sonoko, this is just a video clip I will add to my video collection.

'It's fine. Shinichi will see this anyways!'

Shinichi, here's Sonoko, sneaking in my vlog for you. Suzuki Sonoko id my best friend if you forgotten. She is our rich kid friend for your information.

Until next time, Shinichi! See ya!"

Another sting is what Shinichi felt at that moment. His head was like a spinning wheel but he keeps on watching the video. A different video appeared again.

"December 25, Year 4.

Merry Christmas, Shinichi! This will be just a short clip so please, keep your ears listening.

I know that many hardships and many stepping stones is what we've been through these past years, but I just wanted to thank you for being always in my mind and motivating me to always step forward.

I love you, Shinichi. This is my gift to you."

"She said the three words..." Shinichi muttered. His head stopped pulsing. He was shocked by the sudden stop. He frowned and looked at Ran's face disappearing in the screen. "What are you doing to me, woman?"

A video appeared again. Her eyes held an emotion Shinichi knew. It was like the emotion he saw in the graduation day video minutes ago.

"March 12, Year 6.

I think you're wondering why I do look like sad in this video. Shinichi… Help me, please.

I don't wanna cry in this video but I think… I can't. I heard Dad and Araide-sensei. They're having a conversation in the agency and Dad decided for me to get married to Araide-sensei when I turned twenty-nine. That'll be the end of the line, Shinichi. That's where we will meet each other. I don't want them to bring another wall again to my life."

"Araide-sensei, huh... It sounds familiar..." His head pulse again but he doesn't care. He's in a deep thought of that name. He felt that he had a huge resentment to the man named Araide. He continued to watch the video but unfortunately, it was the last video Shinichi will saw.

"September 5, Year 10.

Mouri Ran's final vlog. Hi, Shinichi. Can you remember me? I guess not. My face looks really different now. I suppose you still look handsome, right?

This clip wad being filmed four days before the wedding so please hear what I say.

You promised me if you can't remember me after ten years, I'll just go to the place where we first met and I'll do it before the time strikes when the wedding car arrives to the agency.

I'll make a great escape, Shinichi. If you see this clip and was given to you by someone, I was thankful you could get to the last clip.

Let's meet to the first place we met where the cherry blossoms bloom. See you there in four days, Shinichi."

Then, it wasn't the end of the clip. After the last video, pictures boomed to the screen. Shinichi was shocked. It was like a gallery full of memories of the missing bride. He saw himself in one picture, and another, and another until he saw his faces on all of the pictures.

Two pictures caught his attention so he took out his phone and capture it before the whole clip went dead.

Shinichi removed the casette tape in the recorder and stared at it in a couple of minutes with the question he keeps asking over and over again to his head while he is watching the video.

"Mouri Ran... Who are you, really?"