Kaito leaned against the opposite wall.
Still calm despite the blade pointed at him.
"One of your friends just messed with our ally."
Norway raised an eyebrow.
"And why should I care about this ally?"
Kaito shrugged.
"They're civilians."
The answer made Norway pause.
Then he sighed.
"...Matthew."
Kaito smirked.
"Bingo."
Norway took another drag from his cigarette.
"What did he do this time?"
Kaito crossed his arms.
"I want to say they're collecting taxes."
He glanced toward the street.
"But what I saw looked more like them eating dirty money."
Norway remained silent.
Smoke drifted between them.
Finally, he spoke.
"So why should I trust you?"
Kaito smiled.
"Because this is a win-win situation."
Norway waited.
Kaito continued.
"You help us take down Matthew."
"Our ally stays safe."
"And your department's name stays clean."
Suddenly—
SWISH!
Norway's metal arm shot forward.
A blade pierced through the space where Kaito had been standing.
Kaito had already moved.
Dodging effortlessly.
Norway lowered the blade slightly.
"My real goal is arresting Blue Scarf."
Kaito nodded.
"I understand."
Then he smiled.
"But what happens if you spend all your time chasing him?"
Norway narrowed his eyes.
Kaito continued.
"How many innocent people get robbed while you're focused on us?"
The alley grew quiet.
"If you want to arrest us..."
Kaito spread his hands.
"I can assure you."
"It'll probably take a month before you catch us."
Norway scoffed.
"You underestimate me."
Kaito grinned.
"Maybe."
"But I'm here to negotiate."
Norway took another drag.
"Gangsters don't care about civilians."
Kaito was silent for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Usually."
Norway looked surprised by the answer.
Kaito continued.
"I agree."
"Most don't."
He thought about Saito.
About Malfoy.
About Fanny.
Then smiled faintly.
"But after staying with Saito..."
"We still care about our allies."
"And innocent people."
Norway stared at him.
Trying to decide whether he believed him.
Finally—
he shook his head.
"I refuse."
Kaito sighed.
"I expected that."
Norway pointed the cigarette toward him.
"Even if you're telling the truth..."
"I don't have enough proof to arrest Matthew."
Kaito nodded.
"We can help."
"I don't team up with criminals."
The answer came immediately.
Kaito laughed.
"Well."
"If you say so."
Then—
he stepped backward.
Into the shadows.
His figure slowly vanished.
Before disappearing completely, he waved.
"See you around, Captain."
And then he was gone.
The alley became silent once more.
Norway stood alone.
Taking one final drag from his cigarette.
Then he shook his head.
"...What a weird gang."
But despite his words—
he found himself thinking about what Kaito had said.
Late at night—
Malfoy's bar had finally gone quiet.
The tables downstairs were empty.
The lamps burned dimly.
Outside—
only the sound of crickets remained.
Upstairs—
the Blue Scarf crew were asleep.
Saito was sprawled across his bed.
Rin was somehow sleeping while holding his scythe.
Bomb remained motionless beneath his blanket.
Kaito still hadn't returned.
Inside Alya's room—
the inventor slept peacefully.
Tools and scraps of metal were scattered across a nearby desk.
Beside her—
Fanny was still awake.
Staring at the ceiling.
Unable to sleep.
After a while—
her eyes drifted toward Alya.
More specifically—
toward the small Blue Scarf symbol stitched onto Alya's clothes.
Fanny quietly sat up.
Careful not to make a sound.
She glanced at Alya.
Still asleep.
Slowly—
very slowly—
she reached out.
Alya shifted slightly in her sleep.
Fanny immediately froze.
Waiting.
A few seconds passed.
Nothing happened.
Alya remained asleep.
Fanny let out a small breath.
Then carefully took the cloth bearing the Blue Scarf symbol.
She returned to her bed.
Pulled the blanket over herself.
And examined it in the moonlight.
The blue stitching reflected softly under the silver glow coming through the window.
For a moment—
she simply stared at it.
Running her fingers across the fabric.
Thinking about Alya's words.
Thinking about Saito.
About the debt he paid.
About how he protected her father.
About how strange all of them were.
Her ears twitched slightly.
Then she gently caressed the symbol.
A small smile almost appeared.
Almost.
"...Nice symbol."
The words were barely louder than a whisper.
And before long—
the room returned to silence.
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Malfoy's bar.
The town outside was slowly waking up.
Merchants opened their stalls.
Carriages rolled across the roads.
And inside the bar—
Saito stretched his arms as he walked downstairs.
"Ahhh..."
He cracked his neck.
Then headed toward the counter.
Malfoy was already there.
Cleaning cups as usual.
Saito raised a hand.
"Sir, one cup of tea please."
Malfoy smiled.
"Coming right up, Sir Saito."
Saito nodded.
Then turned to find a place to sit.
His eyes scanned the room.
Until he spotted Bomb and Rin sitting at a table near the window.
Both already awake.
Both drinking tea.
A plate of toast sat between them.
Saito walked over.
Then pulled out a chair.
"You two wake up early."
Bomb took a sip from his cup.
"We're waiting for Kaito."
Saito blinked.
"He didn't return yet?"
Rin shook his head.
"Nope."
Saito sat down.
A little concerned now.
That wasn't like Kaito.
Usually he returned before anyone noticed he was gone.
Malfoy arrived with the tea.
"Here you go."
Saito thanked him and took a sip.
Then looked toward the door.
Still no sign of Kaito.
Rin leaned back.
"Either he found something big."
Bomb nodded.
"Or he's causing trouble."
Saito sighed.
"With Kaito, both are possible."
The three continued waiting.
Watching the entrance.
Expecting the assassin to walk through the door at any moment.
Meanwhile—
across Jaha Town—
Kaito was running.
Gunshots echoed through the streets.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Bullets struck walls and crates behind him.
The assassin leaped over a barrel.
Then slid beneath a wooden cart.
Behind him—
a group of police officers continued the chase.
"Don't let him escape!"
At the center of the pursuit was Matthew.
The corrupt captain pointed forward.
"Take him down!"
"The department will pay us good money!"
His squad immediately responded.
"Yes, Captain!"
More shots rang out.
BANG! BANG!
Kaito dodged left.
Then right.
Then slipped into a narrow alleyway.
The officers rushed after him.
A few minutes earlier...
Kaito had been casually walking back toward Malfoy's bar.
Hands in his pockets.
Thinking about how he would explain everything to Saito.
Then—
he turned a corner.
And immediately stopped.
Matthew.
The captain was standing in the middle of the road.
The two stared at each other.
Matthew grinned.
"Oh."
"A Noctarion."
Kaito sighed.
"A jerk police."
Matthew's eye twitched.
Then he pointed forward.
"Catch him."
"Don't let him escape!"
And the chase began.
Back to the present.
Kaito sprinted through the alley.
Then suddenly stopped.
A massive stone wall blocked his path.
No route forward.
No obvious escape.
Kaito looked back.
The police officers were already surrounding him.
Weapons raised.
Matthew pushed through the crowd.
A pistol in one hand.
A smug grin on his face.
"Finally."
"I caught you."
The officers laughed.
Certain they had won.
Kaito looked around.
Then shrugged.
"Yeah."
"You did."
Matthew raised an eyebrow.
The answer wasn't what he expected.
Kaito smiled.
"But you forgot one thing."
Matthew narrowed his eyes.
"And what's that?"
Kaito's grin widened.
"I'm an ex-assassin."
Then—
he vanished.
Gone.
Just like that.
Matthew's eyes widened.
"Wait—"
"What?"
"Crap!"
The officers immediately looked around.
Scanning rooftops.
Windows.
Alleys.
Anywhere.
But there was nothing.
One officer lowered his weapon.
"Captain..."
Another shook his head.
"We lost him."
Matthew clenched his fist.
His face turning red with anger.
Somewhere above the alley—
hidden from sight—
Kaito silently watched the confused officers below.
And tried very hard not to laugh.