Purple-hair whisked to hospital by ambulance; Shuichi stayed, briefing cops.
Megure took notes; Sameshima led the sweep for thugs.
"Here—gun and bullets," Shuichi handed over. "From the boss."
"Urgh..." Megure eyed the weapon warily. "Hayashi-kun, too risky—you shouldn't've jumped in."
"Without me, she'd be dead. Now? She's en route to ER," Shuichi smiled. "Good outcome, no?"
"You..." Megure sighed, pen up. "From when you sensed trouble."
"We were on the Ferris wheel—Reiko spotted first..."
Shout cut him: his name. Eri's group, cordoned outside.
"Let 'em in," Megure waved.
"Shuichi!"
Eri rushed first, pat-down for wounds, then crushed him in a hug—eyes red, voice cracking. "Ambulance, gunshot talk—I panicked!"
"Not me hurt..." Before finish, Yukiko and Reiko piled on, clinging.
"Onii-chan!" Reiko sniffled.
"Stubborn idiot!" Yukiko teared up, scolding. "You know how scared we were?!"
Megure watched, wistful. Why no pretty girls fuss over me? My gigs are deadly too...
"Hayashi-kun, notes later."
Eyes averted for peace, he bolted to the house.
Girls wept till Shuichi's tee soaked through, then released.
Breath easing—Kogoro arms-wide: "Shuichi, my hug!"
"Pass," Shuichi dodged.
"Color over bro, huh?!" Kogoro griped. "Gunshot victim—the micro-shorts black-stocking babe?"
"Bingo," Shuichi nodded. "Clashed with thugs at soda shop—gut-shot, fled here."
"She okay?" Yukiko fretted. "Will she..."
"Touchy," Shuichi grave. "Alert when found—faded from blood loss. Hospital call now."
"Clash?" Eri guessed. "Found what they hunted?"
"Yeah—pigeon-egg ruby," Shuichi sized. "Jeweler's loss last week."
"Newspapered it," Yukiko recalled, head tilt. "Phantom Lady's hit!"
"Looks like: thugs faked her, swiped gem," Shuichi said. "Then infight—hid it at Ori-kasa's flower shop."
"Lucky Ori-kasa," Yukiko relieved. "Last night home? Disaster."
"Phantom Lady?"
Eri frowned, recalling Shuichi's line: Can't say her identity—not good, not bad.
Click: "Shuichi, is she..."
He clapped her mouth: "Hush—walls have ears."
"Mm." Eri nodded wise.
"Onii-chan, what's that mean?" Reiko wedged in, pouty. "Secret talk?"
"Guess it," Shuichi patted her cat-ear cap. "Eri got it—you will too."
Reiko, Eri-rival, dropped it—pondered.
Yukiko eyed them, swallowed her question—brain-ached.
"Easy," Kogoro boomed smug. "I cracked it ages ago."
"Spill," Shuichi curious.
"Purple miss? Undercover cop gem-hunting," Kogoro puffed. "You hid it—thug ears."
"Uh..."
Shuichi blinked speechless. Kogoro: sharp on others, wild on rest.
"Dolt," Yukiko snapped. "If undercover, why hush Eri?"
"This..." Kogoro paused, then: "Right—mission ongoing, still secret. Nailed it, Shuichi?"
"Nope." Shuichi X-ed. "All wrong!"
"No way?" Kogoro scratched head. "What else? Can't be thief—"
Self-squash: "Nah, pretty girl? No thief!"
"Thief..." Reiko lit up, ear-whisper: "Onii-chan, she's Phantom Lady—gem chase to clear her name, right?"
"Spot on," Shuichi scooped her spin-hug. "Smart Reiko—future ace prosecutor like auntie-uncle."
"Hee," Reiko preened at Eri. "Eri-neechan, I'll crush you in court someday."
"Bring it," Eri scoffed.
Yukiko glanced between, curiosity peak—but headache won.
Screw it—not lawyer material!
(End of Chapter)
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/TripleCrown07
If you guys wanna check it out.