The morning breeze gently stirred the curtains by the window.
Down on the street below, traffic bustled back and forth, a lively scene full of vitality and energy.
On the fourth-floor balcony, Fujino stood by the window, overlooking the scenery below.
After a moment, his gaze fixed on the date displayed on his phone screen—Saturday the 22nd—and his mind felt a bit blank.
Although he had long known how strange the timeline in this world was…
Now that he was truly witnessing it himself, Fujino couldn't help but sigh, "As expected of you, Detective Conan world!"
After that, Fujino shook his slightly dizzy head, stretched lazily until his joints popped, and then slowly walked toward the bathroom.
After the sound of rushing water echoed for a while—
Fujino stepped out of the bathroom, immediately feeling much more refreshed.
However, when his gaze swept over the messy room, his brows furrowed again.
It was the typical room of a single man.
But his good mood from the pleasant morning was instantly ruined by the sight.
"Guess I should clean up the place."
Fujino sighed.
Today, he had plenty of time to clean his 100-square-meter bedroom. After all, it was Saturday, meaning he didn't need to go to school, and there was no such thing as makeup classes here.
Time passed quickly, and soon the sun was setting.
Fujino sat lazily on the sofa, wiping the sweat from his temples.
"Big rooms are exhausting to clean…"
Glancing at his bedroom—which was practically the size of someone else's three-bedroom apartment—Fujino couldn't help but sigh.
Just cleaning this one bedroom had already taken up his entire day.
As for the other rooms… forget it. He didn't care anymore. He was done.
Knock knock knock!
At that moment, a sudden knocking came from the door.
"Who would be coming to see me this late?"
Fujino frowned in confusion at the sound.
It was nearly dark now. Aside from someone he knew, it was unlikely anyone else would visit at this hour. After all, clients typically came during the day.
With that confusion in mind, Fujino opened the door—and saw a woman standing there, completely wrapped up from head to toe.
She wore a red, form-fitting dress, covered by a black coat. Her face was hidden behind a black mask, her demeanor furtive and suspicious.
"You're Detective Fujino, right?"
Without any hesitation, the woman walked right into Fujino's freshly cleaned room, gave the surroundings a quick glance, sat down on the sofa, and said bluntly, "I have something I need your help with."
Was this really how you asked for someone's help?
The corner of Fujino's mouth twitched.
After confirming that this wasn't some new kind of scam or a setup, but indeed a client, Fujino let out a breath of relief and sat on the sofa across from her.
"I was referred by a friend."
The woman spoke softly, "I heard your confidentiality is top-notch."
"Of course."
Fujino nodded slightly at her suspicion. "As a detective, I have a professional obligation to protect my clients' identities and the details of their cases."
In the detective community, Fujino had earned the nickname "Workhorse Saburou"—he'd take on jobs for low pay that others wouldn't do, and he'd work himself to death to get them done.
Because of this, within just a year, Fujino had earned himself a good reputation among the local detective clientele.
Most of his jobs came through word of mouth. He didn't need a signboard or to pass out flyers.
"That's good, then."
With that reassurance, the woman took off her mask, revealing her face.
"You're… Ikegawa Yuko?"
Fujino stared at the girl in front of him with a surprised expression.
Yes, a girl, not a woman.
Although Ikegawa Yuko looked very mature, in reality, she was only twenty-two years old. She just looked more mature because of the way she dressed.
"What? Are you a fan of mine?"