Twenty minutes later.
A large contingent of police had gathered at Yoko Okino's apartment, the most familiar faces being Inspector Megure and Miwako Sato.
Inspector Megure glanced at Kogoro Mouri, then at Hoshino Kurosawa, and asked uncertainly, "Hoshino, did this guy come here to kill you again, and then something went wrong? And what did you say to Takagi earlier? Why did he leave?"
Their familiar tone made it clear they knew each other. After all, the incidents that had befallen Hoshino over the past month were now infamous within the Metropolitan Police Department, making him acquainted with many officers from the original story.
"Officer Takagi will be back soon. And this has nothing to do with me," Hoshino Kurosawa shrugged. "It's like this, Ms. Yoko..."
He then explained the situation—why they were there and what Yoko Okino had requested.
Sato Miwako listened quietly before asking Okino Yoko, "Miss Yoko, how did this person enter your apartment? There are no signs of forced entry. Have you lost any keys recently?"
"Actually, I already know what happened."
Before Okino Yoko could answer, Kurosawa Hoshino's calm voice cut through the room, drawing everyone's attention. Even the officers paused their work, making the scene so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Mouri Kogoro asked, "Hoshino... ahem... did you find a clue?"
Ran moved closer, whispering worriedly, "Hoshino, are you okay?"
Conan, who had been discreetly examining the scene alongside the police, also stopped, looking curiously at Kurosawa Hoshino. He wanted to hear if this guy had actually discovered something.
"Don't worry." Kurosawa Hoshino nodded to Ran. Under everyone's gaze, he walked to the body with the dagger in its back. Pointing around, he said, "First, there are water stains on the floor. A dent the size of a knife handle. The air conditioning is set very high. The surrounding stools are overturned, but the stool in front of the body is neatly placed."
"What does that mean?" Inspector Megure, ever the reliable straight man, proactively asked.
"Honestly, it might not mean anything. It just reminded me of an anime I once saw with a similar case."
Sato Miwako said helplessly, "Hoshino, anime is anime. Reality is reality."
Kurosawa Hoshino smiled. "Let me finish, Officer Miwako."
"Okay."
"What was special about that anime was that a scene that appeared to be murder was actually a suicide."
"What?! Suicide?" Many exclaimed in surprise.
Kurosawa Hoshino continued, "The character in the anime, due to some misunderstanding, turned love into hate—hating the person he once cared for. So he staged his own murder at that person's home, framing all the clues against them."
He then looked at Okino Yoko and Yamagishi Eiichi, asking casually, "So, Ms. Yoko, Mr. Yamagishi—if the man here truly committed suicide but deliberately staged it as murder, and it happened at Ms. Yoko's home, then the question is: do you really not recognize him? I imagine once we know the man's name and identity, investigating this shouldn't be difficult, right?"
Okino Yoko lowered her head, her lips trembling.
Yamagishi Eiichi sensed trouble and whispered a warning, "Yoko, don't say anything."
Okino Yoko's eyes hardened. She raised her head and uttered words that shocked everyone present: "That's right. I know him. He's my ex-boyfriend, Fujie Akiyoshi. But we broke up. He dumped me. We haven't been in contact since. Why would he hate me for no reason?"
"Hiss—" Inspector Megure looked at Kurosawa Hoshino in shock. He hadn't expected the kid to be right. They did know each other.
"Really? Just a lucky guess?" Conan muttered to himself. "The evidence is completely insufficient. This doesn't even prove the man committed suicide."
"Miss Yoko," Kurosawa Hoshino, though knowing the details, wanted to shore up his narrative, "Are you absolutely sure you haven't contacted him since the breakup?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Okino Yoko nodded.
"Alright. Then let's wait for Officer Takagi."
"Takagi?"
Megure recalled that when they arrived, Kurosawa Hoshino had whispered something to Wataru Takagi, who then left and hadn't returned.
"Inspector, major discovery!"
At that moment, Wataru Takagi rushed in from outside, holding up his phone. "From the elevator security footage, I found that from afternoon until evening, only the deceased and a woman left the 25th floor!"
"Really? That's great!" Inspector Megure excitedly took the phone. His brow twitched as he looked at the photo. He stared intently at Okino Yoko. "Ms. Yoko, did you return to the apartment this afternoon?"
"No." Okino Yoko shook her head. "I was recording a program at the TV station all afternoon. Everyone there can testify."
"Then look at the person in this picture. Is that you? I noticed her figure looks a lot like yours."
"Really?"
Okino Yoko stepped forward, looked at the woman's back in the photo, zoomed in on the earrings, and after a moment said, "It's Ms. Yuko. Ikezawa Yuko. She debuted around the same time I did."
Yamagishi Eiichi provided another crucial piece: "Ms. Yuko recently had a falling out with Yoko because Yoko took a lead film role from her."
"Excellent. Takagi, Sato—each take a team and..." Inspector Megure's eyes lit up. He immediately ordered someone to bring in Yuko Ikezawa and to investigate the deceased Fujie Akiyoshi's home for clues.
...
...
"Kid, not bad. I didn't see that coming." Kogoro Mouri patted Hoshino Kurosawa on the shoulder, then looked around like a thief and whispered, "By the way, what anime was that? Can you recommend it?"
Hoshino Kurosawa smiled. "Uncle Mouri, sorry, I've forgotten. It was a long time ago."
"I see." Kogoro Mouri's face was full of regret, but the next second he tried to play it cool. "It's just an anime. I don't really care. I'm just curious what case was so similar. Pure curiosity."
Conan remained silent, pondering the questions Kurosawa Hoshino had raised earlier—the water on the floor, the air conditioner temperature. The more he thought, the more plausible it seemed. It really could be suicide.
He subtly observed Kurosawa Hoshino, muttering to himself, Did he really just see a similar anime, or did he deduce it and say it on purpose? This guy... I never knew he had this talent.
"Conan, what are you thinking about?"
Hearing the voice, he turned his head and met the clear, bright eyes of Yoshida Ayumi and the other two children. His lips twitched slightly.