Multiple choice system: Conan World

Masumi Sera followed Yoko Okino, who had put her hat, mask, and sunglasses back on, down the stairs.

The two reached the hospital lobby on the first floor and sat side by side on a bench in a deserted corner.

"Miss Sera, have you told anyone about your reasoning earlier?"

This time, it was Yoko Okino who spoke first.

"No."

Masumi Sera replied with a smile.

"Because I've considered that since Miss Yoko hid this matter from the Metropolitan Police Department, it means you still have some concerns in your heart.

So, the fewer people who know about Miss Yoko, the better."

"Then why doesn't Miss Sera suspect that I'm the murderer?" Yoko Okino asked.

"Because I believe that a sister like Miss Yoko, who cares so much about her younger brother, wouldn't endanger Mr. Akikawa even if he were the murderer."

"That's a good reason."

Masumi Sera heard Yoko Okino laugh.

Although Yoko Okino was heavily covered at the moment, Masumi Sera could still deduce her expression from her voice and the subtle changes in her facial muscles.

At that moment, Yoko Okino's delicate face, hidden under the mask, must have been showing the most genuine smile.

Masumi Sera's expression immediately turned serious.

"Miss Yoko, do you think it would be dangerous if your relationship with Mr. Akikawa were exposed?"

"Miss Sera, did you judge this solely because I hid my relationship with Kou and also from Miss Mouri and Miss Suzuki?"

Yoko Okino didn't answer Sera's question but responded with one of her own.

"No."

Masumi Sera denied it.

"Mr. Akikawa has been framed before because artist Koichi Nishihara misunderstood him and was jealous.

Obviously, if the relationship between Miss Yoko and Mr. Akikawa's younger brother isn't made public, this kind of misunderstanding could happen again in the future.

But, Miss Yoko, you decided to hide it even though you knew this, which shows that you believe exposing the sibling relationship could bring greater danger."

Masumi Sera explained.

"Additionally, I still remember that Mrs. Ryoko moved with Mr. Akikawa several times.

From what I understand of Mrs. Ryoko and Mr. Akikawa's situation, they didn't have a need to move.

But now that I think about it, it was likely to escape from enemies.

Combining this with Miss Yoko's deliberate concealment of her identity and that of Mr. Akikawa as siblings, I suspect that if your relationship with Mr. Akikawa is exposed, people will refocus their attention on him."

Masumi Sera expressed her entire reasoning at once.

All of this analysis was formed just after learning that Yoko Okino had been absent from filming on August 23 of last year and after discovering that Yoko Okino deliberately hid her relationship with Akikawa Kyousuke.

"Ah..."

Masumi Sera heard Yoko Okino let out a long sigh.

"As expected of Miss Sera. I feel like your deductive skills are no less than Mr. Mouri's."

Yoko Okino sighed.

"Then, Miss Yoko, do you agree with my reasoning?"

"Well, there's probably no issue with it." Yoko Okino nodded.

"In that case, Miss Yoko, can you tell me exactly who bears a grudge against your parents?"

Masumi Sera asked.

"I don't know the specific person, but someone hating my mother is beyond doubt."

"Miss Yoko, do you not know who the real murderer is?"

"If I knew, I would have told the Metropolitan Police from the start."

Yoko Okino replied.

Masumi Sera felt disappointed when she heard this.

She had hoped to directly identify the killer through Yoko Okino's information.

But now, it seemed she had been too optimistic.

"Miss Yoko, since you're sure someone bears a grudge against your mother, you must also know why they hold this grudge, don't you?"

"Do you know who or which organization hates your mother so much?"

Masumi Sera asked.

"I'm sorry, Miss Sera.

I don't know much about this."

"I only remember hearing my mother say that someone was looking for her and that if they found her, they would probably kill her."

"Kou must have seen the culprit during the car accident. If we investigate the cameras on the national highway, we might find something, right?"

Yoko Okino asked.

Upon hearing this, Masumi Sera couldn't help but complain internally:

'That's where the problem lies!

How could the Metropolitan Police allow someone like me, an outsider, to access the surveillance footage?

According to what Officer Takagi said yesterday, there's currently only one suspect left, but confirming their identity is very difficult!'

Masumi Sera thought to herself and then asked Yoko Okino again:

"Miss Yoko, do you have any leads on your mother's killer?"

What a pity.

Yoko Okino shook her head.

Masumi Sera pinched her forehead in frustration.

Yoko Okino must have been hiding some information from her, yet she pretended not to know anything.

"Anyway, thank you, Miss Yoko."

Masumi Sera realized she might not be able to get more information out of Yoko Okino, so she stood up.

"I'll head back now."

Masumi Sera said, then turned and walked toward the stairs leading to the second floor.

Although Yoko Okino hadn't revealed much useful information, Masumi Sera felt certain about a few things.

The first was that Yoko Okino confirmed her reasoning about the case was correct.

The second was that this wasn't just a simple vendetta or deliberate murder.

Yoko Okino's cautious behavior clearly stemmed from her fear that the other party might target Akikawa Kyousuke again.

This indirectly showed that the forces responsible for Akikawa Ryoko's death weren't ordinary.

As for the third point, why would revealing the sibling relationship between Akikawa Kyousuke and Yoko Okino impact Akikawa Kyousuke's safety?

Masumi Sera judged that it was because Yoko Okino feared the other party would associate her surname with Akikawa Kyousuke's.

The parents of Akikawa Kyousuke and Yoko Okino had divorced early on.

The son and daughter had followed their mother and father, respectively.

Akikawa Kyousuke's current surname was the same as Akikawa Ryoko's.

So, Akikawa Kyousuke must have changed his surname to follow his mother's after the divorce.

If people realized that Akikawa Kyousuke and Yoko Okino were siblings, it would be easy to deduce that his original surname wasn't Akikawa but Okino.

'If Akikawa's former surname puts him in danger,

then this proves that the hatred between the killer and Akikawa Ryoko dates back to before the divorce.'

Masumi Sera pondered this but hadn't expected the timeline of events behind the car accident case to stretch so far back.

At the same time, she became increasingly aware of how difficult this case was.

---

Meanwhile,

Yoko Okino watched as Masumi Sera left.

After Masumi Sera disappeared around the stairwell corner,

her blue eyes narrowed slightly.

(End of Chapter)