Case NOT Closed

When it comes to seeing through people, Kensuke never loses to anyone.

As long as the other party shows the slightest flaw, he will latch on like a snake, delivering a fatal blow.

Of course, this requires the other party to show a flaw.

“Indeed, women are the hardest to deal with in this world,” Kensuke couldn’t help but lament.

The same thing happened with the case of Nishitani Miho, and now this one.

Women are simply the best performers in the world.

He paused.

“Alright, enough small talk. I don’t care about your situation.”

Kensuke extended a hand towards Natsuki Koshimizu.

“The remaining fee, five million yen.”

This was the real reason he came.

However, Natsuki Koshimizu glanced at him and shrugged.

“What do you mean?” Kensuke frowned.

“It’s simple, I have no money,” Natsuki Koshimizu said.

“No money! How dare you say you have no money!”

Hearing this, Kensuke’s eyes widened instantly, jumping up like a cat whose tail was stepped on.

“Hey, be clear, who helped you? Who got you out of jail? It was me! And now, you still want to default on payment?”

Natsuki Koshimizu shook her head. “I’m not trying to default, I really don’t have money.”

“Stop the nonsense, didn’t you bring over ten million yen last time?”

“That was last time.”

Natsuki Koshimizu blinked, looking particularly innocent.

“Later, because of organizing the Detective Koshien event, I spent the remaining five million yen, so I have no money left.”

“Damn!”

Kensuke nearly lunged forward to grab Natsuki Koshimizu by the collar.

“No money? Go sell yourself in a brothel! Go work the streets! Be someone’s mistress! Anyway, you’re not leaving without paying today!”

“…”

Natsuki Koshimizu looked at him and then turned to Ai.

“Is your brother always like this?”

“Yes, he’s always like this.” Ai nodded. “This guy is an incorrigible miser.”

“Alright then.”

Natsuki Koshimizu turned back to Kensuke.

She took a deep breath, reached out to tidy the hair at the back of her head, and her delicate face transformed into a seductive look, her pink lips slightly parting.

“Kensuke-kun, from the moment I first saw you, I fell in love with you. As long as you don’t make me pay, I can do anything for you~”

“Get lost, don’t try that with me!”

However, faced with the girl’s seductive stance, Kensuke seemed completely unaffected.

He looked at the alluring girl in front of him with disdain.

“You transgendered, paper-thin-faced person, if you want to seduce a man, at least get some plastic surgery first, okay? At least get to the level of Aika Takamine before you even think about it!”

Natsuki Koshimizu’s seductive gesture froze instantly.

“Aika Takamine? Who is she? His girlfriend?” She looked at Ai again, puzzled.

“She’s the heroine of a love adventure game on a game console,” Ai sighed. “Don’t mind him, he’s just like that.”

“…”

“…”

Natsuki Koshimizu’s mouth twitched.

After a long while, she looked at Kensuke and sighed deeply.

“You are the most incredible and the toughest man I’ve ever encountered.”

“You women are the same. If you think you can solve everything just by taking off your pants, then all men might as well get a sex change.”

Kensuke retorted unceremoniously.

“So what should I do? I really don’t have any money. You can’t seriously drag me off to sell myself, can you?”

Natsuki Koshimizu spread her hands.

Kensuke frowned and pondered for a moment.

“You can sue that little brat and get compensation,” he said. “That kid Conan played your secretly recorded voice in court, didn’t he? You can sue him for that.”

“But wasn’t that a trick you used to give him psychological pressure?”

Ai chimed in from the side.

“As far as I remember, presenting evidence in court is within legal procedures and not illegal.”

“It’s legal, but he can still be sued, after all, presenting evidence is one thing; infringing on privacy is another. Don’t confuse the two.”

Kensuke explained.

“Strictly speaking, the court is also a public place, with many reporters in the gallery. Conan recorded someone’s voice without permission and played it publicly, which has a dissemination effect, and thus violates privacy rights under civil law.”

“So according to you, all witnesses presenting recorded evidence in court are breaking the law and infringing on others’ privacy?”

“No, no, no, it depends on the degree of infringement.”

Kensuke smiled a classic, eerie smile.

He turned to the puzzled Natsuki Koshimizu, who didn’t understand any of the legal jargon.

“Koshimizu-san, I need your cooperation here—if you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of your dignity as a lady.”

“It’s no big deal.”

Natsuki Koshimizu shrugged.

“My dignity as a lady? I lost that long ago, right after high school.”

Kensuke raised an eyebrow. “You’re quite the adventurous woman, aren’t you?”

“Same goes for you.”

Next, Kensuke and Natsuki Koshimizu discussed some matters regarding the civil lawsuit.

As for Conan, who would soon become the defendant…

Who cares about him?

The law is already lenient enough, granting minors certain rights.

If we were to show even more leniency to these troublesome kids, the law itself would become a joke.

…

As night fell, the skyscrapers lit up one by one.

In Tokyo, thousands of lights burned brightly, neon signs flickered, making it as bright as day and as lively as during the daytime.

Conan walked alone on the street, his head lowered, his expression dazed.

On another street, Ran Mouri was anxiously searching for him, the child who hadn’t returned home.

Conan remained oblivious.

His world was silent; the city’s hustle and bustle didn’t concern him, the vibrant nightlife didn’t concern him, the anxiety of his friends and family didn’t concern him.

Nothing concerned him.

In his mind, only Kensuke’s words from their confrontation earlier in the day echoed like a tolling bell.

“Was I really wrong?”

He kept repeating such questions and walked around like a zombie.

Unconsciously, he found himself in front of a phone booth.

He took out a coin and inserted it.

This action was subconscious; he instinctively wanted to talk to someone, to vent his inner turmoil.

But when he picked up the phone and tried to dial a number, he suddenly realized.

Who could he call? Who could he talk to? Heiji?

They got along well, but he was from Osaka, and they hadn’t met often.

Besides, he probably had no time to talk now. After what happened today, his family wouldn’t let him off easily, and he was likely being scolded harshly right now.

Yusaku Kudo? Yukiko Kudo?

His parents were often abroad, and there was a gap between them due to the distance. What could he say to them? Calling Ran Mouri as Shinichi Kudo? She wouldn’t understand his feelings.

After thinking it over, Conan realized.

Someone like him didn’t have anyone to call and confide in.