On the Road, Beika to the Party Venue
It was snowing today.
The sky was a pale ink gray, heavy with clouds. A single ray of sunlight occasionally slipped through the breaks above. Snowflakes dusted the rooftops like powdered sugar.
Outside, the cold was bitter, but it couldn't chill Suzuki Sonoko's excitement.
Brother Yoshiki is so handsome!!
She practically screamed internally, cheeks flushed with glee.
Earlier, when Ran had told her that Hayashi Yoshiki would be bringing a girl with him to the party, Sonoko thought her world had shattered.
But when she saw who the girl was, her spirits revived instantly.
"Why am I even coming to this?"Haibara Ai muttered from the front passenger seat, eyes fixed on the snow-lined road ahead.
"Isn't snow kind of romantic?"Yoshiki answered with a warm smile.
"He's right, it'll be fun!"Sonoko leaned forward from the back seat, elbows resting between the two front seats.
She beamed at Haibara Ai, trying to make conversation—even though she wasn't sure what kind of relationship this mysterious child had with Brother Yoshiki.
But Haibara just gave her a deadpan look—full of the same quiet disdain that Conan often directed at Sonoko.
Why do both these brats have the same attitude?!
Still, Sonoko was too cheerful to care. She shifted topics and convinced Ran to help her demonstrate a magic trick: the classic ring-threading illusion.
Fortunately, there was no Conan around this time to expose it.
"The people you're meeting today are all magic enthusiasts, right?"Hayashi asked.
"Yeah! We met in an online chat room. Then someone suggested we do an offline meetup."
"And this Doi Takeshu you mentioned earlier—?"
"Ahem! Ran, don't ruin my big reveal!"Sonoko interrupted with an exaggerated yell, even clamping a hand over Ran's mouth.
Watching the two girls in the rearview mirror, Haibara sighed quietly. Her gaze shifted to Hayashi Yoshiki, calm and amused behind the wheel.
So this is what Cointreau's daily life looks like...?
Compared to Gin's constant pressure and tension, this world of laughter and snow seemed like an entirely different universe.
"So, Sonoko's been pretending to be a 30-year-old man in that chatroom?"
"That's right! Just imagine their faces when I reveal who I really am!"
"Then how about this—I help you with your appearance?"Yoshiki offered with a teasing smile. "Something bold might really stun them."
Sonoko's eyes lit up.
Of course, she agreed! Not only was Hayashi known for having great taste—but the idea of getting a makeover from him made her giddy.
"The party's in the afternoon, right? Let's swing by a salon first."
Ran's delighted gasp filled the salon as she stared at her best friend.
Suzuki Sonoko's hair had just been trimmed and lightly permed. The transformation was stunning.
"How is it...?" Sonoko asked, half-nervous, half-proud.
"You look amazing!"Ran beamed. "Seriously—it's perfect for you!"
Flustered by the praise, Sonoko looked into the mirror.
The girl staring back had a fresh bob cut, and soft waves at the ends… strikingly similar to Haibara Ai's style.
Whoa… Am I actually pretty?
Sonoko smiled wide, soaking in her own beauty.
"Brother Yoshiki, you're amazing."Ran turned to him, impressed.
Hayashi just smiled modestly, offering no comment.
The truth was that Sonoko had already dressed with care that day. All it took was removing the gaudy headband and reshaping her haircut to unlock a completely new look.
Haibara Ai, watching silently, gave a slight approving nod.
Though she usually acted aloof, her habit of flipping through fashion magazines revealed her secret appreciation for good styling.
As everyone basked in the transformation, Hayashi Yoshiki quietly snapped a photo of Sonoko from the side—capturing just the right angle without anyone noticing.
He sent the image to a certain someone.
Elsewhere… A Disturbance in the Shadows
Inside a dim safehouse, Gin had just laid down to rest after another long night.
But as soon as his phone vibrated—
He opened it with a single motion.
Cointreau: Picture.jpg
Gin jolted upright, his sharp green eyes narrowing as he stared at the photo.
Same hairstyle. Similar profile.
That unmistakable aura of Shirley.
A secret photo—clearly taken in haste.
No context, and no caption.
Cointreau spotted her and immediately sent a warning? Without alerting the girl?
Gin's fatigue vanished. He leaped to his feet, sending a message asking for the address as he slammed open the door to the next room.
The door nearly came off its hinges.
"Wh-what's wrong, bro?!"Vodka sprang up in panic.
"Cointreau's found Shirley."
Vodka scrambled to grab his coat and phone. Within minutes, the two were in a black sedan, screeching away from the safehouse.
But there was one problem—
Cointreau wasn't answering.
Could he have been ambushed?
He'd long suspected that another rival organization had taken Shirley. If she had truly resurfaced—and if Cointreau was now missing—it could mean trouble.
"Track Cointreau's license plate. Now."
Vodka got to work immediately.
Incoming… More Photos
Twenty minutes later, they finally located Hayashi Yoshiki's vehicle's GPS trail.
But just as Vodka hit the accelerator—
More notifications lit up Gin's phone.
Cointreau: Picture.jpgCointreau: Picture.jpgCointreau: Picture.jpgCointreau: "…"
Multiple photos. All of the same girl—laughing, playful, sticking out her tongue in front of a mirror.
Still bearing that Shirley-like haircut.
Cointreau:"Phone died earlier. Just swapped the battery.""Well? Looks similar, doesn't she?"
For a moment, Gin was silent.
His grip tightened so hard around the phone that the plastic casing groaned.
"Damn Cointreau. Are you mentally ill?"