❝My ultra deduction tells me that...❞
❝That...?❞
❝... That you're in love with me. ❞
⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⋅✧⋅
There were many unique people Y/N had come across in her life, but no experience of any sort could prepare her for the dark-haired boy with enticing...
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YURIKO HAD NEVER, in her whole life, felt as violated as she did with this... this wannabe-detective's finger pointing at her.
"Me?!" she blurted out, horrified at the accusation. "If you're going to resort to accusing innocent people, at least point fingers at someone who might make a more believable killer!"
The officer-in-charge, who had been watching the ordeal in front of him with a scrutinising gaze, placed his arm in front of Yuriko, silencing her without saying a word of his own.
"I want to hear your reasoning," he said curiously to Ranpo.
The faintest smirk played on the dark-haired detective's lips.
"It's quite simple, really. The victim, S/N, was going to sell this bakery. Y/N must have told Yuriko, and to avoid that from happening, she had the bright idea of killing her." Ranpo then added, "Of course, that decision was also influenced by her personal hatred for the victim."
Yuriko swallowed nervously. How had he managed to figure out her very feelings?
"Yuriko came in through the front door when S/N let her in—naturally, she wouldn't leave her sister's friend out in the rain. She could've gone out the same way just as easily after committing the murder, but realised it would be too suspicious if the bakery was spotless, so she returned later to create a mock robbery scene."
Y/N couldn't stop her mouth from falling open in sheer shock. She glanced behind her at the white sheet that covered her sister's body (it'd been laid over her by the police officers to make it a little easier for Y/N to be present), then back at her so-called best friend, unable to stop her eyes from watering all over again.
There had to be some mistake in Ranpo's ability. Maybe, he'd been rushing—no one could solve a case that quickly, after all. There was absolutely no way that the conclusion he'd reached was correct. Yuriko couldn't—no, wouldn't—ever do that.
Right...?
"Care to share how you came to that answer?" one of the officers asked, sceptical of Ranpo's explanation. "Unless, of course, it's just a baseless accusation."
Ranpo couldn't help but roll his eyes at the officer's words. "'Baseless accusation'? Clearly, you're not the smartest. It's obvious."
The officer opened her mouth to reply—no doubt, a snarky remark of some sort—but Y/N spoke before she could.
"Ranpo, please," she whispered, turning to the detective. He could see the tears that'd begun to form in her eyes. "It's not obvious to me, so if you're going to accuse my best friend... please give me evidence."
At that, the detective didn't know why he suddenly felt the need to clarify every clue he'd picked up on—all because Y/N had been the one to ask him. But unable to say no to her, he sighed and jumped into his explanation.
