How to Survive With a Death-Flag Character Setting in Detective Conan - Chapter 23 (Part 3)
Hatori Yuiichi nodded and went to the living room to make the call. Before long, the staff delivered everything he asked for.
He thought to himself, This service is even better than a hotel’s.
Lying in bed, Higashino Hiromu listened to the sounds of Hatori Yuiichi moving around in the kitchen. His feelings were complicated, part joy and part awkwardness.
He was happy that someone was taking care of him while he was sick, yet awkward because that someone was his kouhai.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang.
When he picked it up, he saw it was his advisor, Professor Yasuda.
The moment he answered, he was greeted by a furious roar.
“You little brat! A medical graduate student getting taken down by a sedative?! Did everything you learned go straight to the dogs?!”
Higashino Hiromu rubbed his nose awkwardly. “It’s all because that guy attacked me by surprise.” Then, in a small voice, he asked, “By the way, how did you find out?”
Professor Yasuda gave a cold snort. “If Kaneda hadn’t told me, were you planning to hide it from me? And who doesn’t use a sedative for an ambush?”
Higashino Hiromu didn’t dare say another word.
Professor Yasuda continued, “You’re going to write me a full analysis report on all kinds of anesthetics, sedatives, and harmful gases. Include details on their color, smell, symptoms, reaction time, and aftereffects. I want it on my desk tomorrow!”
Higashino Hiromu weakly said, “But… I might need a few more days to recover. I can’t even get out of bed right now…”
Professor Yasuda went silent.
Higashino Hiromu thought nervously, Don’t tell me I just made the old man so mad that something bad might happen?
Then he heard the professor say over the phone, “Fine. Turn it in when you get back.” And then, click, the call abruptly ended.
Higashino Hiromu stared up at the ceiling, his expression one of utter despair.
“Ugh…” Suddenly being assigned more homework is so annoying!
Hatori Yuiichi had heard the whole thing from the doorway. Smiling, he said, “At least this way, you get two more days of rest.”
Higashino Hiromu could only comfort himself with that thought. He suddenly sniffed the air; it smelled faintly of rice.
“What are you making?” he asked.
“Since I didn’t know whether you prefer sweet or savory,” Hatori Yuiichi replied, “I just made plain porridge.”
Higashino Hiromu thought about the bland taste of plain porridge and pursed his lips. “I don’t want plain porridge,” he said, looking at Hatori Yuiichi pitifully. “There’s no flavor…”
Hatori Yuiichi tried to hold back a laugh. “There are some side dishes. Want some?”
“What kind?” asked Higashino Hiromu.
“Pickled radish.”
“Alright. Better than eating plain porridge.” Higashino Hiromu smacked his lips as if he were already tasting it.
“I’ll bring it to you then?”
Higashino Hiromu shook his head. “No, I don’t like eating in bed.” He reached out his hand. “Help me up. I’ll go eat outside.”
Hatori Yuiichi walked to the bedside, helped Higashino Hiromu sit up, then supported his arm and guided him, one hand around his waist, to the dining table.
When Higashino Hiromu saw what was on the table, he realized that Hatori Yuiichi’s “just porridge and pickled radish” had been a lie.
The porridge was plain, but there was also thick tamagoyaki, pan-fried horse mackerel, pickled vegetables, and natto. A classic Japanese-style meal.
Higashino Hiromu turned to Hatori Yuiichi and teased, “Where’s the pickled radish you promised? No radish, no eating.”
Hatori Yuiichi helped him into a chair, then turned back to the kitchen and returned with a small dish of pickled radish. “Your building’s staff is amazing. They’ve got everything.”
Higashino Hiromu nodded. “They really do.”
He picked up his chopsticks, intending to try a piece of tamagoyaki, but his hands trembled uncontrollably, like someone with Parkinson’s. The egg roll fell into the bowl for the third time and broke apart completely.
The poor tamagoyaki: Might as well have stayed in the pan.
Higashino Hiromu: ……
Hatori Yuiichi picked up the chopsticks, holding a piece of tamagoyaki with one hand and supporting it underneath with the other, then brought it to Higashino Hiromu’s mouth.
Higashino Hiromu glanced at him and muttered, “I feel like I’ve turned into a cripple.”
“Don’t say that,” Hatori Yuiichi replied. “It’s just an aftereffect. You might be fine by tomorrow.”
Higashino Hiromu took the tamagoyaki in one bite and mumbled, “Really?”
“At least you won’t still be struggling to pick up food like now.”
After a few more bites, Higashino Hiromu said, “Don’t just watch me eat. You should eat too.”
“I only made enough for one,” Hatori Yuiichi said. “I’ll eat when I get home.”
Higashino Hiromu felt it would be good for Hatori Yuiichi to go back and eat something flavorful, so he ate with peace of mind.
When he finished, Hatori Yuiichi helped him to the sofa, then started clearing the dishes.
Leaning back comfortably, Higashino Hiromu sighed in admiration. “Hatori Yuiichi, you’re way too thoughtful. You really know how to take care of people!”
Washing the dishes, Hatori Yuiichi smiled. “I’m used to it. I cook at home all the time.”
“You said before your family’s pretty big,” Higashino Hiromu asked curiously. “How many younger brothers and sisters do you have?”
“Never counted,” said Hatori Yuiichi.
“Huh?” Higashino Hiromu blinked. Wait… What does he mean by that…?
Hatori Yuiichi explained, “There aren’t any real siblings. They’re all relatives’ children. Our whole family lives together. There are so many people that it’s hard to tell everyone apart.”
Higashino Hiromu felt a wave of relief. He had just worried that maybe Hatori Yuiichi had grown up in an orphanage and was afraid he might have touched a sore spot. Turns out it was just that there were too many people at home.
But for all the relatives to live together, was it like one of those clan villages where an entire village belongs to one family? With so many people that he couldn’t even count them, his family really was quite large.
After cleaning up, Hatori Yuiichi wiped his hands and came back to the living room. “Senpai, do you want to take a bath now?”
Higashino Hiromu immediately shook his head. “No, no, I can handle that myself!”
Hatori Yuiichi glanced meaningfully at his legs. “Then stand up and walk a few steps for me.”
Higashino Hiromu: This kid is way too serious!
So he could only brace himself and say, “I can wait until tomorrow when I have more strength to wash.”
Hatori Yuiichi didn’t press the issue. “What about meals tomorrow?” he asked.
“I can have the staff deliver food,” said Higashino Hiromu.
After a pause, Hatori Yuiichi said, “Or maybe I could—”
Higashino Hiromu quickly cut him off. “Don’t you have training? I can’t keep troubling you!”
“It’s fine. It’s just regular practice now. It ends pretty early.”
“You don’t have classes?”
“The first-year courses aren’t many and not difficult. Skipping a few occasionally is fine.”
“But still—”
“What if you’re still too weak to stand tomorrow? You want the building staff to help you bathe?”
That single question left Higashino Hiromu speechless.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll come over tomorrow morning to help you make breakfast, and I’ll stop by again after training in the afternoon.”
Faced with such a considerate kouhai, what could Higashino Hiromu say? In his heart, Hatori Yuiichi was instantly upgraded from “kouhai” to “brother-in-arms.”
Bro, your big brother will risk his life for you in the future!
Unaware of his sudden promotion, Hatori Yuiichi helped Higashino Hiromu back to bed, filled his thermos cup with hot water, and placed it on the nightstand. “The water’s a bit hot, be careful when you drink.”
Higashino Hiromu said he remembered. Seeing Hatori Yuiichi about to leave, he reminded him, “There’s a bus stop not far downstairs. One stop gets you to the subway.”
“I got it.” Hatori Yuiichi helped him pull up the blanket. “Rest well. I’ll head out.”
“Mm, be careful on the way. Let me know when you get home.”
He had said those words before, when reminding all the new members after the event ended. But in this situation, they seemed to carry a different meaning.
Hatori Yuiichi turned back and made an OK gesture.
After closing the bedroom door, he checked that the water, electricity, and gas were all turned off before leaving with his suitcase.
The front desk staff watched him go, feeling a bit puzzled, wondering why the boyfriend didn’t stay the night.
Still, they added a note in Higashino Hiromu’s client file: Has a close male friend. Remember to ask Higashino-san if he wishes to add him to the frequent visitor list.
After leaving the apartment, Hatori Yuiichi didn’t take the bus. He raised his hand to flag down a taxi.
“To Haido City Hotel.”
* * *
Amuro Tooru returned to his residence after parting ways with Mouri Kogoro and the others.
He took a can of beer from the refrigerator, sat down on the sofa, and drank while recalling what had happened over the past two days.
Leaving other matters aside, in the early hours of this morning, Higashiya Kento had been temporarily detained at the hot spring inn. After the police finished extinguishing the fire, they took him away.
But by the afternoon, they received a notice from the Gunma Prefectural Police that the criminal had suddenly died not long after confessing.
The initial autopsy showed that the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
Mouri Kogoro sighed over the impermanence of life, but Amuro Tooru didn’t believe a single word of it.
Poisoning was one of the organization’s most common methods of killing.
And at that time, there had been someone there who was connected to the organization!
Amuro Tooru took another sip of beer, pulled out his phone, and dialed a number.
A soft laugh came from the other end. “What makes you call me at this hour, Bourbon~”
Amuro Tooru said, “Can’t I call you just because I want to, Vermouth?” His tone carried a hint of amusement.
“That’s not it. Handsome men always have privileges~” Vermouth twirled a lock of her hair lazily around her finger. “But if Gin finds out we’ve been in frequent contact, he’ll start getting suspicious again. He’s been a bit unhinged lately, dealing with the undercover agents.”
The smile faded from Amuro Tooru’s lips, though his voice stayed casual. “He can’t do much to me just because of a few call records. Anyway, I did have something to ask you.”
“Oh? Something even you, Bourbon, don’t know?” Vermouth put her phone on speaker and poured herself a glass of red wine.
“There are plenty of things I don’t know,” Amuro Tooru said. “Do you know what mission I’ve been on these past two days?”
“How would I know your assignments?” Vermouth took a sip of wine. “Rum doesn’t like others meddling with his subordinates.”
Amuro Tooru pretended not to hear her jab at his superior. “I followed Mouri Kogoro’s group to investigate a supposed long-lived in the Gunma mountains.”
Vermouth’s brows twitched, her finger lightly tapping the rim of the glass. “A long-lived wild man? Those old fools are believing in that kind of thing now? So what was the result?”
“Of course it was fake. I’ll skip the details. What I want to talk about is something else,” Amuro Tooru said. “Guess who I met?”
Vermouth chuckled. “I’m no fortune-telling witch.”
“I met that kid,” Amuro Tooru said slowly. “The one you asked me to create a fake identity for.”
Vermouth’s hand froze around her glass, her fingers tightening slightly, the smile vanishing from her face.
“It was my first time seeing him in person. He really stood out in the crowd. I’m really curious. Who exactly is he? A new recruit in the organization? Does he have a codename?” Amuro Tooru asked tentatively.
Vermouth swirled her wine gently, speaking in a low voice. “Bourbon, let me give you a word of advice. Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t. Knowing too much isn’t a good thing. When that time comes, even Rum won’t be able to protect you.”
Amuro Tooru’s eyes sharpened, though his tone stayed teasing. “Oh? But gathering intelligence is literally my job. Besides, you weren’t this cautious when you first asked for my help. Isn’t this what they call burning bridges after crossing them?”
“In any case, stay out of his business. That’s all I’ll say.”
The call ended with a sharp click.
Amuro Tooru tossed his phone aside and took another swig of beer.
Vermouth’s reaction said everything. That person was definitely no ordinary member of the organization.
After thinking for a moment, Amuro Tooru pulled out another phone and made a call.
“Kazami, keep an eye on someone for me.”
“No need to investigate; his identity is fake. Just monitor him.”
“First-year student, Faculty of Law, Tohto University. Hatori Yuiichi.”
CHARACTER PROFILE:
Gin
Manga/Anime: Detective Conan
Height: Approx 185 cm
Role: High-ranking member and assassin of the Black Organization
Personality: Cold, ruthless, and calculating; has no hesitation in killing anyone who threatens the Organization.
Notable Traits: Master of disguise and assassination; enforcer for the Organization
Background: A veteran operative of the Black Organization, Gin is often involved in assassinations, drug testing, and major missions. He was the one who administered the poison APTX 4869 to Shinichi Kudo, unintentionally turning him into Conan Edogawa.
Rum
Manga/Anime: Detective Conan
Height: Unknown
Role: Second-in-command of the Black Organization
Personality: Mysterious, strategic, and manipulative; values efficiency and secrecy above all.
Notable Traits: Unknown true identity; holds immense authority within the Organization
Background: Rum oversees major operations within the Organization and is feared even by top agents like Gin. His true identity was long hidden, but he plays a central role in the Organization’s ongoing schemes.
Kazami Yuya
Manga/Anime: Detective Conan
Height: Approx 180 cm
Role: Police officer; Public Security Bureau (PSB) member and subordinate of Furuya Rei (Amuro Tooru / Bourbon)
Personality: Serious, polite, and diligent; often anxious but deeply loyal and responsible.
Notable Traits: Skilled in firearms, strong deduction skills despite occasional mistakes, disciplined but with a more relaxed private side; dislikes celery and enjoys curry
Background: Works under Furuya Rei, commanding a group of officers with high authority. Involved in key investigations related to the Black Organization. Known for his ability to strategize and act on his own initiative, despite some flaws.