DN 18: An Encounter

Later that evening.

The sky shifted through vibrant hues.

Beneath a radiant red sunset—

"Hey there, handsome."

A lively female voice approached.

Hayato Masaki had just finished his shooting practice and was leaving the Black Organization's secret range when someone struck up a conversation.

Unsurprised, he offered a refined smile.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh, well…"

The girl's confidence faltered.

Hayato's gaze met hers.

She was a gyaru-type girl—long, beautifully dyed blonde hair, fair skin, and makeup accentuating her features. Though dressed in a standard school uniform, she'd altered it to skirt the edge of school rules. Her sparkly phone case and decorative face stickers screamed personality.

"Interested in karaoke?"

"Sorry, I'm not much of a singer."

"…Okay then."

She'd meant to suggest grabbing milk tea next, but facing his strikingly handsome features, her words fizzled out.

Hayato kept smiling.

"May I ask why you approached me?"

"Do I need a reason to chat up a cute guy?"

Muttering, she realized her attempt had flopped and left with a straightforward shrug.

Hayato glanced at his watch, ignoring a middle-aged man passing by, and calmly reflected.

"I see. She approached me as I wrote, but it was still her own will driving the action."

"Tomisawa Tomoya"

"March 28, 5:47 p.m., passes by the Beika Imperial Bank, sees a gyaru fresh from school hitting on a boy carrying shopping bags."

"April 16, 10:08 p.m., enraged by Miyazaki Michiko, gets into a conflict, slits her throat with a knife, and flees."

"April 17, 3:17 p.m., during police arrest, accidentally falls from a rooftop and dies."

Just a few sentences could control someone's actions and fate…

The Death Note was incredibly versatile.

Through the girl's interaction, Hayato gained more insight into using the Death Note like a script.

There were still tests to run, but for now, he'd call it a day.

As for the deaths of Tomisawa Tomoya and Miyazaki Michiko, Hayato had planned them deliberately. With club members and criminals dying in accidents lately, too many might draw suspicion from sharp minds. Cases like these, where they "neutralized each other," were less conspicuous.

Buzz! Buzz!

His phone pinged with a text.

It was from Okino Yoko's agent, Yamagishi Eiichi:

"Masaki-sensei, is this Mouri Kogoro detective you recommended really reliable?"

The question was blunt.

Hayato paused, unsure how to respond.

After a moment, he typed back:

"Have you and Yoko-san already visited Mouri's agency?"

A reply came quickly.

Yamagishi: "Yes, Yoko-san and I are at the agency now, but I can't shake the feeling this Mouri guy's a bit reckless."

Yamagishi: "Still, Yoko-san trusts him since you recommended him…"

Hayato: "That might just be his charm."

Even so, Mouri Kogoro making such a poor first impression left Hayato at a loss for words.

Yamagishi: "Alright, Yoko-san's decided to hire Mouri."

Hayato: "Good. Let me know if anything comes up."

The exchange ended there.

With time to spare, Hayato started thinking about dinner.

Aunt Eri often worked late on Mondays, so she'd likely grab a midnight snack. For now, he'd eat light…

But just as he settled into a random restaurant and ordered, Yamagishi called.

"Masaki-sensei, there's a body in Yoko-san's apartment!!!"

"Should I come over?"

"Please! We'd really appreciate it!"

Yamagishi's voice was frantic.

He and Yoko had just formally hired Mouri Kogoro and returned to her apartment to check for signs of the stalker—only to find a man's body sprawled in the living room.

The shocking sight made Yoko scream.

Yamagishi fumbled for his phone to call Hayato, instinctively doubting Mouri's competence despite his presence.

"Yoko-san, Masaki-sensei's on his way."

"Okay…"

"Who're you talking about? Wait, we need to call the police now!"

"Oh, right—"

Mouri Kogoro's reminder jolted them into action.

While Mouri Ran phoned the police, a kid—Edogawa Conan, secretly Kudo Shinichi—frowned at the body, inching closer to inspect it, when—

"Ahhh!!!"

A piercing scream rang out. Several adults turned to see a few kids who'd somehow slipped into the apartment, now collapsing in terror at the sight of the body.

"Where'd these brats come from?!" Mouri Kogoro roared.

"Conan!"

Ran yanked Conan back, and Mouri landed a fist on his head.

Thud!

Conan saw stars.

Mouri looked up. "Who's this Masaki-sensei you mentioned?"

"Huh? You don't know, Mouri-san?" Yoko blinked, surprised. "We came to you on Masaki-sensei's recommendation."

Mouri scratched his head, clueless.

Ran sighed. "Dad, didn't you read the paper today?"

"Uh, I was… busy this morning! Overslept, forgot to check!"

"You mean you were drunk again, don't you?!"

"No, no! Just a tiny bit!"

Mouri laughed nervously as Ran, fuming, backed him into a corner. Yoko caught his glance, which seemed to say, Let's wait for Masaki-sensei.

She nodded slightly.

***

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