Serena, sensing the tension, quickly changed the subject. "Ran, did you hear? Ms. Matsumoto is getting married!"
"Ms. Matsumoto?" Ran's attention shifted. She knew Ms. Catherine Matsumoto—her former teacher.
"Yeah, I saw it on the school forum this morning." Serena showed her the phone. It seemed the wedding had been planned for a while, and the announcement followed the news of the police bust from the night before. "It's next week, an outdoor ceremony. We should go!"
"Sure," Ran agreed. She was curious about who the groom was.
"I can't believe even Ms. Matsumoto is getting married," Serena laughed. "Remember how she used to scold Jimmy for his detective obsession? By the way, I haven't seen that brat lately."
Yuu and Ran shared a look. They had forgotten to tell Serena that Jimmy had shrunk into Conan. But could the loud-mouthed Serena keep such a world-shattering secret? Yuu decided to keep her in the dark for now.
"He encountered a tough case and went abroad to investigate," Yuu lied.
"Typical. Whatever, forget that mystery geek. Sensei, you're coming with us, right?"
"Of course. I've never actually been to a wedding," Yuu replied. He knew the "June Bride" case was coming up. He had to stop Catherine from drinking that poison and save her from her own obsession, while also racking up points with her father, Superintendent Matsumoto of the MPD.
As the girls chatted and gossiped with Seimi, a very different scene was unfolding across town.
In a dilapidated apartment building, cold sweat broke out on Vodka's forehead. "Boss... when we checked, he was definitely living here..."
"I know," Gin said, glancing at him coldly. The signs were obvious; the occupants had moved out only a day or two ago. "Keep digging. Bring them both to the warehouse."
Gin didn't have time to waste. As the Organization's top enforcer, he was busy. "I'll give you one day. I want them by tomorrow night."
"Yes, Boss!" Vodka barked, his voice echoing through the hallway and scaring the neighbors back into their rooms.
The next day passed peacefully for Yuu. He spent the day shopping and playing with Ran and Serena. By the time he got back to his apartment, he was exhausted.
"Shopping with girls is a serious workout," Yuu grunted to Seimi, who had acted as their driver.
"I'll run a hot bath for you and give you a massage, okay?" Seimi promised with a sweet smile.
"Now that's more like—" Yuu stopped mid-sentence.
In front of the apartment tower, two black sedans were parked neatly. Several burly men in black suits were patrolling the entrance. Through his [Eyes of Truth], Yuu spotted a familiar figure in sunglasses: Vodka.
Gin wasn't there, which was a relief. The men spotted Yuu and approached with heavy, disciplined steps.
"Seimi-san, go park the car," Yuu said calmly, sensing she was about to panic. She obeyed, pulling away toward the garage. The men didn't stop her; their target was Yuu.
"Mr. Hoshimiya, come with us," one of the men said in a tone that allowed no refusal.
Yuu didn't resist. Even if he could take these trained goons, Vodka had a gun. Besides, once the Organization finds you, there's no hiding. It was better to see what they wanted. He climbed into the back of the sedan.
"Drive," Vodka ordered.
The two cars sped off into the night. Seimi, having parked, ran back just in time to see the tail-lights disappear. Just as she was about to call the police or Serena, her phone buzzed.
"Hello? Yuu? Are you okay?"
"Seimi-san, I'm fine. Just wait for me at home. Don't do anything." He hung up before she could respond.
Vodka looked at him through the rearview mirror. "You're surprisingly calm, kid."
"Would screaming help?" Yuu retorted.
Vodka chuckled—a dry, raspy sound. "Smart. We're just going to have a little chat with the Boss."
The car pulled into a dark, abandoned shipyard. In the center of a warehouse, under a single flickering light, stood a man with long silver hair, leaning against a black Porsche 356A. The air seemed to drop several degrees as Yuu stepped out of the car.
Gin flicked his cigarette away and looked at Yuu with eyes like a predator. "Yuu Hoshimiya. You've been making quite a name for yourself in the shadows. Let's see if you're as useful as the reports say... or if you're just another corpse for the pier."