Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
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When Andrew, who had been waiting by the elevator, saw Ritsu again, the mask was already off his face, revealing a youthful and handsome appearance.
'Sir is actually sending someone this young to infiltrate that organization? Isn't that too risky?'
Andrew shook his head. How could he question his superior's decision? He took out a sealed file envelope and handed it to Ritsu.
"Mr. Sasajima, please follow me to the lounge. After reviewing the contents, you are to destroy them. Of course, some items will need to be kept and carried with you."
"…Understood."
Inside the single-person lounge, less than ten square meters, Ritsu sat on the sofa and untied the cotton string wrapped around the file. Inside were over twenty sheets of documents, along with identification cards, a passport, and various materials to establish a new identity.
Looking at the ID, the photo and age hadn't changed, but the name, nationality, and even parts of the personal history were completely different, fabricated.
Nanase Toru, male, 19, American. Born in Austin, Texas. Both parents died in a car accident four years ago. Currently a PhD student in biochemistry at Columbia University.
"…They even verified the details of his parents' deaths. There are records of academic evaluations during his school years as well… Impressive," Ritsu murmured.
It was as if this person, Nanase Toru, had truly existed.
After carefully reviewing his identity, background, and all the points he needed to remember, Ritsu moved on to the information about the organization he would infiltrate, along with the method for successfully gaining entry.
Once he finished reading everything, he followed Andrew's instructions and burned all the documents.
Including his own identification as Sasajima Ritsu.
Placing Nanase Toru's belongings back into the envelope, Ritsu stood and opened the lounge door. Andrew, waiting outside, bowed respectfully.
"Mr. Nanase, I will escort you back to your apartment."
"…Alright."
So from this moment on, he was no longer Sasajima Ritsu.
After returning to his apartment, Ritsu gave himself half an hour to pack a few simple belongings.
He had never been one to take photos. The only picture he had was a group photo taken on graduation day at the police academy, captured by Instructor Onizuka of the six of them.
Staring at the photo placed in the living room, Ritsu took out his phone and deleted every contact in his address book, including the emails he had always hesitated to erase.
He looked at the photo for a long time.
Then, with a silent sigh, he burned it.
He could not leave behind any trace of Sasajima Ritsu's life. Every connection tied to that identity had to be severed.
Only then could he fully adapt to his false identity.
Only then could he truly become Nanase Toru.
He did not change the apartment password, it belonged to Sasajima Ritsu.
He did not take the car keys, they did not belong to Nanase Toru.
He headed to Narita International Airport and boarded a flight bound for New York.
Before departure, Ritsu handed Andrew a resignation letter he had written himself.
"I'll leave the matter of my identity at the Metropolitan Police Department to you. This is my resignation letter."
"It will all be handled properly, Mr. Nanase… Have a pleasant journey."
'A journey…?'
"…Goodbye."
Stepping onto that flight meant that every trace of Sasajima Ritsu would gradually disappear.
All that would remain… was Nanase Toru, a person born entirely from fabricated information.
The first step to becoming an undercover agent—
Was to kill your former self.
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1:24 AM (U.S. time)
After a 13-hour flight covering 6,736.99 miles, he arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
Standing by the baggage carousel, Ritsu quietly waited for his suitcase. When it appeared, he effortlessly lifted the 30-inch black luggage with one hand and strode toward the terminal.
There was no one assigned to meet him.
Carrying all his documents and belongings, he took a taxi to Columbia University, located at Broadway and 166th Street in Manhattan.
After presenting his student ID, he entered the campus without issue. Even a single dormitory room had already been prepared for him.
The National Police Agency's reach was truly formidable.
In the modest twenty-square-meter suite, Ritsu unpacked his belongings, took a quick shower, and climbed into bed.
Tomorrow morning, he would carry out his first approach.
Drying his damp hair, his gaze fell on a two-inch ID photo.
Short tea-colored hair styled in soft waves. Lake-blue eyes that marked her as mixed-race.
She was beautiful, with a youthful face.
According to the file… she was only eleven years old.
Yet she was already a university student majoring in biochemistry, with exceptional proficiency in medicine and anatomy.
There was always someone greater out there.
At such a young age, she had achieved so much, and yet, she was a member of the Black Organization.
Miyano Shiho, female, 11. Currently studying biochemistry at Columbia University. Both parents deceased in an accident. Only remaining family member: her older sister, Miyano Akemi, 18, a third-year student at Teitan High School.
Ritsu tore the photo into pieces, burned them, and flushed the ashes down the toilet.
Turning off the last bedside lamp, he fell into a deep sleep.
'Hopefully tomorrow's first contact will go well.'
His habit of being unable to sleep well in unfamiliar places was hard to shake. He spent most of the night in light sleep, and even on the plane he hadn't rested properly.
Rubbing his aching temples, Ritsu climbed out of bed.
He put on a light blue shirt, dark gray slacks, and carefully tied a navy tie in front of the mirror. Draping a white lab coat over his shoulders, he clipped his ID to the left chest pocket.
After smoothing out the wrinkles in the coat, he stepped out of the dormitory, carrying a stack of prepared documents as he headed toward the campus cafeteria.
The cafeteria was unmistakably American, breakfasts were essentially calorie bombs. No wonder so many Americans tended to gain weight.
Taking a serving of Eggs Benedict, Ritsu deliberately chose a quiet corner seat, one table away from Shiho, and began eating.
Sliced ham, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce, there was no way that combination could taste bad. The toasted bread beneath was soft and slightly sweet, topped with crispy crumbs that added texture and a hint of roasted aroma.
Delicious.
Shiho, meanwhile, was enjoying her favorite peanut butter and blueberry jam sandwich, paired with a bitter cup of black coffee.
It should have been a peaceful morning.
But the moment she caught sight of the two men in black watching her from a distance, her mood soured.
She had been studying in the U.S. for six years, yet the organization's surveillance had never loosened.
As if she could run.
She had no financial independence, was in a foreign country, and most importantly… had no social circle. The only person she cared about was far away in Tokyo.
How could she possibly escape?
Taking a sip of her warm coffee, Shiho briefly noticed the black-haired young man in a lab coat sitting ahead of her.
Then immediately looked away.
At the same time, Ritsu observed her from the corner of his eye, also noting the men in black nearby.
It seemed approaching her here wasn't an option.
When she stood up with her tray and left, Ritsu did the same.
Based on her routine, she would most likely head to that place.
Leaving at a quicker pace, he arrived first at Columbia University's library.
Waiting for the rabbit required patience.
Standing before a bookshelf, Ritsu held a biology journal in his hands.
But his eyes were fixed on the library entrance.
Soon enough, that tea-colored figure entered his field of vision.
The rabbit… had arrived.
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[Author's Note: Congratulations to Miyano Shiho for making her appearance!]
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