Mihua Police Station, First-Floor Office
"Huh?"
Shuichi Hayashi froze, genuinely caught off guard. After a moment, he asked with a peculiar expression, "I just crashed an ambulance and totaled a police car—you saw it all. And you still want to learn to drive from me?"
Any normal person who witnessed such a catastrophic traffic accident would instinctively shy away from driving for a while. Who in their right mind would be eager to learn after that?
"Did you get too much rain in your head and fry your brain? You're talking nonsense now," Shuichi teased, reaching to place a hand on Yukiko Fujimine's forehead. "Doesn't feel hot, though."
"I'm not sick!" Yukiko swatted his hand away, glaring. "I'm serious about learning to drive. When I saw you chasing that ambulance, I got so thrilled, so excited. I kept thinking, 'If only I were the one driving…'"
Oh, so she's a speed junkie… Shuichi scratched his head, suddenly recalling that in the original Conan world, Yukiko was a die-hard thrill-seeker behind the wheel, one of the four legendary female drivers alongside Miwako Sato, Vermouth, and Curacao.
"Wait until you're eighteen," he said, brushing her off.
He wasn't a fan of reckless driving. In his past life as a detective, Shuichi had despised speed freaks. If it hadn't been for catching those thieves, he'd never have pushed a car past the speed limit.
"Hey! You promised to teach me!" Yukiko huffed, her cheeks puffing out. Seeing Shuichi unmoved, she grabbed his arm and put on her best cute act. "Come on, teach me, Shuichi-kun~"
"I said I'd teach you, not when," Shuichi countered, adopting a lecturing tone. "Besides, learning to drive just to race? That's the wrong mindset. You'll end up in an accident."
"You—!" Yukiko's eyes flashed with indignation, ready to call him out for backtracking, when a stern voice interrupted from behind.
"He's right, young lady. Racing is dangerous. Every year in Japan, tens of thousands die in traffic accidents, and at least a hundred are due to speeding."
Yukiko spun around to see about twenty men in suits standing behind them. For a moment, she thought they were yakuza, until she spotted the cherry blossom badges on their chests.
"Inspector Samezaki, what's this about?" Shuichi asked, recognizing one of the men.
"This is Officer Odagiri, from the First Investigation Division," Inspector Samezaki said, gesturing to the man who'd spoken, a serious-looking figure with a mustache. "Someone reported that officers at Mihua Station were attacked and had their guns stolen. Officer Odagiri brought us to provide backup."
"Toshiro Odagiri," the man said, flashing his police ID to Shuichi and Yukiko. He glanced at the scrape on Shuichi's arm, then at Chief Ono, who lingered at a distance. "No wonder this case was handled so quickly. You're the one who drove the police car and crashed the ambulance into Mihua Station, aren't you?"
"That's me," Shuichi admitted with a nod.
"You're only sixteen, correct?" Officer Odagiri frowned. "The legal driving age is eighteen."
"The law says you can't get a license, not that you can't learn," Shuichi countered. "As long as you don't drive on public roads, it's fine."
"But you did drive on public roads!" Odagiri's tone sharpened. "That's illegal."
"Officer, what's that supposed to mean?" Yukiko jumped in, alarmed that Odagiri might hold Shuichi accountable for driving without a license. "If it wasn't for Shuichi, those four thieves would've escaped! And two officers from Mihua Station would've been shot dead!"
"Sure, Shuichi drove without a license, but it was to catch those criminals!" she continued, her voice rising. "If you First Investigation Division detectives had gotten here sooner, Shuichi wouldn't have had to risk his life!"
"He put himself in danger to catch those thieves, and instead of thanking him, you're trying to pin blame on him? That's outrageous!"
Inspector Samezaki and the other officers looked sheepish. A stolen police gun was a serious incident, yet they hadn't contributed at all—Shuichi had handled it single-handedly.
"Is this girl your girlfriend?" Officer Odagiri asked with a faint smile.
Before Shuichi could respond, Yukiko's face flushed red, and she blurted, "No way! We're just classmates."
"Classmates?" Odagiri shook his head, unconvinced, and gave Shuichi a knowing look. "You understand what I meant earlier, don't you?"
"Yeah," Shuichi said, rolling his eyes. "You're reminding me that even when catching criminals, you can't just trample over the law."
He'd seen this tactic in his past life—veteran officers warning rookies that being a cop didn't make them above the law. If anything, police had to uphold it more strictly than anyone else.
"You're a natural fit for the First Investigation Division," Odagiri said, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips. "With your grades, if you work hard, you could join the career track. You—"
"No thanks," Shuichi cut in. "I told Inspector Samezaki already—I'm not interested in becoming a detective."
"Is that so?" Odagiri nodded, unfazed. "I'll be waiting for the day you change your mind." He turned to leave, calling out, "Samezaki, take two men and wrap up the case here. The rest, back to the Metropolitan Police with me."
"Yes, sir!" The twenty-odd officers responded in unison, trailing behind Odagiri with an air that almost resembled a yakuza boss and his crew.
Outside Mihua Station, Officer Sato asked, puzzled, "You're not going to push him further, sir? I thought you liked that kid."
"No need," Odagiri said with a confident smile. "He'll join the First Investigation Division eventually."
"Why's that?" Sato pressed.
"Someone who'd risk their life to catch thieves—how could they not want to be a detective?" Odagiri gestured to the headless police car parked nearby. "He'll figure it out. Being a detective is what he's meant for."
…
Back in the office, after Odagiri left, Inspector Samezaki, along with Officers Matsumoto and Megure, began taking statements from Shuichi and Yukiko.
For once, Officer Matsumoto, who usually scowled at Shuichi, was surprisingly amicable. He'd always disliked boastful detectives, believing they tarnished the reputation of the Metropolitan Police.
Until today, Shuichi had been just another detective in his eyes, no different from the rest. But seeing the wrecked police car and the ambulance crashed into Mihua Station, Matsumoto finally saw Shuichi for what he was: a kindred spirit, cut from the same cloth as the detectives he respected.
(End of Chapter)