Bang! Bang! Bang!
The muzzle flashed with each shot, casting brief bursts of light as shell casings flew through the air. Brass-colored bullets punched through the paper target, one after another, forming a tight cluster of holes.
"Your aim is decent," the coach said coldly, "but your arm movements are still stiff."
"This is fine for a stationary target. But if you were aiming at someone moving—especially someone capable of evasive maneuvers—your draw and trigger pull would be far too rigid."
"…It is a bit difficult," Eitan replied, smiling wryly.
The coach scoffed in response.
To be honest, he looked down on Eitan's gentle, polished appearance.
He didn't understand why Gin-sama valued this kid so much.
Still… his reflexes were undeniably sharp. Even if his physical strength was average, his reaction speed was impressive.
After a few more rounds—
"That's enough shooting for today. You're dismissed."
"Alright. But before I leave… could I trouble you to sign here, Coach?"
Eitan suddenly produced a pen and slip of paper, smiling pleasantly.
"What?"
"I have a habit of collecting names. Whenever I meet someone interesting, I can't help myself."
The coach gave him a long, speechless look.
"…Nonsense."
Despite his tone, Gin's prior instructions rang in his ears—try to accommodate him as much as possible. With a reluctant grunt, he scribbled his name on the paper.
Eitan accepted it with the same warm smile.
But that smile... had subtly shifted.
"This isn't nonsense at all," he murmured.
"A name carries weight—it holds a person's entire life. It's not an exaggeration to say it's equal to life itself."
What ridiculous nonsense.
The coach paused, sneered, and turned to leave without another word.
Eitan didn't linger either.
After making sure there was no lingering scent of gunpowder on him, he left the underground training facility.
By now, nearly a week had passed since the autograph session, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened during that time.
Even Gin had remained uncharacteristically quiet.
What was worth celebrating, however, was that thanks to Futaba Publishing's aggressive promotion, Eitan's new novel had been warmly received, and his popularity had risen considerably.
A large part of that came from his appearance at the signing—his looks had attracted a wave of new female fans. Futaba Publishing had capitalized on this by using his appearance as a marketing point, to the extent that there were rumors they might print his face on the next book cover.
On top of that, Yoko Okino's surprise appearance at the signing had landed them in the entertainment news. The traffic from that alone had skyrocketed.
In fact, within his new fanbase, there were already whispers about hoping he'd debut as an idol. Even Yoko's manager, Yamagishi Sakae, had begun calling now and then to ask if Eitan had any interest in the entertainment industry.
---
Ring-ring! Ring-ring!
"Hello, it's me."
"Excuse me, Eitan-sensei? This is Asamiya Nanae."
"Good afternoon, Ms. Asamiya."
"Good afternoon, Sensei. Sorry to bother you so suddenly—our publishing house is planning to have you appear on a detective variety program on Nichimai TV. What do you think?"
"A detective show? Could you tell me more?"
"Certainly. It's called All Japan Detective Agency Unit, and it airs every weekend evening. The host presents real unsolved cases sent in by viewers across the country. Occasionally, the show invites celebrities to join the panel."
"That does sound interesting."
"As a mystery author, it suits you perfectly. Plus, the program's ratings are excellent—great exposure for promotion."
"I see. Would it be alright if I watched a few episodes first before giving a definite answer?"
"Of course. I'll wait for your decision."
After hanging up, Eitan filed the matter away mentally.
---
He took a cab back to Beika Second Apartment. But instead of entering his own unit, he stopped at the door across the hall and rang the bell.
Click—
The door opened. Standing there was Eri Kisaki.
"Come in, Eitan."
"Thanks."
"You went out for training again? Are you tired?"
"A little." Eitan slipped off his shoes and put on indoor slippers. "But things have been pretty slow lately, so I figured I should move around more."
"Hmm… boys who enjoy staying active are very appealing," Eri said with a playful smile.
Her features carried the elegance of a mature woman. Despite being the mother of a high school girl, she looked barely a day over thirty—fair skin, graceful curves, and a presence that exuded femininity.
"Aunt Eri, were you watching TV just now?"
"Actually," she said, turning to look back into the room, "I was mostly on the phone with Ran."
Eri poured a glass of water and placed it gently in front of Eitan.
"Speaking of which, she just asked me the other day if she still had a cousin like you. Said she ran into your autograph session when she went with a friend to the bookstore."
"That day really was a coincidence. Even though we only met briefly, I could tell Ran's a very impressive girl."
"Why do you sound so old-fashioned? You're only a few years older than her," Eri laughed softly. "Oh, by the way—if you don't mind, maybe try hanging out with Ran and her friends more often. Staying cooped up inside all day isn't healthy... And if you're with her, I'll feel a lot more at ease."
"If there's an opportunity."
"She mentioned going to Toro Tropical Land this Sunday. Are you interested?"
Eitan didn't refuse, and Eri looked quite pleased.
She was well aware that her daughter seemed to orbit around Yukiko's son lately…
After all, they were childhood friends, and she understood the bond. Shinichi had grown up under her watch—his abilities and character were both commendable. But the one flaw?
He was a detective.
Always charging headfirst into cases, recklessly at times.
And due to someone she once knew, Eri had developed a subtle disdain for the detective profession.
In contrast, Eitan gave her peace of mind.
Gentle, well-mannered, and undeniably capable. Add in his refined appearance—Eri couldn't find a single fault.
"I'm a bit interested," Eitan said, "but this Sunday, I might be filming a program."
"A program?"
"Yes. All Japan Detective Agency Unit on Nichimai TV. Ms. Asamiya just called about it."
"Oh, that one."
Eri's eyes lit up, and she smiled. "I'll be sure to tune in then, Auntie's promise."
"Hopefully they allow audience seats," Eitan chuckled. "I'll try to perform well."
Still, his thoughts had already shifted to Toro Tropical Land.
If nothing unexpected occurred, the story would begin soon.
---
Sunday
Nichimai TV Station – Studio
"Hoo! Hoo!"
"Sound check."
"Mic line—good."
"Camera angle adjusted."
"Eitan-sensei, ready?"
"No problem."
The stage manager was efficient, juggling the crew while the assistant producer prepped Eitan.
Eitan himself remained composed.
He scanned the audience section, spotting Asamiya Nanae and Eri seated in the front row. Eri gave him a subtle hand gesture to cheer him on.
He returned a smile.
And then the director called:
"Stand by. Filming—start!"
---
"Good evening, everyone—"
"This week, welcome back to All Japan Detective Agency Unit," the host, Matsuo Takashi, greeted with his trademark cheerful smile and tidy middle-parted hair.
Standing beside him was the lively female co-host, who grinned and pointed to her cheeks playfully: "And I'm your assistant host, the very familiar Nagai Ayako."
"All the puzzling cases submitted by viewers across Japan—" Matsuo gestured toward the camera, "—we'll tackle them one by one."
"For today's episode, we've invited a very special guest. A mystery novelist whose last three books were all bestsellers—please welcome, Eitan-sensei."
At Ayako's cue, the camera panned to Eitan.
"Good evening."
A soft, composed smile settled on Eitan's face.
A wave of applause burst from the audience below—along with several unmistakable shrieks.
"Eitan-sensei is so handsome!!"
Even Ayako let out a gasp—not entirely scripted.
"Please become a regular guest!" she exclaimed. "If we had you every week, our ratings would skyrocket!"
"You're not aiming just for ratings anymore, Ayako." Matsuo chuckled.
"Hey, what's wrong with wanting both good ratings and good views?" she grinned. "Win-win!"
"But in that case, I'll probably be forced off-camera next episode."
"That's fine. Your voice is enough."
Laughter spread through the audience.
Eitan smiled politely. "I thought this show would be more serious."
"Oh no, we keep things light here, Sensei," Matsuo replied.
"It's a very relaxed show," Ayako nodded. Then, with a playful tone, "But really—Eitan-sensei, you're even better-looking in person. Especially sitting this close! May I ask you a question?"
"You may," Eitan replied, his smile calm, "as long as it's not a confession."
Ayako clasped her hands, beaming. "Can I confess?"
"Please don't."
"Ah!"
Laughter once again rippled through the studio.
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