After Kishida fled the scene, Ren Kuroda turned back toward Ran, Sonoko, and Shinichi with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry about that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck as if embarrassed. "I just… lost it for a second when I saw his face."
Ran shook her head, her expression firm. "Don't apologize, Kuroda-kun. It's that man's fault for being so horrible! To treat someone like that… it's unforgivable!"
"Yeah! You did the right thing!" Sonoko said, her eyes blazing with righteous fury. "Guys like that need to be punched in the face at least once in their lives. Preferably more than once!"
Shinichi frowned slightly, trying to stay diplomatic. "I understand how you felt, but next time… maybe don't use violence if you can help it. If he reports you, it could turn into a big mess."
Peaceful times, he thought, didn't need fists to solve problems.
Ren didn't argue. He simply nodded once and said evenly, "Thanks for understanding."
Then his gaze slid past them toward the woman named Koto—who was standing stiffly, her expression pale. The unexpected outburst had completely shattered her original plan.
After a long, uneasy hesitation, she finally pulled her friend Reiko along and quickly left the scene.
Ren watched them go, but his face stayed calm.
He hadn't done it to save her, not really. He'd only acted because he didn't want Sonoko to look back on today's "date" and remember it smeared with blood and tragedy.
If he'd come here alone, he would've just stood back and watched the chaos unfold.
But because this outing was with Sonoko, the roller-coaster murder case needed to not happen.
That was reason enough.
At that moment, Shinichi leaned closer and muttered under his breath, "Hey, Kuroda. Did you notice those two guys in black behind us?"
Ren didn't even turn his head. "Yeah. I saw them."
He'd already spotted Gin and Vodka earlier—two men dressed head-to-toe in black, radiating danger like open gun barrels.
They looked like textbook gangsters. And since both were men with that ominous presence, they naturally drew attention.
"They give off a really weird vibe…" Shinichi whispered. "Something about them feels wrong."
Ren shot him a sidelong glance. "Shinichi, you call yourself a detective, don't you? Then you should know better than to judge people by appearances. Making assumptions is a rookie mistake."
He smirked faintly. "Maybe they just look scary. And think about it—what kind of real gangsters come to an amusement park for a day on the roller coaster?"
"So my guess?" He shrugged. "Cosplayers. Probably hardcore anime fans reenacting their favorite characters."
He'd spent enough time with Shinichi lately to respect him—sharp mind, good heart, always chasing justice. But that's exactly why Ren didn't want him anywhere near the Organization.
They're mine to handle, he thought grimly. You wouldn't survive that world.
"Hmm…" Shinichi frowned, unable to find a proper counterargument.
He knew Kuroda's point made sense. As much as his instincts screamed danger, judging people without evidence was unprofessional—especially for a detective.
Suspicion without proof wasn't deduction; it was prejudice.
He sighed and decided to let it go—for now.
After waiting about twenty minutes, the group finally boarded the roller coaster.
With Koto gone, everything went smoothly. Ran, Sonoko, and Shinichi all screamed with delight, enjoying the wild speed and sharp turns.
Ren, meanwhile, wasn't here for the thrill.
While the coaster whipped and dove through the air, he lifted his binoculars again, carefully scanning the park.
There.
He spotted Korn—hiding in the slanted shadows of a rooftop, perfectly camouflaged. Only the faint glint of a sniper barrel gave him away.
Ren couldn't help but smirk. Before he'd ever crossed worlds, he'd spent years mastering FPS games. Hiding, sniping, ambushing—he knew every trick in the book.
Without that experience, he probably wouldn't have spotted the man so quickly.
Both snipers located.
Then everything's in place.
He lowered the binoculars, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
When the ride ended, the four of them stepped back onto solid ground.
Shinichi, however, couldn't relax. His detective instincts were tingling stronger than ever.
No matter what Kuroda said, those men in black were suspicious—extremely suspicious.
He couldn't ignore it.
And then, just as he was watching them, Vodka glanced around nervously and slipped into a patch of dense bushes nearby.
That sealed it.
He's up to something.
Shinichi's mind was made up. He had to check it out. Even if he turned out to be wrong, he needed to know the truth.
He stopped walking. "Ran, you go on ahead with Kuroda and Sonoko. There's something important I have to take care of."
Ran blinked in confusion. "Huh? Important? What are you talking about?"
"Hey, hey, Shinichi!" Sonoko protested immediately. "You're on a date! You can't just ditch your girlfriend halfway through!"
Ren cut in smoothly, already guessing what Shinichi was planning. "Looks like you're still thinking about those two guys in black, huh?"
"Yeah," Shinichi admitted, eyes narrowing. "If I don't find out what they're doing, I won't be able to relax."
Ren crossed his arms. "There's no need for you to get involved. Leave it to the police. Right, Ran? Sonoko?"
Both girls nodded vigorously—they definitely didn't want Shinichi running off again.
"Uh…" Shinichi hesitated, caught between instinct and reason. He couldn't exactly argue that the police weren't better equipped for the job.
But still… if he called the cops, it wouldn't be his investigation anymore.
"Ran," Ren said firmly before he could argue, "call the police."
"Got it!" Ran immediately understood what he was doing—keeping Shinichi from running headlong into danger. She pulled out her phone without hesitation.
Within moments, she'd reported everything clearly, describing the suspicious men and their location in detail.
When she hung up, she turned to Shinichi with a triumphant smile. "There! The police are on their way. Now you just stay right here, okay?"
"...Fine," Shinichi said, visibly frustrated but with no excuse left.
Ran's smile widened in relief. Finally, she thought. He's not running off this time. She gave Ren a grateful glance.
If it weren't for him stepping in, Shinichi would've disappeared again—just like always. She'd have to thank him later.
Ren gave them a reassuring nod. "You guys wait here for the police. I'll go hit the restroom."
Once Shinichi agreed to stay put, Ren turned and walked off calmly—finally free to move toward his real mission.
Shinichi watched him go, eyes narrowing slightly.
A few seconds later, he forced an awkward grin and said, "Uh… I just realized I need the restroom too. Wait here for the cops—we'll be right back!"
Before Ran or Sonoko could react, he bolted.
As soon as he turned the corner and disappeared from their sight, he veered sharply off-course—straight toward the bushes where Vodka had gone.
He couldn't help the smirk tugging at his lips. Ha. Outsmarted again.
With that, the young detective sprinted off into danger—utterly unaware of the trap already waiting for him.