Chapter 1: Meet the masked detective

There was something in the news that made Shinichi fall out of his chair that Monday morning. Another crime has been solved by this 2nd best detective of the East before the case has reached Shinichi Kudo's hands. He was having his usual breakfast when the news broke him again into pieces. How many times have that detective ruined his morning or evening? He was the reason Shinichi could barely get a case. Somehow, he had realized how Kogoro Mouri was feeling whenever, he, Shinichi, would solve a case.

"Man, whoever that detective is, I want to meet him! He's somehow getting on my nerve. I want to see how he cracks every case." Shinichi said. He raised his hand so high while he gazed at the sun.

"Ha! Do you really mean that? You might regret it, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. No one had ever really met him except the police. He's very mysterious if you ask me. He wears a mask every time he would solve a case." Ran chuckled. She and Shinichi were on their way to Teitan High.

"Well, once I met him face to face, I would want to see his face and probably challenge him to solve one case after the other." Shinichi sniggered. "That would be awesome."

"One detective is enough for me. No one is better than you." Ran mumbled.

"What is that, Ran? Did you say something?"

Ran shook her head. The pair of them has reached their classroom on time. Ran could hear several of her classmates mentioning a new comer or something like a transfer student.

"Shinichi? Did you hear what everyone's talking about?" Ran whispered.

"Yeah, I heard every word alright. They'll be introduced to us any moment now." Shinichi yawned.

"They?"

"Okay class, we have 3 transfers students. They declined to be assigned in different class so here they are. I just hope we have some extra seats left. Well, anyway, please do introduce yourselves." The teacher said. He went to the back side of the room to make space for the transfer students. Two, tall, young men first came in followed by a bespectacled young man. One of the two tall young men stepped ahead to introduce himself. He had short, curly, brown hair and fair color of skin. He gazed his blue eyes at everyone in the class and spoke softly, "The name's Kanzaki Sayuri. Please to meet you everyone."

"Sayuri?"

"Isn't that a name of a girl?"

"His voice doesn't sound manlier."

Shinichi glanced at Sayuri with no interest. He played his pen on his fingers and gazed at the blue sky with a bored look. Ran looked from Sayuri to Shinichi. There was something in his stare she cannot comprehend. Sayuri paid no attention to the other boys; his eyes fell upon Shinichi. He stepped backward to let his other companion introduce himself. The other tall, young man stepped forward. He had black hair, dark complexion of skin and a pair of light blue eyes. He had an amiable attitude as he spoke and this time, it was manly, "Hi there everyone, my name's Akira Mamoru. Nice to meet you all."

"Yes, yes, and you haven't mentioned why you're here."

"Hear, hear."

"How rude of this class." The other one spoke from the three. Sayuri nudged the third young bespectacled man.

"Er – well, Minoru should introduce himself first. I am aware that you are interested why we have transferred at your school." Mamoru said with a tone of embarrassment. "It's a long story…but,"

Minoru cut him short. "It is really none of your business why we're here."

"Sorry, he's new at this." Mamoru apologized.

"He's Kanzaki Minoru by the way, my younger brother." Sayuri interfered and shook Minoru's head. He pouted as he glanced at his older sister and moved away. He also had the same hair and eyes as Sayuri. He was two inches shorter than his brother. But Shinichi thought he seemed matured than his other two companions.

"Ehem, anyway," Mamoru said, "We're here because we've been searching for their parents."

"Oh really?"

"Well, we got some detective who could help you out."

"Some detective huh?"

Ran caught a glimpse of Shinichi, who had finally turned his head around to look back at the class. He does not seem that interested but he was eager to help whenever he can. Shinichi was about to raise a question when their teacher suddenly cut off. "Okay class, we should start the subject right now as we are supposed to. The three of you could seat behind Kudo, Mouri and Higurashi. By the way, can anyone volunteer to tour these transferees around the campus?"

Someone else volunteered to tour the transferees. Whoever it was, Shinichi did not even bother. He had a lot on his mind especially with the masked detective around. Although the masked detective was the second, Shinichi could not help but think. He was not worried about being replaced by an unknown detective as Japan's number one detective. But why does he even care? He is not as great as he is. No, that was stupid. Shinichi shook his thoughts off and realized that Ran's face was so close to his. He had fallen of his chair with embarrassment.

"Ran! Could you stop doing that?"

"Doing what? I'm just making sure you are still here, Shinichi. You've been staring at the space like a complete idiot." Ran crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you thinking exactly? Another case?"

"No," Shinichi said shortly.

"Don't tell me that masked detective again?"

Shinichi stood up from the ground and peered at Ran's face with interest. "Why are you so bothered? There's nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Hmph," Ran turned her back and saw the three transferees waiting for them by the door. It seemed they would like to have a word with Shinichi. It made Ran's mood worst but she decided to stay with Shinichi.

"Can we talk privately, Kudo?" Mamoru asked. Ran veered her stare from the transferees to Shinichi. She had the feeling that this was going to be another case. She had stayed with Shinichi or her father in every case once in a while, so there is no reason not for her to stay with him anymore. Shinichi did not meet her eyes; instead he walked past her and grabbed her right hand.

"Let's go then," Shinichi muttered.

"I presume that's a yes?" Minoru asked irritably. Mamoru shrugged. Sayuri pinced Minoru's cheeks and followed Shinichi. "What?"

"Next time, don't act too cute. It's irritating." Mamoru grinned.

The five of them went to a nearby café. Shinichi reserved a private room for them. The transferees insist that they share for the payment. The clerk handed over the key to Shinichi and told them where the room was. It was by the end corner of a small hall. The room was small but comfortable. Red curtains were used to conceal the wide glass windows. A small, golden chandelier was hanging by the ceiling. Three, small, satin sofas were around the red, oblong table. Coffee and sweets were served to them later on.

"So, what happened to your parents, Kanzaki siblings? And why are you, Akira-san involved with this?" Shinichi finally asked.

"I believe you know the answer to the latter, Kudo-kun." Mamoru smirked. He took Sayuri's hand and kissed it. Ran felt her jaw drop and Shinichi had to use his right hand to push it back gently. "Just like you and your relationship with this girl…"

So, she is a girl after all! Ran thought but suddenly felt her face heat up. She took a cup of coffee and drank it too quickly until her tongue almost felt nothing. Shinichi realized his face grew warm and he could not hide his embarrassment. "As I was asking you three,"

"Yes," Sayuri took her hand back and winked at the detective. "We'll go to that, Shinichi. My mother's name is Saori and my father's name is Mitsuhiko. Here's what we believe happened."

It was Friday night and our parents were about to leave on vacation to celebrate their anniversary. They said they have to meet someone else who has arranged their whole vacation. It seemed that everything was set. We did not mind the whole thing though; we wanted our house for ourselves – not that we do not want our parents around – it's just that we felt free if we were going to be left alone by a week. At first, everything went smoothly. They would call once a day to check up on us and for us to make sure they were doing just fine. Their flight was scheduled for Friday, 5:22 in the afternoon but they did not come. We waited for them at the airport; the plane did arrive at the expected time but our parents were not there. We asked for the list of persons who rode the same flight but no one granted our request because we're like kids who would look like to make a scene or what. Security lead us right outside. We did not know what to do anymore; hence, we still went to the police station and reported what happened. They did not take our reports seriously; they even informed us that our parents are listed to those who arrived at the flight that we were expecting. And they will confirm that our parents were missing once it reached 24 hours.

Minoru and I decided to put things into our own hands. "What? How's that possible? They have been staying there for almost a week and you're telling me you found no record of them? Preposterous!" Sayuri slammed the phone down. "I'm trying something else."

"Yuri, don't get too upset." Minoru said. "They probably just forgot to call us before they landed and went somewhere else."

"Minoru, aren't you worried at all?" Sayuri exclaimed.

"Well, I am worried about them. But they can take care of themselves." Minoru shrugged. "Besides, you know them; they usually do that when they go to work."

"No text either." Sayuri was about to punch the phonebook when Minoru took it. Her fists slammed against the table and it was divided into half. Her brother took the phone and watched the table fell into pieces.

"You have to be reminded not to tear our furniture into pieces. You're grounded." Minoru said frustratingly. He transferred the phone and the phonebook at the sofa. He pushed his spectacles as he gazed at his idiotic sister. "Now, what should we do?"

"You can't ground me, idiot!" Sayuri poked Minoru. "I'm older than you!"

"Yeah, but sometimes I act more mature than you." Minoru disputed.

"A – well – I guess you got a point." Sayuri said. "Anyway, we should try calling their contact person who set that vacation."

We ended up with the same result. No response from the contact person. We could not inform our other relatives about it because we have no contact with them for a very, very long time. We decided to find them ourselves.

"Wait," Shinichi cut off. "Something's not right."

Ran could not think weird on Sayuri's story. But Shinichi could see right through every tiny detail.

"What?" Minoru asked. "Do you think we're lying then?"

"Minoru – No," Sayuri said.

"No," Shinichi said shortly. "I just thought you were dumb enough not to ask any help from the police after they went missing within 24 hours."

Minoru and Sayuri exchanged fretful looks. Shinichi could tell that they have not told him everything.

"Well, Kudo, we believe that our parents are hiding something from us, especially what their real work is." Minoru finally said. Only the instrumental music being played on the background filled the silence among the coffee room. Ran finally finished drinking her coffee and placed the empty cup down next to the sweets. Mamoru veered his stare from Shinichi to the siblings. Shinichi's bangs lowered down as he smirked. He was about to say something when his mobile phone rang; it was Inspector Megure.

Why would Inspector Megure finally call Shinichi? Was it because the masked detective was not around to solve another case? Or was it the case he was just about to solve? Have they found the Kanzaki couple?