After finalizing that dark plan with Tomoko Suzuki, Kanjuro resumed his refined and gentle disguise and calmly walked out of the study. Just as he stepped down the stairs, he saw Suzuki Ayako kneeling before a low table in the living room, focused on pruning a branch of elegant iris. Other floral materials were scattered beside her as she practiced her daily flower arrangement. The dim light spilled over her quiet profile, making her look exceptionally soft and gentle.
Kanjuro paused for a moment, then a flawless, gentle smile spread across his face as he walked over slowly.
"Miss Ayako has quite the refined taste." His voice was clear, breaking the silence of the living room.
Ayako looked up at the sound. Seeing it was Kanjuro, a soft smile immediately appeared on her face, along with a hint of shyness. "Mr. Kanjuro. Are you finished talking with my mother?"
"Yes, we just had a simple chat about academic topics." Kanjuro naturally knelt on the cushion opposite her, his gaze appreciative as he looked at the floral materials and the vessel that was already beginning to take shape. "A beautiful atmosphere. It has the character of 'Rikka,' seeking the natural posture of plants while revealing true meaning within the rules."
Ayako was somewhat surprised, her eyes brightening slightly. "Mr. Kanjuro also understands the Way of Flowers?"
"I know a bit." Kanjuro smiled modestly, his gaze sweeping over the flower vessel, accurately pointing out a subtle nuance in the color transition. "The Way of Tea is the same. 'Harmony, Respect, Purity, and Tranquility'—it seems like etiquette for hosting guests for tea, but it is actually a tempering of one's inner state. Just like this flower arrangement, the choice of every branch and the tilt of every angle reflects the current state of mind of the arranger."
He began to talk eloquently, from Sen no Rikyu's 'Wabi-sabi' aesthetics to the rules of the Enshu school of flower arrangement. His words were neither boastful nor superficial, offering unique insights and citing classics with ease. Suzuki Ayako had originally just considered him an interesting friend brought by her sister, but now she was listening intently, the look of admiration in her eyes growing stronger. Born into a wealthy family, she had encountered many so-called talents, but someone like Kanjuro, who integrated elegance into his very being and carried a transcendent aura in his speech, was truly rare.
During the conversation, Kanjuro's gaze always rested gently on Ayako, but deep within that gaze was an imperceptible trace of scrutiny and pity. He suddenly shifted the topic slightly, his tone carrying a well-timed sense of lament:
"However, while chatting with Miss Ayako is as pleasant as a spring breeze, it always makes me feel... as if you are a bird meticulously raised in a golden cage, or rather, an elegant canary that has lost the sky. All your words and actions follow a predetermined path. It is beautiful, yes, but it lacks a bit of... unrestrained vitality."
These words were like a fine needle, gently pricking the most hidden corner of Ayako's heart. Her hand pruning the flower branch paused slightly, her long eyelashes lowered, and a flash of gloom crossed her face, though it was quickly covered by a proper smile. She sighed softly, her tone carrying a resigned calm:
"Mr. Kanjuro observes very closely. Being born into the Suzuki Family, many things... are decided from birth. Just like this flower arrangement, no matter how much one seeks nature, it is ultimately within a fixed vessel, following the laws of a school. Freedom... is a very luxurious thing. No one can truly change their own destiny, can they?"
Her words revealed a deep sense of helplessness, a true emotion she rarely showed to outsiders.
Seeing her pretense of strength, a strange connection rooted in blood gave Kanjuro a complex emotion, but more than that, it was a domineering sense of "how can I let others covet what is mine." He smiled gently, his tone encouraging:
"Don't say that. Destiny may set the frame, but the colors within the frame can still be painted by oneself."
He skillfully steered the conversation away, beginning to chat with Ayako about her personal interests, from her favorite classical literature to the modern music she occasionally listened to, from her love of gardening to her quietly held opinions on certain social issues. Kanjuro could always accurately pick up her topics and offer novel and interesting insights, sometimes humorous, sometimes profound.
Under his guidance, Ayako began to speak more, her cheeks flushing with a faint red due to excitement and engagement. She found that talking with Kanjuro was an extremely pleasant thing; he seemed able to see through her thoughts and understand those subtle feelings she couldn't express to her family or even her fiancé. An indescribable sense of closeness and attraction quietly germinated in her heart, causing her heartbeat to quicken involuntarily, and her gaze found it increasingly difficult to move away from his handsome and intelligent face.
(Mr. Kanjuro... he is truly special... When I'm with him, I feel completely relaxed, as if... I've found someone who understands me...)
Watching his daughter gradually let down her guard in front of him, revealing the delicate charm of a young girl, the subtle resemblance between her gentle eyes and his own, and the unconcealed admiration and flutter in her gaze... In Kanjuro's heart, an evil thought, mixed with the bonds of blood, absolute possessiveness, and dark control, grew and intertwined like a wild vine.
(My daughter... so lovely, so pure...)
(My blood flows in her veins; she is one of my most perfect creations.)
(How could I... let her marry a mediocrity like Tomizawa Yuzo?)
(She is mine... she can only belong to me... whether as a father, or as...)
A blueprint for an even more twisted, more unacceptable plan flashed in his deep eyes. The smile on his face grew increasingly gentle and intoxicating, forming a stark contrast to the darkness surging within him. This conspiracy against the Suzuki Conglomerate, thanks to the "unexpected" pawn, Suzuki Ayako, seemed to be sliding toward a more forbidden direction that even Tomoko Suzuki had not foreseen.
As the night deepened, Kanjuro appropriately suggested taking his leave. Suzuki Ayako naturally stood up and said softly, "I'll walk you out, Mr. Kanjuro."
Kanjuro did not refuse, nodding with a smile. The two walked side-by-side out of the main villa, where the atmosphere remained somewhat heavy, and entered the courtyard. The cold moonlight poured down like mercury, bathing the carefully manicured flora in a hazy silver glow, also outlining Ayako's gentle profile.
The air was filled with the fresh scent of night plants, along with a faint, subtle fragrance emanating from Ayako. They walked in silence for a stretch, but the atmosphere was not awkward; instead, a strange tranquility spread between them.
Upon reaching the stately front gate of the villa, Kanjuro stopped and turned to face Ayako. Under the moonlight, his face appeared even more incomparably handsome, and his deep eyes seemed to hold stars in the night as he gazed intently at her.
"This is far enough, Miss Ayako." His voice was softer than the evening breeze. "I enjoyed talking with you tonight."
Ayako looked up, meeting his gaze. Her heart skipped a beat for no reason, and her cheeks felt slightly warm. She softly murmured, "Mm."
As if remembering something, Kanjuro curved his lips into a reassuring arc and reminded her, "Don't forget our date next month to see Yoko Okino's concert. I'm really looking forward to it."
At the mention of the date, Ayako's eyes instantly lit up, as if stars had fallen into them. She nodded vigorously, a pure and joyful smile blooming on her face: "Yes! I remember! I'm looking forward to it too!"
In this moment, she was no longer the Suzuki Family eldest daughter bound by familial duty and marriage contracts, but rather an ordinary girl about to go on a date with someone she admired. Watching her smile, the complex emotion deep within Kanjuro's eyes, stemming from their blood connection, surged again, carrying a satisfaction mixed with possessiveness and a kind of warped adoration that he himself didn't fully understand.
The atmosphere was perfect, the moonlight hazy. Ayako looked at Kanjuro, her lips moving slightly, a strong impulse surging in her heart. She wanted to tell him more—tell him about the pressure of being the eldest daughter of the Suzuki Family, tell him about the invisible shackles of the commercial marriage, tell him about the deepest yearning for even a tiny bit of freedom... She felt that Kanjuro was the one who could understand and listen to her.
(Mr. Kanjuro... he is so gentle, so understanding... If I told him...)
However, the words reached her lips but were swallowed back. The lady's education she had received for so long, her awareness of family responsibilities, and the moral obligation she felt deep down toward her fiancé, Tomizawa Yuzo, despite lacking love, acted like an invisible barrier, blocking her almost overflowing desire to confide.
(No... I can't do this...)
(Mr. Kanjuro and I are only new acquaintances, or perhaps, Sonoko's friend...)
(I am already engaged... I can't... I can't harbor any more unrealistic fantasies, nor can I cause trouble for others...)
The light in her eyes dimmed slightly, covered once more by a veil of politeness that was also self-protection. She subtly stepped back half a pace, restoring a distance more appropriate for social etiquette. Her face still held a gentle smile, but it carried a hint more reserved formality than before.
"Mr. Kanjuro, please be careful on your way." she said softly, neatly tucking away all her surging emotions.
Kanjuro was exceptionally perceptive, immediately catching her subtle change and the struggle and restraint behind her hesitant silence. He understood, but chose not to expose it, maintaining his perfectly gentle smile.
"Very well, thank you, Miss Ayako. Please also bid farewell to Sonoko and the Madam for me." He bowed slightly, his posture impeccable.
"I will."
Kanjuro took one last deep look at her. His gaze was complex and hard to decipher, containing admiration, a hint of pity, and more dark, unknown calculations. Then, he turned and calmly stepped onto the moonlit street, his silhouette quickly vanishing into the depths of the night.
Suzuki Ayako stood alone by the gate, gazing in the direction he had disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time. The evening breeze ruffled her hair, bringing a chill. She sighed softly, carefully burying the strange, nascent feelings of admiration and fluttering excitement, along with the secrets she couldn't speak, back into the deepest recesses of her heart.
She turned and walked back into the opulent yet stifling villa, putting back on the perfect mask named "Suzuki Ayako." However, after tonight, something seemed to have quietly changed.
A few days later, on the rooftop of Teitan High School during lunchtime.
"Ran! Don't you think Big Brother Ye Xiao is super—perfect?" Sonoko cupped her face in her hands, pink hearts practically bubbling in her eyes, as she excitedly shook Ran's arm. "He's handsome, gentle, and so talented! Even my mother seemed a little strange after meeting him that day!"
Ran was shaken into helplessness by Sonoko, but at the mention of Kanjuro, a warm smile involuntarily appeared on her face. She had never experienced that feeling of "older brother" care from her father, Kogoro Mouri. "Yes, Big Brother Ye Xiao... he really is very kind and considerate."
They didn't notice Shinichi Kudo, hands in his pockets, leaning coolly against the doorway leading to the rooftop, listening to every word of their conversation. The moment he heard the name "Kanjuro," his brows immediately furrowed tightly.
"Hey! You two!" He couldn't help but speak up, striding over with a serious expression. "Didn't I tell you to stay away from that Kanjuro? That person is dangerous!"
Ran's smile faded slightly when she saw Shinichi Kudo. She quietly tugged on Sonoko's sleeve, signaling with her eyes not to reveal that Kanjuro was her "older brother." Sonoko understood the hint, and although she didn't know why Ran was hiding it, she cooperated by keeping quiet.
"Shinichi, there you go again." Ran looked at him with some displeasure. "Mr. Kanjuro is genuinely a good person. Why do you always have a prejudice against him? Besides, we're just interacting normally."
363
"Prejudice?" Shinichi Kudo was infuriated. He tried to explain his intuition and the clues he had investigated, but was frustrated by the lack of concrete evidence. "It's not prejudice! I'm concerned about you! That Kanjuro appeared too coincidentally, and there's an indescribable strangeness about him! Don't you know..."
"We know you're concerned about us!" Sonoko couldn't help but interject, cutting Shinichi Kudo off. She put her hands on her hips, taking a stance to defend Ran and Kanjuro. "But Kudo, you're being too nosy! It's Ran's freedom who she makes friends with! And besides—"
She deliberately dragged out her tone, gave Ran a knowing look, then turned to Shinichi Kudo and delivered the killing blow:
"You're not Ran's boyfriend, so what right do you have to interfere with her business?"
The sentence hit Shinichi Kudo with the precision of an arrow. His face instantly flushed a suspicious red, and his eyes darted away nervously; he even forgot to strike his signature detective pose. Sticking out his neck, he tried to cover his inner embarrassment with his usual pride:
"I-idiot! Who, who said that was the reason! I-I'm just warning you as a friend! Anyway... anyway, that Kanjuro is very suspicious, and you shouldn't get too close to him!"
His final tone was almost overbearing, carrying the awkwardness typical of a teenager who isn't good at expressing concern.
Ran felt a little uneasy seeing Shinichi Kudo like this. She understood Shinichi meant well, but she also trusted her own feelings and judgment. She shook her head, her tone firm:
"Shinichi, I know you are looking out for us. But you can't judge a person based only on feeling. Mr. Kanjuro... at least so far, he has been very kind to me and to Sonoko. I can't distance myself from a friend who treats me sincerely just because of your unsubstantiated suspicion."
Her words were reasonable and left Shinichi Kudo speechless for a moment. Seeing the trust and defense of Kanjuro in Ran's eyes, a nameless anxiety and sense of powerlessness surged in his heart. He gritted his teeth, knowing that anything he said now would be useless.
"Fine, have it your way!" He finally turned around in a huff, waving his hand dismissively at their backs. "Don't blame me when you suffer the consequences because I didn't warn you!"
With that, he strode off the rooftop without looking back, though his retreating figure seemed clearly stamped with annoyance and frustration.
Sonoko made a face at his retreating back, then leaned close to Ran and whispered, "Look at him, he's clearly jealous but won't admit it! Ran, you have to stand firm! Big Brother Ye Xiao is so perfect; he's much better than a certain Deduction Maniac!"
Ran didn't respond, she just looked at the doorway where Shinichi Kudo had disappeared and sighed softly. On one side was the warning from her childhood friend, given out of concern; on the other was the warmth brought by the long-desired "older brother." A faint sense of confusion and conflict arose in her heart. The scale of trust had begun to tilt, without her even noticing.
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