"Today's stage is set within this secluded villa, far from the reach of civilization. This mystery—a tangled web of love and hatred—revolves around a singular, vital clue: color..."
Mouri-sensei stood before the villa, dressed in a sharp, impeccably tailored suit. Surrounded by a bustling film crew, he was currently in the middle of filming the opening sequence for a mystery television series.
"A true method actor," Tsuneo remarked from the sidelines, watching the performance with a slight grin.
"Hey, did you go out and cause some kind of trouble last night?" Conan asked, looking up with a suspicious glint in his eyes.
The morning newspapers and news broadcasts had been flooded with reports of a certain vigilante's activities.
"Not that I recall. I've always been a law-abiding citizen," Tsuneo replied, though he wasn't entirely certain of the fallout. After all, Hiroki had been the one to send the evidence over when he tipped off the police.
"Very well! I shall reunite with you all at the end of the program. At that time, I will also be inviting a mysterious guest to join us. Sincerely, Mouri Kogoro!"
As he finished his lines, the Sleeping Private Eye struck a pose. The director shouted "Cut!" and the filming for that segment concluded.
"That was magnificent, Mr. Mouri! Your performance was flawless!" the middle-aged director praised, adjusting his glasses with a look of pure satisfaction.
"Dad, you actually looked really cool just now!" Ran added, cheering him on.
"Hahaha!" Mouri rubbed the back of his head, letting out a boisterous, hearty laugh.
"..." Conan, however, looked less than impressed.
When Mouri had winked at the camera at the very end, he clearly hadn't considered whether the audience's retinas would survive the experience.
As for the "mysterious guest" mentioned for the finale, it was naturally Mouri's disciple, Tsuneo. For a mystery drama, being able to feature two active, high-profile detectives at once was a promotional goldmine.
"I can't thank you enough for your help, Mr. Mouri. Not only for joining us but for bringing your disciple along for the recording!" The director shook Mouri's hand vigorously.
The big-name actor originally scheduled for the intro and outro had fallen ill. Someone had suggested hiring actual famous detectives to bookend the show to add a layer of realism. Upon meeting them, the director—who had initially been a bit hesitant—found his eyes lighting up the moment Mouri offered a "buy one, get one free" deal involving Tsuneo.
The first-ever televised appearance of the legendary master and disciple? The marketing wrote itself.
"Don't mention it! If you ever need someone to put out a fire in the future, just give me a call. If this drama needs any cameos, I'm your man!" Mouri said, clearly riding high on the validation of his acting skills.
"Ah, well... that won't be necessary," the director replied with a polite wave and a forced smile.
"I'm afraid cameos are out of the question, Mr. Mouri."
A young man with short hair approached the group from behind. He had a cigarette dangling from his lips and carried an air of distinct frivolity.
"Because in this particular story, there are only five characters in total."
"The widow of the household, the promiscuous daughter, the aging butler, the murdered son-in-law, and finally... the detective, played by yours truly."
The young man was Kazami Yoshiki, twenty-eight years old. He lit his cigarette and casually sized up everyone present with a dismissive gaze.
"The last actor who acted this high-and-mighty... well, the grass on his grave is already taller than Conan," Tsuneo muttered under his breath.
Tsuneo, Ran, and Conan were standing a short distance away, observing the scene. Conan scratched his head, likely wondering which specific actor Tsuneo was referring to.
"Tsuneo-san, please don't use Conan's height to measure grave-grass..." Ran sighed, patting the little detective's head.
"Excuse me! What exactly did you mean by calling my character 'promiscuous'?"
On the other side of the set, friction was already sparking among the cast. The actress playing the daughter, Ms. Namihara Kasumi, stepped forward with her hands on her hips, demanding an explanation. She was simply following the script; that label felt like a personal jab.
"Heh. It's precisely because you are the one playing her that the character feels so... wanton," Kazami Yoshiki sneered, not even bothering to look her in the eye.
Before Namihara could fire back, another veteran actor, Nagumo Akira, stepped up to demand an apology. While he played the old butler in the drama, being called "aging" or "decrepit" felt like an insult to his vitality—he was only sixty, after all.
"Don't take it personally. I wasn't talking about your age," Kazami replied, shaking his head with a mock sigh. "When I said 'aging,' I was referring to your acting. A star whose light faded long ago..."
"Dad, don't let it get to you."
"Kazami-kun, maybe you should choose your words more carefully."
Nagumo Nobuharu stepped in, smiling as he tried to play the peacemaker. He was Nagumo Akira's son and played the murdered son-in-law in the show.
Kazami turned his head away, apparently finished with his tirade. The pre-filming drama finally seemed to simmer down. The mild-mannered director breathed a sigh of relief and checked his watch.
"That's strange. Ms. Ushiro should have been here by now."
"Ushiro?"
"Wait, do you mean...?" Before Ran could finish her question, Mouri's eyes lit up like searchlights, and he scrambled over.
"You mean Ms. Ushiro Ruri?! The number one singer of 'Healing Pop'?!"
Tsuneo was nearly knocked over by Mouri's sudden dash. "I don't know much about her music," he muttered, "but I'm betting this Ms. Ushiro is very beautiful."
"You can tell just by looking at him..." Conan chuckled.
"Are we really going to meet her in person?" Mouri asked, his excitement palpable. Even Ran seemed like a fan.
"Of course. She was the one who suggested bringing in a real detective to save the production, and she specifically requested you, Mr. Mouri."
The director looked puzzled. He had assumed Ushiro Ruri and Mouri Kogoro were old acquaintances, but based on the detective's reaction, that clearly wasn't the case.
"Hmph. I don't know about 'Healing Pop,' but her songs just make me feel sick. Old hags like her are completely outdated," Kazami Yoshiki piped up again, puffing on his cigarette and doubling down on his role as the resident antagonist.
Tsuneo watched him for a moment. He could practically see a thick, dark shroud of "bad luck" hanging over the man's head.
At this rate, Tsuneo thought, this guy is going to shuffle off this mortal coil sooner rather than later.
"What are you staring at?" Kazami snapped, noticing Tsuneo's gaze. "Didn't anyone tell you to dress formally when you're on a film set?"
"The director said I could wear whatever I wanted. The wardrobe department is supposed to provide the costumes anyway," Tsuneo replied coolly.
"Slackers... I have no idea how people like you get famous," Kazami muttered, turning away as if he had sufficiently satisfied his urge to insult someone.
"Phew..."
Conan and Ran exhaled in unison, sharing a look of shared anxiety.
It was a nerve-wracking experience. They say you should never poke a sleeping tiger, yet Mr. Kazami seemed determined to spend his afternoon doing exactly that to Tsuneo.
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