"Really?!"
Hagiwara Chihaya's bright eyes widened instantly. She hurriedly raised her hand, smoothing a few stray locks of hair away from her cheeks. Her previously irritated tone shifted back into something soft and demure. "You two really need to be more careful. Don't go falling into the water again, or I'll never stop worrying."
"Haha!" Kenji doubled over, clutching his stomach as he laughed. "Nee-san, the way your face changed just now was way too fast!"
"Kenji! Are you looking for a beating?!" The sweetness vanished from Chihaya's face as it darkened with rage. She clenched her fist and gave his head a firm, grinding noogie. "How dare you lie to me!"
Kenji let out a series of exaggerated, theatrical cries of "Ouch, ouch!"
Even though Chihaya knew he was faking, she eventually let go.
"I should have known better than to bring you along," she huffed, crossing her arms. "I should have just invited Shinobu instead."
Kenji rubbed his head and gave her a pointed look. "Nee-san, if I hadn't fallen into the water, you never would have gotten a chance to talk to Shuichi-niisan. If I hadn't caused that scene, you two never would have met."
"It's not like I was desperate to meet him," Chihaya muttered, shooting her brother a look. Despite her words, a faint blush crept across her cheeks.
Beside them, Matsuda Jinpei, tired of hearing the siblings talk about the newcomer, cut in. "Chihaya-nee, Kenji, let's keep going. Looking at the map, there's still a huge part of the garden we haven't seen yet."
Back at the entrance of Korakuen, the Kujo couple sat on a bench. When they saw their daughter walking back with a face full of discontent, they both looked surprised.
"What happened, Shuichi?" Kotonai Kujo asked with a slight frown. "Did you make Reiko angry?"
"You could say that," Hayashi Shuichi replied with a helpless nod.
"Onii-chan made a new 'little sister' in there," Reiko said, her voice thick with annoyance.
"Shuichi, I know you're popular with the girls, but you can't just go around liking every one you see," Kotonai scolded. "I usually turn a blind eye to your complicated situation with Eri, but today you promised to spend the whole day with Reiko. How could you go back on your word? Look how sad she is."
"Auntie, Reiko misunderstood," Shuichi explained quickly. "We ran into the son of one of the fighters in today's boxing finals—Matsuda Jotaro's son, Jinpei."
"I wanted to get on his good side. I figured if Matsuda Jotaro wins today, I might be able to get an autograph for Uncle Yoshiyuki."
"Really?!" Yoshiyuki's eyes lit up instantly.
Kotonai shot her husband a look, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her nephew. "You didn't just come up with that excuse on the way back, did you?"
Even though she was his aunt, they had lived together for over a decade; she knew him as well as his own mother would. She was well aware of how quick-witted her nephew could be.
I actually did come up with it on the way back... Shuichi thought nervously, but he maintained a mask of calm. "Auntie, why would I lie to you?"
"You've been clever and full of tricks since you were a toddler," Kotonai huffed. "It's not like you haven't tricked me before!"
Shuichi gave a dry laugh and didn't dare push his luck further.
"Alright, Shuichi gave his explanation," Kotonai said, stroking her daughter's head. "He did it for your father, so stop being angry."
"...Why didn't Onii-chan say so earlier?" Reiko looked down, her face turning a bit shy. "I thought he just thought that girl was pretty..."
"Hagiwara isn't nearly as cute as you," Shuichi teased, pinching his sister's baby-fat-soft cheek. "Why would I need another sister when I have a precious one like you?"
After a bit more coaxing, the little cousin finally stopped being upset. She grabbed Shuichi's hand and pulled him toward a nearby cold-drink stall.
"Onii-chan, it's so hot! Let's get ice cream!"
Two hours later, as the start of the boxing match approached, the family made their way toward the Korakuen Performance Hall. On the way, Yoshiyuki couldn't stop talking about the star of the night, Matsuda Jotaro.
"Matsuda's win rate is much higher than his opponent, Kuroki Takeshi. If you really can get a winning autograph..." Yoshiyuki looked at his nephew with eyes full of hope.
"I'll find an opportunity, Uncle," Shuichi promised. "I can't guarantee I'll get it, but I'll do my best."
"That's all I ask," Yoshiyuki said with a satisfied smile.
As they reached the entrance and Yoshiyuki prepared to present the tickets, the sudden, piercing wail of police sirens cut through the air.
"Has something happened again?" Kotonai sighed. "The public safety in Beika has really been going downhill lately."
"The sirens sound like they're headed right for the Performance Hall," Shuichi noted. He sharpened his hearing, tracing the direction of the sound. A sudden, ominous feeling settled in his gut.
"I hope the match doesn't get canceled..." Reiko whispered.
Yoshiyuki quickly cut her off. "Don't say that! It was so hard to get my vacation to line up with a title fight. If we miss this final, who knows when I'll get another chance?"
As the saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall appear.
Just as Shuichi had suspected, two police cars—sirens screaming—screeched to a halt right in front of the Performance Hall entrance. The doors flew open, and several officers Shuichi didn't recognize stepped out. They moved with grim, urgent strides toward the side entrance of the hall.
Shuichi immediately followed them, with Reiko trailing behind him like a little shadow. The Kujo couple, though curious, were mindful of their positions as prosecutors; to avoid interfering with an active police scene, they stayed behind to wait for news.
Shuichi and Reiko slipped through the side entrance and into the backstage area. They hadn't gone far when they heard a child's voice shouting desperately.
"My dad couldn't have killed anyone! You must have made a mistake!"
The siblings followed the sound and found the source: it was Matsuda Jinpei.
The boy was clinging tightly to a man who shared his facial features. The man was shirtless, wearing boxing gloves, his upper body built with the lean muscle of a professional athlete.
The Hagiwara siblings were standing nearby, looking utterly helpless and anxious, clearly out of their depth. A crowd of event staff and a few photographers with cameras were also gathered around.
"You've definitely made a mistake," the man in the boxing gloves argued, his voice strained. "I'm about to fight in a final. Why would I kill someone now? I've been preparing for this match for a long time."
"Matsuda Jotaro, we have identified you as a suspect for a reason," the lead officer said, frowning impatiently. "Move your son out of the way. Unless, of course, you intend to resist arrest?"
"What is the reason?!" Jotaro clenched his fists, his face twisted with indignation. "If you don't explain it clearly, I'm not going anywhere with you!"
"I've been boxing for over ten years, and I finally made it to the finals. I won't let you destroy my dream just like that!"
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