Osaka, at the opening party of international restaurant "K3"—
Seeing Toyama Kazuha looking around for something, Mouri Ran walked over and said:
"Are you looking for Hattori? He's over there."
"Huh? No..." Toyama Kazuha quickly waved her hands. "It's just something I'm a bit concerned about."
Mouri Ran asked curiously: "Can you tell me?"
Toyama Kazuha confirmed where Hattori Heiji was, then whispered to Mouri Ran: "It's like this—I heard him secretly making phone calls, asking things like 'are you alone right now?' and 'should I call back later?' It felt like he was having an affair or something."
Edogawa Conan, who was too short to be noticed by Toyama Kazuha, heard this and couldn't help but have black lines all over his head.
That was Hattori Heiji calling him, and because he was afraid there might be people like Mouri Ran nearby who could expose his identity, he'd first confirm the environment...
He actually hadn't been interested in coming, since it meant a trip to Osaka, but since his idol was coming this time, he was still tempted.
Mouri Ran tried to reassure her: "I think it's probably a misunderstanding..."
Toyama Kazuha sighed: "Maybe the other person couldn't take the call conveniently. Later I saw him make another call, looking particularly thrilled, saying things like 'What? You're really willing to come?' and 'You're not joking, are you? Trying to get my hopes up for nothing?'... He looked so happy yet anxious..."
Edogawa Conan: "...???"
Wait, he had no memory of this! That second call definitely wasn't to him!
So Hattori had made plans with someone else? From the way Hattori was looking around, it seemed he'd arranged to meet at this opening party?
Could it be someone he knew?
But among people both he and Hattori knew, besides police and case-related individuals, there was only—
Could it be Usuha-nii?
Thinking this, Edogawa Conan couldn't help but look toward Hattori Heiji, seeing him still looking around, so he went over and tugged at him.
Hattori Heiji crouched down: "What's wrong?"
"Who are you looking for?"
Hattori Heiji didn't hide it and said directly: "Usuha-nii. He called me a few days ago saying he was coming to Osaka, so I asked if he wanted to come to this opening ceremony..."
Since Edogawa Conan was here too, he wanted to have Edogawa Conan witness and settle the score for Usuha-nii using his name to show off at the game launch event.
But he hadn't seen anyone yet.
Hattori Heiji sighed: "After all these years, no matter how I invited him he never came out. This time he finally agreed, and I confirmed several times, but I still haven't found him... I suspect he stood me up."
Edogawa Conan fell silent.
Well... although he wasn't particularly close to Usuha-nii either, he felt it was quite possible.
And at this kind of event everyone dressed quite formally, so if Usuha-nii continued his usual style he should be quite conspicuous...
"Is it possible," Edogawa Conan said with a serious expression, "that Usuha-nii was refused entry because his attire wasn't formal enough?"
Hattori Heiji: "............"
Ah, this.
Hattori Heiji was a bit embarrassed but still tried to defend: "But wouldn't he call me in that case? And I already sent him an invitation, so with that he should be able to get in with a bit of sweet talk..."
Edogawa Conan said with half-closed eyes: "With Usuha-nii's personality, he'd just turn around and leave..."
Just as they were talking, the important guests for this opening banquet arrived.
Three famous professional athletes walked out amid flashing lights and cheers and applause from others, and Edogawa Conan's attention immediately shifted over.
No help for it! The other two were fine, but Ray Curtis was his favorite soccer player!
Being able to see his idol up close like this, forget about whether Usuha Izuki came or not—Edogawa Conan was so excited he almost forgot who he was!
Even when an American reporter who liked digging up celebrity scandals suddenly appeared and said some strange things, making the atmosphere a bit awkward, it couldn't affect Edogawa Conan's good mood.
When Mouri Ran went to ask Ray Curtis for an autograph for him, Edogawa Conan was moved to tears.
After getting the autograph, Mouri Ran came down and handed Edogawa Conan a ticket to Ray Curtis's game in Japan tomorrow, then quietly showed the walkie-talkie in her hand amid others' curious questions.
"Mr. Curtis also asked me to help with something, saying he wants to give everyone a surprise later..."
Edogawa Conan was happy to participate in anything related to his idol.
So when the time Ray Curtis had indicated arrived, their group left the restaurant and came outside.
There were quite a few people outside too, since the three athletes who came were all big celebrities. Even if they couldn't get in without invitations, they were happy to wait outside—maybe when the celebrities left, they could get close-up autographs or hear them say goodbye in person.
Hattori Heiji really did look around to see if Usuha-nii had been refused entry, but with the sea of people, he couldn't find anyone.
But soon, his phone rang.
Hattori Heiji was startled, saw the caller ID, and quickly answered: "Hello?"
"I can see you. You just came out, right?"
Hattori Heiji was both surprised and delighted: "You really came?"
Toyama Kazuha turned toward him like she had radar.
But Hattori Heiji didn't notice Toyama Kazuha's reaction at all. While listening to the phone, he looked around, then waved excitedly and even ran over.
Toyama Kazuha looked over with critical and suspicious eyes.
A silver-haired young man in a light green haori, dressed overly fashionably, was enthusiastically pulled out from the crowd by Hattori Heiji, who spoke to the security guards, then brought him over with a bright smile.
"Ah..." Toyama Kazuha was stunned, recognizing the person from his messy outfit. "It's that big brother..."
She'd seen him once in elementary school and again three years ago while skiing. She didn't even know his name, and after that this person had essentially disappeared from her awareness. No matter how excited Hattori Heiji got, she couldn't immediately think of him.
Hattori Heiji was still asking: "Why were you outside? Was it because the security wouldn't let you in dressed like that?"
Edogawa Conan also quietly perked up his ears to listen.
"...Do you have some problem with how I dress?" the silver-haired young man asked with a gentle smile.
No matter how clueless Hattori Heiji was, he could sense danger and quickly explained: "Isn't formal wear required? You look great, but it's not exactly formal wear, so I guessed you might have been refused entry."
"Not really, I actually just arrived and don't know if they'll let me in yet."
Hattori Heiji: "............"
Edogawa Conan: "............"
Both detectives had reasoned for ages without considering this possibility, and hearing it now were greatly shocked.
So it was because he was late?!
This was way too late... all the important proceedings inside had ended... they had even come out...
Hattori Heiji asked with a twitching mouth: "Um, Usuha-nii, don't you follow celebrities?"
Usuha Izuki answered very calmly: "No, why?"
Hattori Heiji said with understanding: "Nothing, I just thought no wonder you were late. Everyone came to see those three celebrities, so if you didn't care at all, being late would be normal."
Then Usuha Izuki immediately became displeased: "...Who said I was late?"
Hattori Heiji: "...???"
He looked at Usuha Izuki, then down at his watch, wondering if he should question the other's sense of time.
Although Usuha Izuki was only about seven or eight years older than him, he was still an elder of sorts, right? Did he have to teach him about punctuality?!
Usuha Izuki argued righteously: "I said I'd meet you at this hotel today, right? I never said I was coming to participate in the opening banquet! I'm not interested in that kind of thing."
Hattori Heiji was a bit moved and a bit suspicious: "...Really? This isn't you trying to save face after being late?"
"...If I really wanted to attend the banquet, of course I'd change into formal wear and wouldn't come at this hour. When people are late, they're only late by a little bit."
Hattori Heiji thought that made some sense, but he still reserved judgment, since Usuha-nii's personality was really terrible.
Continuing this topic would be endless, so Hattori Heiji began introducing others: "This is Toyama Kazuha, you've met her before. This is Uncle Mouri, Ran-san, and Ko—uh, Conan-kun. You should already know him, so I won't introduce him."
Mouri Ran couldn't help complaining: "Why do you always stutter when calling Conan's name?"
Edogawa Conan started sweating.
Hattori Heiji, this big mouth! He was used to calling him Kudo in private, so he always accidentally let it slip in front of others. He'd asked him to fix it properly but he could never change it! Ran had questioned this more than once!
Although Hattori Heiji panicked briefly, he quickly became confident and even said with some accusatory meaning: "That's Usuha-nii's fault!"
Mouri Ran was puzzled: "Usuha-nii?"
Although Mouri Ran wasn't close to Usuha Izuki, when they met on the shinkansen, Usuha Izuki had said "Shinichi calls me Usuha-nii, you can call me that too," and Mouri Ran had agreed with a red face.
Now discovering Hattori Heiji also knew Usuha Izuki, Mouri Ran wasn't surprised, just felt emotional.
Usuha-nii has such good relationships! He knows people everywhere!
Hattori Heiji gritted his teeth: "I met Usuha-nii in elementary school. He wouldn't tell me his real name and only told me he was called Conan and was a detective... Ask Kazuha if you don't believe me!"
Everyone looked at Toyama Kazuha.
Toyama Kazuha couldn't really remember clearly, but the name Usuha Izuki was indeed unfamiliar, so she hesitantly nodded: "It seems like that."
Everyone: "............"
Hattori Heiji's expression was grave: "I only learned Usuha-nii's real name recently from Kudo. Before that I always called Usuha-nii 'Conan'! So seeing this little brat and having to call him Conan feels really weird! Do you understand?!"
Mouri Ran immediately expressed understanding: "I get it, not being able to say it is normal. You need to get used to it slowly..."
Edogawa Conan watched Hattori Heiji's accusation in stunned amazement.
This excuse was really good this time... but it seemed like it wasn't just an excuse, but very genuine. This guy Hattori had definitely been wanting to complain about Usuha-nii for a long time!
Usuha Izuki didn't take Hattori Heiji's accusation seriously: "Speaking of which, is the banquet over? Or are there other segments? Why did just you few suddenly come out?"
Mouri Ran explained: "Mr. Curtis wants me to help..."
Just as she was speaking, the walkie-talkie suddenly activated, and Mouri Ran quickly helped, watching which rooms in this hotel building had lights on and which didn't.
The voices of the three celebrities took turns appearing on the walkie-talkie, and their figures appeared and disappeared at windows.
After watching for a while, Edogawa Conan and the others understood.
Ray Curtis and the others planned to use the unopened hotel above the restaurant to create the shape of the letter "K" for the restaurant's name with lights as a surprise.
But with so many fans outside, they would cause a commotion if they came out, so they asked the seemingly agreeable Mouri Ran to help.
Usuha Izuki suddenly spoke up: "This kind of situation seems perfect for faking alibis."
Even Hattori Heiji, who liked reasoning, wouldn't think about murder cases at a time like this, and couldn't help choking: "...Usuha-nii, don't say such unlucky things at a time like this. Today..."
Just as he finished speaking, there was a "bang" of gunfire, and a room's window suddenly shattered along with it, glass falling down.
Hattori Heiji: "............"
Edogawa Conan: "............"
—Something really happened?!