[Cointreau will have a mission soon.][The targets have been sent to your email. Observe how they die.][Report to me afterward.]
A message suddenly lit up Vermouth's phone screen.
Her brows arched slightly.
So Rum still hasn't taken his eyes off Cointreau. Curious whether that 'accidental kill' was truly accidental, huh?What a suspicious man.
[OK.]She replied simply.
Vermouth, a seasoned intelligence operative, didn't serve directly under Rum—but she wasn't about to ignore his requests either.
And truthfully, she shared Rum's curiosity.
What kind of man is Hayashi Yoshiki?
Ever since Gin discovered him, Cointreau had shown unparalleled efficiency in the field—executing missions with clinical precision, and often via 'accidents.'
Rum had taken this very seriously from the beginning.
The organization's first known Cointreau kill was Hironobu Kishio, at the front of Beika City Aquarium. He'd been electrocuted using a glowing lightbox. From that moment, it was clear Cointreau had already mastered the art of indirect killing.
Rum believed that couldn't have been his first time.
Even for someone talented, trying such a convoluted method without practice would surely lead to failure. That could only mean—Cointreau had been refining his methods long before the Organization ever approached him.
Vermouth agreed.
And yet... the same man who killed without hesitation risked his life to save Mōri Ran. That contradiction gnawed at her.
What kind of person are you really, Jundu...?
Recently, Rum had started collecting data on all accidental deaths around Mihua City.
Vermouth took notice.
She logged into her email to check the mission objectives Rum had just sent. As her inbox loaded, the evening news flickered from the nearby television.
"Yesterday at 16:27, a man fell from the rooftop of the Yokohama Landmark Tower.""The deceased: Taiga Sano, male, 24.""According to police, he purchased low-altitude skydiving gear, likely for fame. He evaded rooftop security, jumped, and due to a parachute malfunction, tragically fell to his death.""What are young people thinking these days...?"
At the Kindaichi Detective Agency, Tōru Amuro sat in silence, watching the broadcast. His shoulders tensed slightly.
Hayashi Yoshiki—sitting nearby—smiled faintly.
"If you want fame, this isn't the way to do it."
Amuro turned, his piercing blue eyes narrowed.
"Boss," he said sternly, "you managed to survive a parachute drop from under 200 meters. I still think it's a miracle."
"I think so too." Yoshiki leaned back. "But it was either that or die in the fire. And Ran... she was with me. I couldn't let anything happen to her."
Amuro was quiet.
He couldn't fault the logic—but knowing Yoshiki did something so reckless on his day off still rattled him. Despite calling him
"Boss,"
Amuro was seven years older and secretly regarded Yoshiki as a younger brother he wanted to guide—possibly even recruit into public safety.
But to save someone important...Maybe I'd have done the same.
"Have more clients come in lately?" Yoshiki asked.
"Yeah, all thanks to your stunt."
"Hmm… maybe we should close the office for a while. Let the buzz cool off."
Yoshiki smiled again.
"Don't worry, I'll still pay you while we're closed."
"I wouldn't say no to a break... but are you sure? What if a desperate client comes along?"
"Then we hand them over to Uncle Mōri."
"Mōri Kogorō, huh..." Amuro mused.
"Honestly, he seems like a completely different person than the 'Sleeping Kogorō' in the papers. What's your take, Boss?"
"Watch while sitting. Watch while standing," Yoshiki said cryptically.
"...Huh?" Amuro blinked, confused.
Yoshiki said nothing more.
But in truth, Amuro was relieved. He'd recently received his own orders—from Rum—to investigate local accidental deaths.
That guy… he never does anything without purpose.
Could this investigation be related to Cointreau?
From the recent operation, Amuro had learned the code name. He was now part of the task force monitoring accidental homicides.
Uncovering Cointreau's identity was now a priority.
A serious gleam entered his eyes.
Yoshiki, meanwhile, had his own thoughts.
Gin had already sent him his next targets.
But with a task force now tracking these "accidental" deaths—and possibly even Rum himself watching from within the Organization—his situation had grown more dangerous.
And standing at the crossroads of both sides... was Tōru Amuro.
If he ever discovers that I'm Cointreau... and leaks it to the task force...
That would spell trouble.
Yoshiki knew Amuro's capabilities—he'd even been able to investigate Vermouth.
Underestimating him would be a mistake.
"In any case, the office is closed starting today," Yoshiki declared, rising.
"I'll call when we reopen."
Amuro smiled and nodded.
Yoshiki left the agency and got into his car. He drove a few blocks before pulling into a remote, empty lot.
He retrieved a black notebook and pen from his coat pocket.
Opening it to a specific page, he reviewed the entry:
[Sano Taiga]
[March 21, 21:21] — Witnessed a successful skydiving stunt at the Twin Towers. Became obsessed with low-altitude skydiving.
[April 7, 16:27] — Attempted to replicate the stunt at Yokohama Landmark Tower using a parachute. Made a fatal operational error during descent.
[Fell to his death.]
Yoshiki stared at the entry.
I won't let myself walk into a trap.
And it's only fair to use a disposable piece of garbage that preyed on the weak to ensure my own survival.
He began writing on the paper—continuing the entry in his Death Note.