[My apologies; as it turns out, I won't be including a mystery in this chapter, at least not discuss it in full details though I did write a mystery. I just am not that confident about it and thought it would be too risky to the quality of this fiction to include a poorly written unfolding of a crime.]
Chapter 7 – The Last Supper
(Outside Rareza Pasilio restaurant)
That night, Shinichi and his friends would be dining at Rareza Pasilio, the new restaurant that had just opened that same day. The group of teenagers decided to meet outside the restaurant instead of going there together because they anticipated, even the girls admittedly, that it would take a while before they finish getting ready. Not to mention, they, except for Shiho, all wanted to see the guys' expressions when they see their outfits and see if the two young men would be as breath-taken as they hoped them to be.
Shinichi and Heiji arrived there at the same time. Shinichi was wearing a white formal long-sleeved button-shirt and gold cufflinks at each end. He wore a red vest of fabric finish over the shirt but left it unbuttoned and wore gray slacks to go with his top attire. He was carrying a gray jacket that hanged by his fingers over his shoulder. Heiji was wearing a white worsted wool jacket over his dark blue buttoned-shirt and was wearing black trousers. He wore a black tie that was loosely tied around his neck.
It was already five pass 8 and the girls still weren't there. Heiji was about to call Kazuha to ask where they were when they heard distant voices calling out to them. It was the girls waving at the two young detectives standing outside the restaurant. Although it was Sonoko, Ran, and Kazuha who wanted to dazzle the young men, they couldn't help but notice how dashing the two were. Even Shiho, who stood behind the three, was impressed by how simple yet elegantly they were dressed although it was Shinichi who she found most striking. When Shiho looked at him, she could not force herself to ignore that his attire wasn't the only thing that she found stunning about him. In the absence of his blue school uniform, Shiho felt that this was actually to be her first time to catch a sight of Kudo Shinichi, without the immaturities and childish nuances she primarily thought of him which prevented her from seeing the detective as he was in his purest form. The brilliant Sherlock Holmes of this modern century, as he was dubbed to be, who seized the hearts of more than a thousand damsels.
"Well?", Kazuha asked the young men with a hopeful and optimistic smile, "What do you think of our dresses?".
"You…", Heiji stuttered slightly while trying to choose the right words so as not to compromise himself. "… look okay. Decent. Your dress is neither too short nor too long. And uh… ", Heiji was now beginning to blush a bit but only Kudo, who was trying to suppress his sniggers, noticed. "Uh—I like the sequins.", Hattori finally finished.
"Eh? Th-that's it?...", Kazuha asked with disappointment. "You know for one of the world's most brilliant minds, you sure know little adjectives and for a detective, you sure notice little details.", she, now annoyed, told Hattori who then quickly retorted, "Stupid! It's a DRESS! A dress is a dress! What else is there to say about a DRESS?".
"Is that so? Then how about I ask Shinichi! I'm sure that unlike you, he'll be more observant.", she quickly snapped back at Heiji then turned to the young man who didn't choose to get caught in the middle of things nor did he want to be. "What do you think Shinichi? I'm sure anything you say will be so much better compare to what this dark-skinned moron had to say."
"Ah well, uh—you look very pretty wearing that dress. It's a…", Shinichi began to say while thinking in his mind, "ADJECTIVES? Adjectives? But a dress really is just a dress. Oh! For the love of all dressed! Somebody! Adjectives!". Like his fellow detective, he simply didn't know much bout describing a dress but then he remembered his mother told him once how clothes could compliment a person's eyes. "Your eyes!", Shinichi suddenly said a bit out loud, slightly embarrassed by his lack of cool.. "Ahehe-he-he. What I was trying to say is that your dress really compliments your eyes.", Shinichi finished.
"Really? Thank you.", Kazuha replied blushingly out of flattery then turned to the dark-skinned detective. "Hear that Heiji? My dress compliments my eyes. Why can't you be more like Shinichi?" Hattori only chuckled and then turned a suspicious grin to Kudo. "Compliments her eyes, eh?", he thought as if sending that very message to Kudo with his mind. Kudo, sensing what the dark-skinned detective was thinking about, merely grinned back at him, mentally asking him to let this go and not implicate him any further.
"Eh Shinichi! What about our dresses?", demanded both Ran and Sonoko. "This is bad. What else is there to say? Think Kudo. Think!" Kudo thought to himself. "Ah well, you know dresses better than I do. I don't know about fabrics or colors or styles. All I can say that the dresses look really pretty on you.", the detective, who didn't know what else to say, told the girls though he really did thought that the girls looked pretty in their outfits.
"Really?", said the girls who seemed satisfied enough by Shinichi's comment. "What about Shiho-kun then?", they both asked in chorus. Fully aware of the rumors spreading about the teacher and the detective, Ran, Sonoko, Kazuha, and Hattori as well wanted to know if there was any truth, even if just a tiny one, in the rumors or if there could be, would be any truths in the rumors, asked the leading question to what they hope would bear an answer to their curiosity. "Don't you think she's rather beautiful?".
"A-a-ahh. Well…", Shinichi, who has only seen her silhouette and has yet to actually see the young teacher in all her glory until he finally turned to look at her, suddenly froze. He just stood there staring, no, gazing at Shiho, his eyes were slowly moving from her feet to her head, mesmerized. Shiho was wearing a strapless white gown that opens below the waist like in a shape of a bell and ends just about inches below her knees. It had layers of taffeta inside that created volume between her legs and the dress. The part of her dress above her waist was like a beaded corset that wrapped tightly around her slim and elegant figure. Under the brilliance of the gleaming moonlight, stood Shiho in her humblest grandeur.
The thought that the premature conclusion of rumors spreading about Kudo Shinichi and Miyano Shiho –the "couple", were in fact true was inconceivable particularly because it has only been two days since the two met. How much development could there have been between the two? Except for Kudo, everyone in the group was surprised by Shinichi's lingering stare, even Shiho who didn't expect Kudo's out-of-character behavior, being the gentleman that he was as his reputation promoted. Ran, Sonoko, Kazuha, and Heiji all looked at each other in confusion but when they've finally made up their decision about what they just witnessed, they again looked at each other only this time, they looked at each other in agreement as if they were all thinking of the same thing, the same mission. Kudo Shinichi actually infatuated over someone was a rare occurrence if not at all. The three friends needed to make sure that this scarce opportunity was to be exploited in its absolute power.
"Didn't anyone told you it's rude to stare at people? You should have at least learned that from when you stared at me back on the bus.", Shiho asked the detective with an annoyed look on her face only, she didn't feel annoyed at all. It was wondering more than actually annoyance that provoked her asking. A wondering of maybe, "a slight possibility that what that was…"
"Sorry. I lost track of thought.", told Shinichi, who despite apologizing, kept looking at Shiho.
"Well come on. I'm starting to freeze out here. Let's go in, shall we?", suggested Hattori .
(In Rareza Pasilio)
Inside the restaurant was a dining hall fit for a king. At the center, hanged a chandelier decorated with jewels that glimmered of unparalleled radiance. The ceiling was almost three-storey from the ground. There was an orchestra playing from the only balcony in the hall. It was a floating stage and there stood the acclaimed violinist Fujima-san and his graceful music worthy of the hall's majesty.
The group of teenagers took their seats near the balcony. They could still see Fujima-san preparing for his performance, a woman helping him wipe clean his violin with her handkerchief –the two seemed intimate. At the round dining table, Ran sat between Sonoko and Shinichi. Hattori took his seat beside Kudo and Kazuha while Shiho took the seat between Kazuha and Sonoko. Everyone, except for Shiho and Shinichi, was intentionally seated in such order so that Shinichi and Shiho would be facing each other across the table without being suspicious of the strategy being carried out about them. When Shiho and Shinichi finally noticed they were sitting in front of each other, Fujima-san's performance had already begun, leaving them no time to react or form their thoughts about the matter.
Fujima-san's skills were outstanding even when Shinichi could hear slight imperfections on Fujima-san's tempo. Despite being slightly out of count against the conductor, it was still an exceptional performance; Mozart would have been proud. Shinichi and the others were so enthralled; so much in fact that they've forgotten to order, and even forget what they had decided to order altogether.
The performance has ended and everyone was already eating their dinners.
"Oh wow! The food's even much more delicious than yesterday.", Kazuha said in her delight.
"Isn't it? Hirami-san really is a great cook! My dad should really come here soon so he could taste it himself.", replied Sonoko in agreement. In fact, everyone in the hall agreed that the meals served were luscious. Each person had expressed enjoyment and a great deal of satisfaction one way or another be it in their faces, their words, or in the mere gestures of their forks and knives. The halls were filled with happy murmurs that would make the humblest of all chef beam with overflowing pride. That was until the merry buzzes of gratified diners were cut off by a loud shriek of horror followed by a tragic crash of an artist to the ground.
It was Fujima-san whose body had fallen dead to the ground from the balcony where just moments ago he held his glorious playing. Shinichi looked up to the balcony to see if he could find any clues as to give him a much better idea of what happened, something much better than the corpse of the fallen hero. He saw only the woman who was assisting Fujima-san grief-stricken by the tribulation she witnessed first hand. But then he saw something else –he saw her dispose of her handkerchief in the trash bin. The very ones she used to clean Fujima-san's violin.
"Why? Why would she throw it now? Was it because she thought it was dirty from cleaning the violin? No. If that was so she could have done it a while ago and not now when someone just died –someone she knew and was close with.", thought Shinichi.
The police had already arrived and as always, Chief Inspector Megure welcomed Shinichi's, as well as Hattori's assistance in what could be a potential murder case. Although Fujima-san's death seemed like a complete accident according to the customers' testimonies, years of experience as police officers would tell them that not everything was what it seemed to be. Everyone was asked to stay calm. Ran and the others helped in making everyone at least feel more secure and warm from the cold adversity of the night.
Shinichi went up to the balcony to check the trash bin and Hattori went to interview the woman whose name they found out was Miyami-san. Shinichi went back down to ask Officer Takagi to test the handkerchief for anything unusual, particularly poison, when he smell the scent of almond from the victim's body after kneeling down before his corpse to confirm his suspicions.
Just as he was about to inform Chief Inspector Megure, he saw her leaned over his shoulders then she uttered "Potassium cyanide.", in a monotonic voice while staring blankly at the corpse, as if forming that conclusion was as trivial as saying that the sun is hot.
"So this really is murder, eh?", Shiho continued to speak.
"U-uh… Yeah.", replied Shinichi who didn't know whether he should be impressed or be bothered by her calmness. But he couldn't make up his mind, he couldn't even think at the moment for she was standing too close to him, too close he could hear her breathing over his shoulder until they were interrupted by Officer Takagi who was ordered by Chief Inspector Megure to ask Shinichi if he discovered anything that would make Fujima-san's death a murder case.
It didn't take long before both Shinichi and Hattori revealed that Fujima-san was murdered and it was Miyami-san who did it. She poisoned him with Potassium cyanide by putting an amount of it to her handkerchief, which she wiped on Fujima-san's violin when she pretended to clean it. The poison transferred to Fujima-san's skin as he rested the violin against his cheek while playing it during his performance. All Miyami-san needed to do was to make the victim go near the fence of the balcony by telling him she wanted to talk to him there. Because of the poison, Fujima-san's body weakened then he fell off the balcony. Miyami-san did it, as many others like her who has fallen prey to the monster called revenge, to retaliate her brother who committed suicide because he could no longer play the violin. Fujima-san had destroyed her brother's hands out of jealousy by pretending to accidentally have closed a piano's lid on his fingers supposedly because he was drunk. However, she found out when he confessed to her two months ago out of guilt, during her brother's first death anniversary, that he was indeed sober when he did it. He merely intended to injure her brother so that he won't be able to make it in time for an audition but things did not go his way.
She confessed everything, including her plan to commit suicide as she also held the violin against her neck and was currently being poisoned by it. Shinichi couldn't let her die not only because he wanted her to take responsibility for her actions but for her sake as well but what could he do? What must he do? Shinichi kept asking himself in frustration and panic. Then suddenly, out of nowhere,
"Iron (II) sulfate", said Shiho in her calmest voice as if trying to shed at least some of her composure with the flustered detective.
"Iron… sulfate?", Shinichi repeated her words in his attempt to understand exactly what she was trying to tell him.
"If you want her to live…", Shiho said to Shinichi without even looking at him. "…You should make her take Iron sulfate to counter the effects of the cyanide."
"But where do I fin—", Shinichi asked but discovered the answer before he could even finish the question. The young detective, quickly thinking on his feet, spotted a pregnant woman amongst the diners in the restaurant and immediately approached her. Shiho wondered what the young detective could possibly be talking to the pregnant woman about then she finally understood. Shinichi assumed that the pregnant woman was also experiencing slight anemia as most pregnant women do and brought iron tablets with her as cure. While trying to get through the crowd to feed Miyami-san the iron tablets, Shinichi, in his hastiness, didn't stop to apologize to Shiho for bumping into her.
Miyami-san was immediately rushed to the hospital after. Everyone was absolutely impressed by the two young detectives at the scene. There was no doubt in their minds that Hattori and Kudo were indeed worthy of being included in the list of the world's 50 most brilliant minds. Heck, they didn't even need MENSA to recognize the two young men to consider them one of the most brilliant people they have ever known.
"But Kudo-kun…", the amazed Chief Inspector Megure approached Shinichi. "How did you know to give Miyami-san iron tablets?"
"Actually inspector, it was all thanks to Miyano-sensei who—", Shinichi began to give credit to the young teacher but when he turned to Shiho to point her out to the chief inspector, instead of finding the woman he, not so long ago, gazed at with unknowing awe, what he saw was a woman armed with fear, with terror, with such horror that shocked Kudo to his very core.
"Mi-mi-Miyano-sensei…?", Kudo stuttered. Even the chief inspector feared for his life. If only he could have done so, he would have used his gun to shield himself. "Ku-Kudo-kun. He-he-hehe. I-I re-eally should go check with my o-fficers first. So I'll see you around, eh Ku-kudo-kun?", Chief Inspector Megure did not even wait for an answer and quickly walked away from the catastrophe that would be Kudo.
"Well since you did do it to save that woman's life, I guess I can forgive you for SPILLING WINE ON MY DRESS!", Shiho tried to suppress her irritation but lost her patience in the end of her sentence. "You know Kudo-kun. You should have at least offered me tissue to help clean off the stain after you already saved that murderer's life."
"Ahe-he-hehe. S-s-sorry sensei.", Kudo chuckled nervously in disbelief.
"But I guess it really is in your good nature to be concerned about others even after they are already safe. Must be why everybody can't help but fall in love with you… including…", Shiho told the detective the unfinished sentence that left the question "including who?".
(On their way home)
"So that's how you knew Hattori that Miyami-san killed Fujima-san.", said Kazuha who could not help herself but still be impressed by Hattori's deductions.
"Yeah. He wanted to propose to her too but she immediately rejected him before he could even kneel down because then, he wouldn't fall off the balcony and the poison would have been easily found out that would have incriminated her and her alone.", Hattori continued sharing his deductions both with pride for solving the case and disappointment for the murder.
"It was a good thing then that you came along Shinichi, wasn't it. Or Miyami-san would have died.", Ran turned to the other detective in the group.
"Ye-yeah but it was really because of Miyano-sensei that Miyami-san lived.", explained Shinichi who was still too nervous to turn his head to Shiho after what happened.
"I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have told Kudo-kun about the cure. Then my dress wouldn't have been ruined.", Shiho said to Ran who could only laugh at what she assumed to be a joke.
"Sorry, sorry.", Shinichi quickly apologized before he could even once again begin to feel the fright that was Shiho's wrath.
"Well then maybe Shinichi here should buy you another dress to replace the one he ruined? Hehehe.", Sonoko slyly suggested, grinning at the slain detective.
"Maybe he should.", Shiho agreed.
"Eh? Hmm… Okay.", answered Shinichi in an unperturbed face without any hint of sarcasm; he actually almost seemed happy about it to everyone's surprise, at least that was true for Shiho. As for everyone else, it was more of an excitement due to further revelation of the truth to the rumors that spread about the two.
"I was only kidding, Kudo-kun. Do you know what a joke is? You should try it sometime.", that was all Shiho could reply. She didn't exactly know how to interpret what Kudo had said. She expected him to retort and defend himself but instead, he only immediately gave up as if he was completely okay with it.
"I? Should? TRY? JOKING? Sometime? He-he-he. Aren't you the overly stern one? But no matter. Tomorrow…", Shinichi thought to himself while looking forward to tomorrow that was to come.
(end of chapter 7)
I will not be updating for a while, as I still have to study for my final exams. Please do review my stories so I can accommodate for errors in my writing. I hope you enjoy what I've written so far for it still has a long way to go.