"That's amazing..." Kazawa sighed in admiration at the giant photo on the front page.
Amuro Tooru leaned over to look at the newspaper in his hands, narrowing his eyes warily. "What's amazing? Don't tell me you're talking about the Phantom Thief."
"No, I'm talking about the photographer," Kazawa pointed at the photo. "How did they manage to capture a shot like this? It's incredible."
Today's newspaper featured a flashy, variety-show-style headline: "Thief VS Thief! Ultimate Moonlight Showdown! Was KID's Heist Interrupted By...?!"
Beneath the headline was a photo that took up half the page. In the center, a crescent moon hung high in the sky. KID in white and Joker in black faced off, one on the left, one on the right. In the background, the Miwa Museum glowed under the surrounding spotlights of helicopters. The angle was perfect, the composition meticulous, and the tension in the shot was palpable—a true masterpiece.
The problem was, he had been there and never noticed this scene at all!
Where was this photo taken from?! Are the reporters in Miwacho secretly Superman or something, ripping open their shirts and flying mid-air to take these shots?
The article itself packed a punch. Not only did they get an interview with Inspector Nakamori after yet another failed arrest, but they also somehow obtained exclusive insider info. It included KID's latest calling card and—unbelievably—even revealed the code name Kazawa had mentioned last night: "Joker."
The writer even boldly speculated that the reason KID called off his heist might be the sudden appearance of this mysterious figure, now active in Tokyo, suspected to be a member of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts—Joker!
Kazawa: ...Thanks on behalf of Joker's ancestors, I guess.
While Kazawa looked stunned, Amuro Tooru didn't seem surprised at all. He rested his chin on one hand and casually commented, "Judging by this angle, probably taken from Tokyo Tower with a telephoto lens. Or maybe the media rented a helicopter. It's pretty normal. Some Tokyo outlets are so news-hungry, they'd risk their lives."
Kazawa looked at the photo, then at Amuro with a weird expression. You call this normal? Either I'm crazy or the world is.
"This 'Phantom Thief of Hearts'... what kind of weirdo is that supposed to be?" Amuro frowned, clearly irritated, staring at the black-clad figure on the right side of the photo with the red scarf flapping in the wind. "'Erasing evil'? What is this, some superhero role-play?"
Of course it's red. So annoying.
"Oh? You don't like him, Amuro-san?" Kazawa asked, curious.
"Wouldn't say I like or dislike," Amuro averted his gaze from the vivid scarf. Although the photo was printed in color, it was mostly black-and-white—making that red all the more piercing. "But the idea of needing a masked vigilante to 'cleanse evil'—it just makes you feel like this society is already hopeless."
"What, is the Phantom Thief of Hearts related to them?" Kazawa caught the wariness in his tone—it was more than just the usual dislike for mysterious criminals. He quickly picked up on it.
Right now, Kazawa and Amuro's cover story was that they were both being blackmailed by them, with Amuro acting as Kazawa's guardian. Since Amuro hadn't shared the full details, Kazawa had to stick to calling them "they."
Mentioning them darkened Amuro's expression immediately. One perk of his newly earned "onion layer" of identity was that he could freely radiate his resentment toward the organization: "Not confirmed yet. But they do have the tech—brainwashing, hypnosis—the kind of stuff that can make someone repent overnight. Outside of them, who got their hands on it through your parents' research, there's hardly anyone else who could pull this off."
No kidding—his gut feeling is on point.
The Phantom Thieves of Hearts and Kazawa's parents' research really did originate from the same place.
"Well, let's not jump to conclusions. At least for now, that guy is helping people. That's a good thing, right?" Kazawa smoothed things over and quickly changed the topic. "By the way, Suzuki-san invited me to a party on the Queen Elisabeth. Can I go?"
Amuro shot him a look. "The cruise ship mentioned in KID's second calling card?"
"Uh, yeah, that one. I just want to hang out for a bit, please?" Kazawa pressed his palms together, putting on a pitiful face. "It's the first time I've ever been invited to something like this since I transferred."
Amuro had the nagging feeling the kid was up to something again.
Still, he had been keeping a close eye on him these past few days. Wanting to breathe a little was understandable…
So Amuro crossed his arms and smiled cheerfully. "Sure."
Just as Kazawa's face lit up, he added, "I'm sure Miss Suzuki won't mind if we add one more to the guest list, right?"
———
"So that's how it is," said Kazawa, dressed in formal wear, as he spread his hands helplessly toward Conan.
Conan looked past him at Amuro Tooru, who was all smiles and chatting with other guests, and muttered, "What a terrifying guardian."
Raised by Yusaku and Yukiko Kudo, Conan had been running wild since childhood. If only he'd gotten a few more spankings, he might not have turned out like this.
"He's just worried I'll get into trouble again," Kazawa explained. "My first periodic review is coming up soon—this is not the time to be making headlines. It's not like he'll tail me every step of the way. Let him do what he wants."
He shrugged it off. If he really wanted to sneak off, Amuro wouldn't be able to stop him anyway. "More importantly, I saw you in the news!"
"What news?"
"The 'Thief VS Thief' one."
"…So they did include me, huh? I thought nobody even noticed I was there." Conan winced, remembering the over-the-top writing of that article. "I was helping the police catch KID, and yet the article made it sound like none of us even existed."
"So you really did see them? KID, and that Joker guy?"
"Yeah."
"How did it feel?"
Conan fell silent. The words "artist" and "critic," uttered so smugly by KID, floated through his mind. He clenched his fist in frustration. "Arrogant bastards. Both of them."
"Oh? Sounds like they underestimated you." Kazawa clicked his tongue twice.
Conan snorted and added, "The newspaper didn't mention it, but it wasn't just a simple skirmish—they actually challenged each other to a rematch."
And they even arrogantly declared they needed a "critic" to witness and judge it.
"Both of them are coming tonight. Since they made a promise, those guys who love sending calling cards won't back out." Conan's eyes gleamed sharply as he revealed that classic confident smile. "I'll show them I'm not just some background extra. I will catch them."
"Good luck with that, 'Heisei's Holmes.'" Kazawa admired his fiery spirit—and gave him a round of applause for his doomed-to-fail mission.