"Ahahahaha! Now I can finally say goodbye to my car rental career!"
As the unexpected winner of the 30-second counting game, Kogoro Mouri was gleefully invited to the stage to share his thoughts.
Hayashi Yoshiki smiled, clapping politely with the rest of the audience.
Truth be told, a convertible sports car didn't quite match Kogoro's image. If he actually drove it home, it would probably just gather dust in a garage—or end up being resold.
After the brief award ceremony, Kogoro stepped down from the stage, brimming with pride.
"Congratulations, Uncle Mouri."
"Haha, pure luck! All luck!"
"Maybe Ran inherited your good fortune, then."
"Oh! That might just be true!" Kogoro puffed up with zero humility.
Meanwhile, Yoshiki noticed Tokiwa Mio slipping backstage after her speech—and also saw Kisaragi Hosui vanish among the crowd of guests.
He politely excused himself from the group and followed them backstage.
"Everyone, next I'd like to introduce the most important guest of honor today!That is the work of our country's national treasure-level Japanese painting master—Mr. Kisaragi Hosui!"
The venue lights dimmed.
As the host's enthusiastic voice rang out under the spotlight, Tokiwa Mio prepared behind the curtain to give her opening speech.
She deeply respected her former teacher, Kisaragi Hosui.
Though she had acquired many of his Mount Fuji paintings through their personal connection—sometimes leveraging them for prestige or capital—she still admired his talent. Now, she was ready to offer him a surprise: a studio built in the Twin Towers, carefully positioned to give him the most breathtaking view of Mount Fuji imaginable.
She planned to reveal this in her speech.
Just before stepping out, Mio's pearl necklace came undone, falling to the ground.
Before she could retrieve it, Kisaragi's voice gently intervened:
"It's alright. I'll help you put it on."
"Okay... thank you, sensei."
She smiled in relief.
But as Kisaragi reached to place the necklace around her neck, another voice cut through the dim backstage atmosphere:
"Stop it, Mr. Kisaragi."
Kisaragi's eyes sharpened instantly.
Standing calmly nearby, a young man in a sleek black suit with neatly slicked-back hair held a steady gaze on the necklace in his hand.
"As expected... you were planning to kill Miss Tokiwa on stage."His voice was low, but clear.
Mio Tokiwa gasped, stunned by the accusation.
Kisaragi said nothing.
As her eyes flicked down, she caught sight of the piano wire—subtly attached to the clasp of the necklace, glinting under the spotlight.
A cold chill ran through her.
"The ceremony starts at 8:00 p.m., doesn't it?"Yoshiki glanced at his phone and smiled gently."You've got less than ten seconds. Miss Tokiwa, you'd better get ready for your speech."
Just then, Inspector Megure and a team of officers rushed into the backstage area, eyes locked on Kisaragi Hosui.
The curtains were rising.
Realizing he'd been exposed, Kisaragi didn't resist. He turned silently and walked away.
Two seconds later, Mio stepped forward under the lights, her face pale but composed.
During her speech, when she thanked her teacher and revealed the new painting studio overlooking Mount Fuji, Kisaragi Hosui froze.
The pearl necklace slipped from his hand, clinking onto the floor.
Hayashi Yoshiki stood beside him, speaking quietly.
"Miss Tokiwa didn't know those towers blocked your old studio. She put her heart into building you a new one. That was her surprise for you."
Kisaragi said nothing.
"So... Mr. Kisaragi really is the killer?"Inspector Megure approached carefully.
Still silent, Kisaragi only glanced at Yoshiki, as if waiting for him to lay out the truth.
"The shattered wine glasses at each scene were his signal, Inspector," said Yoshiki.
"An upside-down wine glass resembles Mount Fuji. Breaking it—symbolically destroying Mount Fuji—expressed his rage over his studio view being obstructed. When the Junior Detective League visited him, they noticed he painted with the curtains drawn. I checked the studio myself afterward."
"In the photo of Councilman Ōki's death, there's a strange gap in the blood spatter on the wardrobe. Something was removed—probably one of his paintings."
"You didn't kill Hara Yoshiaki, did you?" Yoshiki asked.
"No," Kisaragi finally spoke."I was going to... but when I arrived, he was already dead. So I left the wine glass and smashed it anyway."
"I thought so. Your police alibi didn't add up unless that was the case."
"And that's why you followed me backstage?"
"Yes. Based on the timing, I figured you'd try to kill her here—during the opening ceremony."
"...Why now?" asked Megure, narrowing his eyes.
"Because Mr. Kisaragi was angriest at Miss Tokiwa," Yoshiki explained, "yet he also cared. He painted a Mount Fuji piece just for her. My guess is, he planned to split that painting across her corpse onstage, with the building behind them, as poetic revenge for destroying his view."
Kisaragi looked at Yoshiki with deep, weary eyes.
Megure gave the signal.
Officers moved in and quietly handcuffed the silent artist.
After completing her speech, Tokiwa Mio returned backstage.
When she learned the truth, her face became a complicated mix of pain and sorrow.
But Kisaragi Hosui only closed his eyes.