So, everything was going well for Masumi so far, if she can ignore the fact that when she first entered the Mouri Detective Agency, a man had walked in and threatened to bomb himself and everyone if Mouri did not solve the death of his sister, and then Ran called Kudo Shinichi, and he solved it.
Masumi stood in the streets across the agency, staring at the window of the agency, wondering if she should pay Ran a sudden visit to see if Conan was there.
"Nah… That would be too suspicious.", Masumi shook her head before she stretched her arms a bit, "I think I need a cup of coffee.".
She entered Poirot Café and sat at an empty table, picking up the menu placed on the table, "I might get something to eat for breakfast too.".
A few moments later, she heard someone say next to her, "Would you like to order now?".
"Yeah, I'd like those sandwiches with a cup of coffee.", Masumi pointed at the menu without looking at the waiter.
"Coming right up.", He said friendly. Once he spoke up, Masumi raised her head to look at him, and her eyes widened in disbelief, having a quick flashback to something that happened four years ago.
"What are you doing here?", Shuichi asked sternly.
"I followed you and-", 14-year-old Masumi tried to explain.
"Go back home! It's dangerous here alone!". Shuichi scolded before he left Masumi alone.
Masumi's eyes started filling with tears and she sniffed lightly, trying not to cry.
"Hey.". She turned behind her to see a young smiling man holding a bass guitar. "Wanna learn how to play?", He asked friendly.
Masumi forgot about her sadness as soon as the man started teaching her how to play the bass guitar. She did not feel the time pass nor care since she was having fun, until she heard someone calling the man.
"Oi, Scotch, we gotta go.". She turned to look behind her at the source of the voice and saw a dark-skinned man wearing a cap and glasses, standing next to her brother, just as the train started to arrive.
"Right away.", Scotch said before he turned to Masumi and ruffled her hair, "I'll see you soon, kiddo..". Scotch then packed his guitar before he waved towards Masumi as he walked towards the other two.
Masumi waved back at him with a smile and frowned once she looked at Shuichi and saw that he was not even acknowledging her.
"Something wrong?". Masumi snapped back to the present at the waiter's question.
"H-Have we met before?", She asked.
Amuro Tooru smiled as he thought, 'Yes, we have, four years ago', but he said, "I don't think so, this is the first time I see you here Miss…".
"Masumi. Sera Masumi.", Masumi said.
'So, Vermouth wasn't lying… I met Akai's sister four years ago and now I'm meeting her again… What a coincidence…', Amuro thought.
"Well, I'm Amuro Tooru, nice to meet you for the first time, Sera-san. Your order won't take long.", Amuro said before he walked away, his smile still plastered on his face.
Masumi said nothing as she rested her chin on her knuckles, thinking about her memory and Amuro, hundred percent that he was the third man with her brother back then.
'All three were carrying guitar bags, but Scotch's bag was remarkably heavy from his face expression when he was moving it…', Masumi thought before her eyes narrowed, 'A Sniper Rifle could be placed in their… Shu-nii must've been undercover, since he's FBI. So, Scotch and Amuro are either criminals, FBI agents, or undercover agents from another agency.'.
"Here's your order.", Amuro said as he placed the plate of sandwiches and the coffee cup in front of Masumi.
"Thanks.", Masumi said with a faint smile and nod.
Amuro stared at her for a second in suspicion before he returned to his work, and Masumi did not miss this.
After finishing her breakfast and paying, Masumi walked out of the café and then walked towards an empty park. She pulled out her phone and called her mother.
"What is it?", Her mother answered.
"Mama, remember the time I met Shuu-nii four years ago at the station? I think I met one of the two men that were with him, and he might know where Shuu-nii is and-".
"Is that why you called me? I thought you had made a good progress in getting the antidote…", Mary interrupted in annoyance.
"I just arrived here, give me a break.", Masumi rolled her eyes at Mary's attitude, "Besides what I discovered-".
"What you discovered is of zero importance to me if it doesn't concern Kudou or the antidote. Focus on your mission, Masumi.", Mary interrupted again before she ended the call.
Masumi stared at her phone angrily as she sat on a nearby empty bench.
"God damn it.", She cursed as she ran a hand through her hair, "Isn't bad enough that I feel guilty about what I'm doing?".
"And what are you doing to make you so angry?", a male voice asked next to her.
"I am…", Masumi stopped talking once she realized that someone was next to her.
She turned her face swiftly to the smiling pink haired man sitting on the other side of bench and asked in surprise, "When and how did you get here? The bench was empty when I sat.".
"I just arrived five minutes ago.", He shrugged and Masumi then noticed that he was holding an opened book in his hand, "You were busy staring angrily at the phone, maybe that's why you didn't feel my presence.".
'No, you are very stealthy. There is no way I couldn't have felt your presence even while I occupied unless it was for that reason.', Masumi thought before she sighed, "It's just family issues.".
"Father or mother?", The man asked curiously.
Masumi raised an eyebrow at his curiosity, so he explained, "I just moved in here for my education and I live alone, so you'll find me talking curiously to strangers a lot whenever I come here.".
"Education?", Masumi asked curiously.
"I'm an Engineering Student at Tohto University, the name's Okiya Subaru. Nice to meet you.", The man said as he raised his hand to Masumi.
Masumi shook his hand, "Likewise. Name's Sera Masumi.".
"So, you didn't answer me Sera-san, father or mother?", He asked.
"Father?", Masumi repeated before she let out a loud bitter laugh, making Subaru look at her surprised.
"My father left my mother before I was even born, and he hasn't showed his face since, I could care less about him.", Masumi spat, "So if we are going to talk more often since I come regularly to this park, don't get on my bad side and mention him.".
Subaru remained silent for a few seconds before he nodded.
"It's my mother, to answer your question.", Masumi replied.
"You are not living up to her expectations.", Subaru guessed.
"Yeah. I have two older brothers, the eldest is… was the best FBI agent before he… died. He was older than me by 15 years.", Masumi said, not convinced about her eldest brother's death, "And the second is a famous Shogi player, older than me by 10 years.".
"Well, you can't compare yourself to them since you're still a high school student, from how you look.", Subaru pointed out, "You shouldn't even compare yourself to anyone.".
"You don't get it.", Masumi shook her head, making Subaru look at her interested.
"My brothers were there… They experienced having a complete perfect family, with both their parents present… I came when the family became dysfunctional. And even my second brother tells me our mother was gentler before our father disappeared and her sister and brother-in-law died… Those two had to be my father figures, but then the eldest left before I was born, and he returned to Japan for a holiday visit when I was 7.".
"When my second brother told me about him, I could not care less… I mean he wasn't here like my father so why care? Yet I found myself during that day on the beach nervous. Will I be good enough in his eyes?".
"I started looking up to him when he did his best to be there, but then he joined law enforcement, so his communication lessened… And then my second brother moved out and it was only me and our mother.".
"I sometimes think she is letting out her anger and frustration from the world on me… and when I do something, it's always your brothers would've done this, done that… I lost count of the number of times I've tried to tell her the cases I've solved and failed.".
"And now she wants me to do something specific and I had made a discovery in something else, so she says she does not care about my discovery if it's not related to what she wants me to do.".
Masumi took a deep breath and rested her back on the bench, after letting her heart out, without revealing anything, to a complete stranger.
"I've given you a headache, haven't I?", Masumi joked.
She received no response, so she looked at her side to make sure Subaru was there, and he was, but he was simply staring at her.
"No, you haven't. I guess you feel lonely, and that's why you spoke to me.", He said.
"It's not just that, there is something about you that made me feel that it's okay to talk to you about my feelings.", Masumi pointed out.
Subaru nodded silently before he wondered, "Have you ever tried to speak your feelings and thoughts to your family, or at least your second brother?".
"He barely answers my texts now, and my mother is a cold person, so I don't think she knows what feelings are…", Masumi scoffed.
Subaru then pulled out his card and handed it to Masumi with a smile, "Here's my card with my contact, I think we should continue our new friendship.".
"Yeah… I can use a friend who is out of this mess.", Masumi said as she took the card with a smile, "Where do you live anyways?".
"Kudo Manor. I was looking for a place to rent and met up with Kudou Yusaku and Yukiko, they said they were traveling and that I could stay at their home for my university.", Subaru said.
'He lives in Kudo Shinichi's house and met his parents? Jackpot!', Masumi thought happily.
"Well, now I know where to find you if I need to let my anger out to someone.", She joked.
"Yes, you do.", Subaru nodded with a chuckle.
'It's the least I could for you after treating you awfully for years, Masumi.', He thought.
For Masumi had no idea that the man she had just befriended and was sitting next to her, was her eldest brother; Akai Shuichi.
Somewhere Unknown,
"It's a good thing you came, Masumi.", Rei said as he stared at the disguise placed across him on the desk.
"Vermouth and I have tested Jodie Starling and André Camel's face reactions to see if Akai is dead, and now with you here, your reaction will confirm everything.", Rei said as he stared in disgust at the face mask of Scar Akai.
"Hope you don't figure out it's a disguise since you're already onto me from the moment we met.", Rei scoffed sarcastically, underestimating Masumi's capabilities.
He had no idea that he would soon be surprised with what she was capable of, in the worst way possible.