Prologue: Convergence
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's POV :
After escaping his father's clutches, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had been instructed by his butler, Matsuo, to enroll at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. The institution's strict policy prohibiting outside contact meant he now found himself sitting on a school bus, contemplating the concept of equality, when a short-haired girl in uniform approached a muscular blond boy.
"Uhm, excuse me, sir? Would you be willing to give up your seat?" the short-haired girl asked softly.
"My, my, you're a pretty girl," the blond boy replied with a smirk. "I understand this is priority seating, honey, but there's no law forcing me to give it up. You think I should stand just because I'm young?" He chuckled. "What ageist nonsense. Standing uses more energy than sitting. Why must I sacrifice my health for this lady's sake?"
"Because you'd be contributing to the greater good," the girl countered firmly. "Look—she's struggling to stand."
"I have zero interest in the 'greater good,'" the blond boy retorted. "Plenty of others could give up their seats. Priority seats aren't special—ask someone else."
"To tell the truth, dear, I don't mind standing. But thank you," the elderly woman said kindly.
Undeterred, the short-haired girl raised her voice. "Excuse me! Would anyone give up their seat for this lady?"
Ayanokoji's gaze drifted past the commotion to a long-haired girl absorbed in her book, indifferent to the scene. Moments later, a black-haired boy stood.
"Excuse me, ma'am. You can take my seat," the black-haired boy offered.
"Oh, thank you! You're a sweet boy," the elderly woman replied gratefully.
"No problem," the boy said simply.
The short-haired girl approached him with a smile. "Thank you for helping her!"
"Anyone would've done it," the black-haired boy replied.
Ayanokoji turned to the window, his reflection mingling with the passing scenery.
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Kudo Shinichi's POV:
The short-haired girl—Kushida Kikyō—introduced herself as they disembarked.
"By the way, I'm Kushida Kikyō from Class D. What class are you in?" she asked brightly.
"Kudo Shinichi. Also Class D," Shinichi replied.
"Oh, we're classmates! Let's be friends," Kushida said, her smile widening. Shinichi noted something. No crinkling around the eyes—a fabricated expression.
"Sure," Shinichi said, shaking her hand while masking his scrutiny.
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Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School
The sprawling campus lived up to its reputation as Japan's premier institution for cultivating future leaders. With 100% college enrollment and employment rates, its experimental pedagogy promised to mold exceptional minds. Shinichi scanned the grounds, his reasons for attending crystallizing in his mind.
First Objective: A vacation from his detective life. Inspector Megure's recent jab about being a "*shinigami*" still lingered—everywhere he went, death followed. Here, he hoped to evade that shadow.
Second Objective: ...
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Flashback: Three Weeks Prior
In the Kudo family library, Yusaku Kudo leaned against a bookshelf, his tone grave.
"Remember the missing children case tied to him?" Yusaku asked.
"The one your interpol buddies asked you for your help with ?" Shinichi replied.
"We've had a breakthrough," Yusaku explained. "An informant—formerly that man's butler—offered intel in exchange for witness protection. His employer runs a facility called the White Room."
"White Room?" Shinichi asked.
"A program to engineer 'perfect' geniuses through extreme conditioning," Yusaku said. "One subject survived: Ayanokoji Kiyotaka—the informant's son. The boy fled to ANHS, where his father's influence can't reach."
"And you want me to protect him there?" Shinichi asked.
"Precisely," Yusaku confirmed. "You both are placed in Class D."
"What about Haibara? She's still missing since the Organization fell," Shinichi pressed.
"Leave that to me. Focus on Ayanokoji," his father said firmly.
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Present
As students streamed into the auditorium, Shinichi's resolve hardened. Somewhere in the crowd was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka—a product of calculated cruelty, and the key to dismantling a deeper conspiracy.
Meanwhile, Ayanokoji lingered at the periphery, his impassive eyes tracking Shinichi. Two chess pieces, unaware of their intertwined fates, stepped onto the board.