SPECIAL EPISODE: WHO STOLE THE BROTH?
ONE'S APARTMENT – MORNING
The sun filtered through the dirty curtains. Kotobe had been awake for an hour. He had prepared breakfast – noodles, eggs, rice. And a broth.
A broth. A real one. His mother's recipe. Fresh vegetables, slow-cooked beef, rare spices. He had spent two hours making it.
It sat on the table, in a large pot, covered with a lid.
Kotobe stepped away for a minute to get the soy sauce.
He came back.
The broth was gone.
"…What?"
He looked at the table. The pot was empty. The lid was set aside.
"ONE!"
One shuffled in, his gaze vague.
"Mmh?"
"Where's the broth?"
One looked at the empty pot.
"…What broth?"
"THE BROTH I SPENT TWO HOURS MAKING!"
One thought.
"…I didn't see it."
"HOW COULD YOU NOT SEE IT? YOU WERE IN THE NEXT ROOM!"
"I was sleeping."
"YOU WEREN'T SLEEPING! YOU WERE STARING AT THE CEILING!"
"I was sleeping with my eyes open."
Kotobe buried his face in his hands.
---
INVESTIGATION – PHASE ONE
They questioned the neighbors.
Upstairs neighbor (an old man): "Broth? Ah, I smelled something good this morning. But I didn't take anything, no."
Downstairs neighbor (a lady with a cat): "I didn't see anyone. My cat, though… he sniffed under your door. Do you think it was him?"
Kotobe looked at the cat. The cat looked back.
"…No."
The building caretaker: "I didn't see anything. But I ran into a shady guy in the stairwell. Suit, tie, weird smile."
Kotobe and One exchanged a glance.
"Captain Man?"
"Definitely not."
---
PHASE TWO – PINKY JOINS THE INVESTIGATION
Pinky arrived an hour later. She had received a panicked message from Kotobe.
"A broth? You called me for a broth?"
"IT'S A FAMILY BROTH!"
Pinky sighed.
"Fine. Let's start over. One, did you see anything?"
One thought.
"…I saw a shadow."
Kotobe jumped. "A SHADOW? WHERE?"
"In the kitchen."
"AND YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING?"
"I thought it was mine."
Pinky smacked him on the head.
"OW."
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PHASE THREE – THE SUSPICIOUS NEIGHBOR
They questioned the neighbor across the hall. A weird guy, always in a bathrobe, who took out his trash at odd hours.
"Sir, did you see anyone enter our apartment this morning?"
The neighbor scratched his belly.
"I didn't see anything. I didn't hear anything."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
His eyes darted left and right. He was sweating. A trickle of soy sauce ran down his chin.
Kotobe narrowed his eyes.
"…What are you eating?"
The neighbor hid a Tupperware container behind his back. "Nothing."
"THAT'S MY BROTH!"
"NO, IT'S NOT!"
"OPEN THAT TUPPERWARE!"
The neighbor ran off. Kotobe chased him. Pinky sighed. One looked at the floor.
"…There's a trail."
Pinky leaned down.
Drops of broth, blue-green. Leading to the door.
"That's not toward the neighbor's place."
One followed the trail. Pinky followed too.
The drops led to the stairwell. Then to the street. Then to a black car.
Pinky recognized the license plate.
"That's my father's car."
---
PHASE FOUR – CONFRONTATION
They arrived at the car. The window was slightly open. Warm steam escaped from inside.
Kotobe knocked on the glass.
Knock knock.
The window rolled down.
Captain Man sat inside. He was holding a spoon. He had a smear of broth on the corner of his lips.
"…Ah. Hi."
Kotobe stared at him, mouth agape.
"CAPTAIN MAN?!"
Captain Man wiped his mouth.
"…It was delicious."
"YOU STOLE MY BROTH!"
Captain Man got out of the car and bowed.
"I'm sorry. I was in the neighborhood. I smelled it."
"YOU BROKE INTO MY APARTMENT?"
"No, it was open."
"IT WAS LOCKED!"
"I have a master key."
"WHY DO YOU HAVE A MASTER KEY?!"
"You never know."
Pinky started laughing. One laughed too.
Kotobe clenched his fists.
"…You owe me a broth."
Captain Man smiled.
"I'll take you to a restaurant. Any one you want."
"…Fine."
Captain Man opened the door for them.
"It really was delicious."
Kotobe got in, grumbling.
"Shut up."
---
END OF SPECIAL EPISODE