SailorStar9: With Chapter 122 uploaded, I present Chapter 123 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Disclaimers: I do not own Sailor Moon or Detective Conan, I only own this plotline and the pairing.
Pairing: Established!Furuya Rei/Mizuno Ami
Chapter 123: The Cost of Likes, Part Two
In front of Kagura's apartment...
"You're already here?" Kagura answered his door. "On the phone you said this afternoon. It's you kids." he noticed the Detective Boys at his door.
"We need to talk." Genta insisted.
"I don't know what it's all about, but we can talk on the way." Kagura exited his unit. "My payday was yesterday but I never withdrew the money because of the commotion."
On the road...
"Murdered?" Kagura echoed after he was informed about Otsubo. "Otsubo-san was?"
"You already knew about that." Genta accused.
"Why would I?" Kagura was confused.
"Kagura-san, didn't you previously tell your acting company that you hoped to suffer collateral damage again so you'd receive more money?" Conan asked.
"Who said that?" Kagura refuted. "I've never said anything that audacious."
"He doesn't seem to be lying." Ayumi noted as Kagura entered the bank.
"You're sure he said 'another tasty dream'?" Conan turned to Mitsuhiko and Genta.
"You're doubting us?" Genta retorted.
In the Chonenten café...
"That's what I heard." Dewa Chiichiro confirmed Mitsuhiko's and Genta's statements.
"You didn't hear it directly from Kagura-san?" Mitsuhiko blinked.
"Not directly." Dewa nodded. "I heard it from him." he turned to A-Otoko who just entered the café. "Didn't Kagura say he hoped to suffer more collateral damage so he'd get paid again?"
"Apparently." A-Otoko took a nearby seat.
"It's all starting to sound suspicious." Haibara noted.
"Then, who told you?" Conan asked.
"Kouchiyama." A-Otoko answered.
"Sounds like Kouchiyama is the source of everything." Haibara concluded, after B-Ko reveal that she, too heard the same thing from Kouchiyama.
"Kouchiyama might've spread the rumor on purpose." Dewa pondered. "If Haruka thought Kagura were good-for-nothing, she might go to him instead."
At the crime scene...
"We investigated the connection between the bomb threat and Otsubo Kikuhide-san's murder, but we haven't found anything yet." Takagi admitted.
"You've found clues to the identity of the culprit who made the bomb threat, right?" Conan pressed.
"Not at all." Takagi answered.
"We heard a cleaning person was spotted at the phone booth in question just before and after the call was made to the bank." Chiba supplied. "According to the cleaning company, no one was working around then, so that must have been the culprit. But we don't have any clues to their identity."
"Inspector?" Takagi took the incoming call. "I see. We received an anonymous call. Last night around eight, someone was seen fleeing the scene of Otsubo's murder. Apparently, the caller asked if the suspicious figure might've been the 'unlucky man' who's been seen online recently, but we have no idea who they meant."
"So, that's how it is." Conan realized who the culprit was. "Their plan is not over yet. If their ultimate goal lies beyond what I thought... that explains why there aren't any clues left in the telephone booth. Which means we'd better hurry. Come with us." he told the two detectives and ran off.
At Kagura's apartment...
"Wait!" the panting Conan burst into the unit before Kouchiyama and Kagura could down their beer.
"Police." Takagi flashed his badge. "We're coming in."
"I don't think you should be drinking when you're injured." Conan advised. "Or would you care to drink like this, Kouchiyama-san, Kagura-san?" he swapped the two beer glasses. "It's wasn't coincidence that Kagura-san suffered collateral damage yesterday. He was set up by the culprit. Isn't that right, Kouchiyama-san? Yesterday, the 25th, was Kagura-san's payday. You were sure to get to that bank to withdraw the money. Since you're friends, naturally, Kouchiyama-san knew that. He disguised himself as a cleaning person and waited for you to arrive. Just when you arrived in front of the bank..."
"Why would Kouchiyama do that?" Kagura demanded.
"Kagura-san, half a month ago, you received monetary compensation when you were injured by an unexploded bomb." Conan reminded. "You got a taste of the money, so you caused the panic yourself and pretended to be a victim in order to receive more money. That's what he wanted people to think. You even dropped hints in advance to his friends. He put another plan in motion yesterday. He didn't make this post to earn 'likes', but rather, to frame you as the culprit." he showed Kagura Kouchiyama's post. "Kouchiyama-san's posts comment posted under the handle Tanuki Ponkichi emphasizes that it's hard to imagine it was a coincidence that you experienced two similar incidents in half a month."
"Not that." Kagura snapped. "I'm asking why would Kouchiyama would try to frame me."
"If he just wanted to frame you, then he'll leave clues pointing to you." Conan explained.
"There aren't any." Takagi intervened.
"Why?" Conan questioned. "Because leaving evidence would cause the police to arrest Kagura-san and preventing from him reaching his ultimate goal. And you meant to try for that last night. It didn't go as planned when Otsubo Kikuhide-san arrived. His life's purpose was earning 'likes' on interesting posts. He was secretly following you for potential material since you're so unlucky. Otsubo-san also viewed Tanuki Ponkichi as his rival because he kept making interesting posts. When that man appeared before him, Otsubo-san decided to follow Kouchiyama-san instead. Something made Otsubo-san realize that Kouchiyama-san was the one who made the bomb threat, so he silenced him. Today, you anonymously called the police so you could reach your ultimate goal. You were vague so the police wouldn't arrive immediately. You planned to act as though he killed himself out of desperation."
"But why?" Kagura pressed.
"Probably because of Ibe Haruka." Conan revealed.
"She has nothing to do with this." Kouchiyama snapped.
"Based on your reaction, it sounds like he's right." Haibara supplied.
"Haruka-san told us." Conan added. "The three of you are very close, but there's nothing romantic about your relationship. But it's different for Kouchiyama-san. While having fun together, Kouchiyama-san secretly desired to make Haruka-san his own and for you to disappear. Otsubo-san probably didn't know about the plan, but he wanted to frame you for it, too."
"If we find poison in the glass Kagura-san was meant to drink from, the police will begin their investigation into this attempted murder." Takagi stepped in.
"The boy's right." Kouchiyama admitted. "Apparently, Otsubo saw me."
SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Read and review.
