Before revealing the Red Illumination scandal, Mr Ogawa the manager had to damage control their situation.

First, he had to make private arrangements with the founder and apprentice of Tantei Association, Ranran and Shinichi, before the police make the official announcement regarding the true mastermind behind the lead singer's kidnapping.

Frankly, having been in the music industry for so long, this was the first time he had no idea how he was going to deliver the news that Red Illumination's lead singer and keyboardist staged the entire kidnapping in order to extort a million US dollars for themselves, let alone, attempted to frame their own cousin, the drummer Shiro, as the mastermind of the kidnapping all over a childhood crush.

Although Shiro is officially declared innocent of any wrongdoings, Ogawa now has major concerns that it would be a massive blow to a point that it might ruin Shiro's career as a musician and that this kidnapping will overshadow his talent.

That's when Shiro suggested contacting the founder, after he also learn through the said same friend who recommended Ranran do consultation services during her younger days in Edgewood Academy, one of them requires a fix in reputation.

Listening to the 6-year-old girl, the founder's suggestion later, he was glad he brought them over and got the results he wanted for Shiro.

So the following day, the police announced a surprised huge press release from Ogawa and Shiro, who dressed differently before the public eye.

With Sergeant Genzo on the podium, he began his statement.

"Good morning to all of you, after a very thorough investigation involving Tantei Association and the police, there has been strong evidence to strongly suggest...that the keyboardist and lead singer/victim, 10-year-old Nagano Kyo and Ryo...were behind staging Ryo's kidnapping, in an attempt to extort a million US dollars for themselves."

The audience gasped in shock and disbelief, as the news was unexpected and scandalous. Some members of the press started shouting questions while wondering how is it possible that two 10-year-olds are capable of staging a kidnapping, but Genzo raised his hand to signal them to wait before continuing.

"In addition to this, we have also found disturbing evidence that their parents, involving the parties that were involved are all arrested with immediate effect." Genzo clearly did not want to read out the next line, but he knew he had no other choice. And although he had the 10-year-old's drummer, Shiro's permission, to read this out, it goes against his conscience despite this. "There has also been further evidence to suggest that there had been malicious intent to frame Shiro as the mastermind behind Ryo's kidnapping. It was so cruel, he ended up requiring sedatives at some point."

The room fell silent as everyone tried to process the shocking news. Genzo cleared his throat before continuing, "However, after a thorough investigation, we have found Shiro to be completely innocent in this matter. We apologize for any harm or inconvenience caused to him and his family."

The audience erupted in chaos as the press started shouting even louder, trying to get more information and clarification. Genzo tried to calm the situation by raising his voice.

"I know this is a lot to take in, and we, as well as Tantei association, will provide more information as it becomes available. But I can assure you that justice will be served and those responsible will be held accountable. We ask for your cooperation in allowing us to conduct a thorough investigation and bring this matter to a close. As well as give Shiro privacy to deal with the aftermath."

With that, Genzo stepped down from the podium, leaving the audience in a state of shock and confusion. Ogawa and Shiro stayed behind to face the press and answer their questions. It was going to be a long day for them, but they knew that they had to do whatever it takes to salvage what was left of Red Illumination's reputation and Shiro's career.

"As the manager of Red Illumination, I am deeply sorry to announce that our lead singer and keyboardist, along with several accomplices, staged the kidnapping of our bandmate and attempted to extort money from the band. In addition, after a thorough investigation...I also want to make it clear that our drummer, Shiro, had no involvement in this incident and is completely innocent. What the two did to Shiro was a gross violation of our values and we will not tolerate such behaviour. Even if they are children, this is unacceptable," Ogawa announced calmly, "Therefore, we have terminated their contracts with immediate effect and they will face legal consequences for their actions. Red Illumination... is officially disbanded."

The press erupted with questions, trying to get more information about the scandal. One of them even asked, "Then what about Shiro?" he pointed at the pale drummer, "Please don't tell me his career is brought to an end because of this! It wouldn't be fair!"

Ogawa then adds, "Don't worry about that, we will continue to stand by Shiro and believe in his talent as a musician. We are currently exploring options to help him continue his career, as he is innocent in all of this. But not under Red Illumination anymore. Also, during the past 4 days," The man looked into the camera, "We apologize to our fans and to the music industry for not only all of the distress we had caused, let alone, the disappointment. I know.... a whole lot of the fandom had been looking forward to seeing them perform for the first time coming here, so for this kidnapping to occur in a vile way...I am genuinely apologetic from the bottom of my heart. And for that matter, after discussing with Shiro...."

Earning a nod from the drummer, Ogawa continued, "We will be fully refunding the tickets all of you bought."

The press seemed surprised and impressed by Ogawa's commitment to making things right. One journalist spoke up, "That's a generous gesture, but what will happen to the money that was meant for the ransom?"

Ogawa replied, "We are still in the process of figuring that out. In the meantime, we ask for your patience and understanding as we work to rectify the situation."

And then, it was the 10-year-old's drummer's turn to make a statement, asking how did he truly feel with all of this.

Shiro took a deep breath before speaking, his voice shaking slightly with emotion. It was something Ranran instructed him to do, and he had to do it in his own words. Unlike his musician days, he will need no lyrics to rehearse and memorize a song over and over.

..................

"People want to see the sincerity in a person," The red lip girl said to him in a meeting room with the apprentice quietly listening to her calm words, while Ogawa sat next to the drummer, "A scripted statement would've done you well, but then your feelings would sound neutral and uncharacteristic of you. With all of this here," Pointing to the whiteboard that showcases Shiro's image as a musician, with headlines such as 'Bad Boy of Red Illumination strikes once more' to 'Bad Boy set the school on fire', "People will still think you may have manipulated Ryo and Kyo into this but chickened out. because of your reputation."

Ogawa and Shiro grew pale at that thought.

"That said, however, Shiro ain't completely dunzo," With her grin widening, she then questioned the restless drummer, "Shiro, why do you think you have far more followers that surpass Ryo and Kyo?"

"Because...I am a bad boy?"

"No, the real reason you surpass them, is because they love you for being straightforward," Ranran corrected him, making him startled, "In this world, everyone rather listened to the sweet lies your cousins had spread about you, rather than the foul mouth truth. Which is how you ended up becoming 'the bad boy' in the first place."

Silence.

"This title you gain...will be your biggest asset in dealing with the press," That made Shiro's eyes grow wide at the girl's grin, "The reason why Ryo and Kyo's fans don't like you, is that although all of the things you did were justifiable, you don't show vulnerability. Unlike your lyrics."

Shinichi handed Ranran the files while reading out the rock song lyrics Shiro wrote, "Brokenhearted and battered, I stand tall, My wounds still fresh, but I won't fall, I wear my scars like a badge of honour, My pain fuels my music, makes me stronger."

In a crestfallen face, Shiro replied, "I wrote that while having a nightmare of my parents abusing me. If I do as you say...I might look like a crybaby seeking attention, Ranran. Besides," He quietly stared at his board, "People will think that I am playing a self-pity victim, even though I am the real victim in all of this. Which is why I didn't tell Ryo and Kyo about my step-dad's wrongdoing in the first place, I mean...they even staged a kidnapping. No one....no one besides Ogawa and Emiko listens to me."

"That may be so, however," Ranran sternly reminded him, "If you remain stoic in front of the press, Kyo and Ryo's supporters would doubt your innocence and insist the cops and us look into this case again, which we are trying to avoid."

Another silence.

"Shiro, I am not asking you to shed crocodile tears to gain sympathy," Ranran gave him a solemn look, "I am asking you to be that Shiro who asked Emiko out on a date and asked if she is alright after the photos of you two splashed all over the news. The Shiro always called his grandparents every night without fail, no matter how busy his schedule is. And the same Shiro who doesn't mislead anyone. Bare your heart out."

"It's easy for you to say, but I will definitely get backlashed." Shiro still has doubts about this.

It was then Shinichi decided he will have a say in this, "Ogawa-san, could you leave the three of us, alone, please?"

Confused, Ogawa willingly left the three of them alone in the room. Just the three of them alone, "Neh, Shiro."

"Hmph?" His eyes shift to Shinichi.

"Do you know...how I got my apprenticeship with the girl sitting next to me?" Shaking his head, Shinichi tells his story, "I broke into her house one day."

Shiro's eyes grew wide in surprise, "You what?"

"I broke into her house and told her to quit as a successful child detective," Shinichi continued.

"Shinichi-"

"Ranran, let me tell him," He stopped her before continuing, "I...was in a horrible place with two kids who I thought were my real friends, got jealous when I found out Ranran was living my dream as a detective using connections. I wasn't...speaking to her for a year at that time, due to family circumstances. And before this, I was offered the same thing, but I refused cause I thought I could forge my own path as a detective."

Shiro listened intently, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Do you know what she did to me later on?" The drummer shook his head as Shinichi finished the story with, "She tried to shoot me with a gun, tied me up to a chair, and pistol-whipped me till the police arrived, convincing her to stop."

Shiro's mouth hung open in shock, "What?!"

Ranran gave a wry smile, "It's a long story."

"Bottom line was...she refused, said why should she bother to satisfy my jealousy? In a way...she was right. And recently..."He choked a bit, but put on a plastered smile, "I found out before all of this took place, they have been discouraging my detective dream by misusing her name so that I could hate her, quit chasing the dream, then marry one of them."

Shiro's eyes widened in realization, "Seriously!? What sort of messed up kids would do this to the both of you?!"

Shinichi chuckled bitterly, "The kind of kids who are so insecure about themselves that they need to bring down others to feel good about themselves."

It still hurts, thinking about this till now.

"I took a leave off school after breaking into Ranran's house and cried nonstop when she scolded me for being blind regarding the true nature of the detective job, which she used connections to obtain. I pitied myself, which never happened before. In a way...when I looked back, she was right," Shinichi confessed, "I knew nothing at all of what was going on behind the scenes. In truth, I was angry at myself, for not chasing my dreams, fearing that I will end up getting hated and lose the only two friends I ever made in my entire life, and angry at her for living them."

Shiro listened to Shinichi's story with rapt attention, and the drummer felt a pang of empathy for the apprentice. "When I finally found the courage to leave those two behind and begged Ranran to take me in as an apprentice, as you can see she did, they started to harass her. Nonstop, around the clock, trying to get me to quit."

Shinichi paused for a moment before continuing, "But do you know what kept me going? It was the fact that Ranran still kept me around, despite the harassment. Eventually, I told everyone in school about it, and it became clear that those feelings I had were surprising: Relatable. No one...saw me as the bad guy. Kids actually came up to thank me, that they too found the courage to cut all ties with kids who just said 'It's just a joke', downplaying as if we are overreacting...and they realized how unfair it was those two treated me and Ranran."

Shiro listened to Shinichi's story with a heavy heart, understanding the pain of being mistreated and misunderstood by others. "The difference between you and me is...Ryo and Kyo won't be released at the mental institution, as for me and Ranran however...we still had to deal with them, although they both are remaining silent for now after the backlash they received from everyone."

"I can't imagine," Shiro shook his head, still trying to process what he was hearing.

Exhaling his feelings, Shinichi expresses, "To put yourself out there and be vulnerable...is scary, you kinda wish you didn't do it in the first place, that people will not believe you. However..." He cleared his own head, "Suffering in silence was never my way to go."

"Suffering...in silence?"

"Ranran once told me 'Do you know why idiotic romance dramas can extend up to 100 plus episodes? It ain't due to idiot decisions from the male and female lead, it's silence. Silence is the one thing the villains relished from two, it gives them the power to control over them'." Shinichi nodded, "By keeping everything bottled up inside, I was not only being manipulated by my two ex-friends... but above all... I ended up hurting someone who had no fault in my own failures. It makes me unsound and unreasonable...."The apprentice had his hands covering his face, "I can't believe I almost become the very bad guy I swore to never become in anime shows."

"Shinichi...." Ranran was speechless.

"If not saying a thing almost made me the bad guy, yet saying wouldn't make a difference...what is there to fear, Shiro? One would get hated regardless. Just like...lemon meringue pie," Shinichi pointed at his partner, "Ranran dislikes it, but I don't. It's not a matter of hate, Shiro, it's differences in opinion."

Shiro looked at Shinichi with newfound admiration. "I never thought of it that way. And as for you," The drummer is still in awe at Ranran, "I never thought you will take in your enemy as your apprentice."

"He has to make his own bed after all," Ranran chuckled before straightening herself, "Being the bad guy...is way better than becoming a lovable hero who is s hypocrite, Shiro. And what people want to see.... aren't you trying to score brownie points, not see you as someone pathetic who can never do one thing right. They want to see the Shiro that has recently learned he was betrayed for all the wrong reasons, and they want you to feel something. Do that for once, Shiro, not just for your dream, for your granduncle, but for yourself."

Shiro nodded, taking in the words.

...........................

Tapping the microphone, a million things were running through Shiro's mind, wondering what should he say.

"Everyone, to all of the adults here who had gathered to talk about this...from the very day Ryo was kidnapped, I had sleepless nights in a hotel room. When he was...found by the cops 4 days later, Kyo and I was so overjoyed...we thought we can finally be up on stage the following day and continue our activities under Red Illumination. Unfortunately....that isn't what happened."

Strumming his fingers on the table, he continued, "What followed was to my shock, Kyo and Ryo getting arrested before my eyes, revealing them to not only be the true mastermind behind Ryo's kidnapping, but they had also attempted to frame me so that they could reap the ransom. And so once more, I had more sleepless nights awaiting me. Even yesterday as you can see," Shiro rubbed the lids of his eyes weariedly, "My eyes are still red."

The cameras flash their lights in and out.

"This morning, I woke up around 10 am. I grew alarmed, thinking Ryo and Kyo forgot to wake me up, our rehearsal normally starts at 9 am in the morning back in Los Angeles. Then I remembered...they will no longer be waking me up anymore. And then...I also thought of the fans whom we will be disappointing after waiting for so many agonising days, wasting their prayers onto the two, especially onto Ryo who had no regards for the fandom."

Shiro paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, "Truthfully, I did not want to believe it, even until now...I wished Tantei association made a mistake when they revealed who the kidnappers were. But towards the very end...knowing Ryo and Kyo for so long...I knew that it was nothing but the harsh truth. They told me...one of the reasons they did it to me, was because I was overbearing," He took a deep breath before continuing, "I wanted to once more, trash the hotel room out of anger. It was the same feeling I felt when our late Jiro-Ojichan's drums for me went missing on the day of the kidnapping, only to be returned with a large hole...like my heart is now. I'll admit that I am...probably not the nicest person to work with, but if that is the case...couldn't we just talk things out? Did I not make many compromises for the band?"

Shiro then listed out everything openly, "Kyo, when you had no experience in composing and arranging most of our songs, I let you do it anyway when you insist on doing it. The song turned out very statically choppy, and I let you know about it, but you insists it wasn't necessary to change it as it may ruin the quality of the song and did not bother to fix it. In the end, I had to do multiple changes to ensure it didn't sound that way. Ryo, when I wrote a particular song, you insist on wanting to lead the vocals because you could relate to it, but clearly, you did not cause you sang it half-heartedly. Oh yeah, when you both wanted a dragon robot roaring flames, I said no because where I was sitting, the flames were blowing above me and it was scary as hell. In the end, I gave in to both of you anyway because I believed in both of your visions. But towards the very end...even that wasn't enough."

He paused for a moment, trying to compose himself before continuing, "When we started this band, it was meant to honour our late Uncle Jiro-Ojichan. But somewhere along the way...a million US dollars has become far more attractive than the love and affection of our Uncle. Even if one gives me that amount of money, I can't imagine bringing it to his grave and tarnishing his legacy the way they did. And our grandparents...." Shiro was grieving as he spoke, "I don't...I don't even know how am I going to deliver this piece of news to them later on, that two of their grandsons are in serious trouble. Caused by right, it shouldn't be this way."

The press listened intently as Shiro spoke, some of them nodding in agreement with his words. He took a deep breath before continuing, "To my 5 million followers near and far, I would like to thank everyone who believed and stood by me, despite my overbearing behaviour you might all have seen taken by the press. And I am truly sorry to the rest of our fans, I felt like...I have disappointed all of you. That their greed had ruined the experience of what you were expecting from us. What you wanted what a show-stopping performance, but towards the end...it turned into a nightmare. And again, I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart on my behalf."

He paused again, taking another deep breath while the press are giving him nothing but sympathy, "As for my future, I am not sure what it holds. But I promise you all that I will continue to pursue my passion for music, no matter what obstacles come my way. I hope to make my Uncle Jiro-Ojichan proud and to make it up to our fans for what happened. I won't mind even if I had to start from scratch. Music is not just a career for me, it's a way of life, and I won't let this incident define me or my future."

With that, Shiro bowed deeply to the press while the press applauded his speech.

Ogawa stepped forward to thank them for their time before ending the press conference. "Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time. As this is also a painful family matter, once more, we wish everyone could give him the respected privacy he needs so he could heal from all of this."

As they made their way out while the press had several more questions, only to be stopped by the guards, Shiro couldn't help but feel a sense of relief mixed with sadness. Red Illumination was no more, but at least he was free from the burden of their scandal. He didn't know what the future held for him, but he knew that he had the support of his manager and his fans, and that was enough for now.

......................

And so, after several days passed, when news travelled fast, there was chaos.

The news of Red Illumination's scandal spread like wildfire, and chaos ensued. Fans were shocked and disappointed to hear about the kidnapping and extortion attempt, and many demanded answers and justice. Social media was flooded with comments and messages, with some expressing sympathy for Shiro and others calling for the prosecution of the two young culprits.

Meanwhile, the music industry was also abuzz with the news, with many speculating about the long-term effects on Shiro's career and the future of Red Illumination. Some predicted that Shiro's reputation would be tarnished.

Despite the turmoil, however, there was a glimmer of hope for Shiro's future in the music industry. Many fans and industry professionals had come out in support of him, recognizing his talent and the injustice of his situation. Offers for collaborations and projects started pouring in, and Shiro was grateful for the opportunities to continue doing what he loved. From the looks of things, it seems like he would bounce back stronger than ever.

The press continued to follow the story, publishing articles and conducting interviews with those involved. There were debates about whether or not the band should have been more vigilant in vetting their members, and some questioned the music industry's responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of their artists.

But Tantei Association's involvement in solving the case, which involved 7 children, was the major talk of entire Japan.

Yes, Tantei Association's involvement in solving the case was a major topic of discussion in Japan. Many were impressed by the organization's ability to uncover the truth behind the kidnapping and extortion attempt, especially considering that the detectives were just children.

Though with good, there are bad. Ryo and Kyo's fans obviously were not pleased, biased and insisting that they couldn't have masterminded the kidnapping, falsely accused Tantei Association of being fans of Shiro, hence, the wrongful charge against them.

But Ranran was politically savvy.

She knew the press would try to get any wind of who knew the members of Tantei Association's personalities by hand, which is why she had kept backup copies of Kyo's video recordings of his kidnapping accomplices he and Ryo planned to betray uploaded onto their site. Normally she wouldn't do this, as it will affect public opinion during a court hearing for the culprits, but in Japan, any minor below 14 years of age that commits a crime like this normally ends up in a mental institution and will never get a criminal record onto them, they do so to give them a chance to re-enter society.

In other words, Ryo and Kyo will never end up in court to face their criminal charges at all, but their accomplices would. Which would be to poor Shiro, a slap in the wrist.

The only time they will appear in court is when Shiro sues them, but that will be a story for another time. When the video came up, it was clear that Ryo and Kyo were the masterminds behind the kidnapping and extortion attempt. The evidence was overwhelming, and their fans were forced to face the truth. The fans who had supported them began to turn against them. Ranran's move had effectively ended any doubt about the identity of the culprits and cleared Tantei Association's name.

As the days went by, Ryo and Kyo's popularity dwindled, and their social media accounts were bombarded with messages of anger and disappointment. Many fans had lost their trust in them, and it was clear that they would have a difficult time recovering from the scandal.

Then when the police revealed Kyo's major motive behind the kidnapping, regarding him protecting his first love who bullied Shiro after the drummer rejected her feelings, as well as learning this first love, was the same girl person bullied Walter Kensington, it fueled the outrage of Shiro's fans and garnered even more sympathy and support for him. Many saw it as further evidence of the injustice that Shiro had faced and expressed their admiration for him for being able to rise above it all.

Walter too received messages of condolence, since he himself had a fan following of over 7.4 million followers. Of course, thanks to media curiosity, once more his dark past regarding his biological father was again, there to torment him, but this time, Walter took it with stride, as well as personally retweeted, related to Shiro's devastated feelings about this matter.

The hate for Colleen grew obviously with time when more about her misdeeds surfaced, leaving the fandom from both sides to agree that the boys did not deserve to get harassed because one rejects the feelings for the other and is painted as a villain. It got so bad, that there had been multiple online groups planning to locate Colleen's grave to dig out their coffin and set it on fire. Even when she was alive, she did not have a good reputation, so it wasn't odd to Ranran at all. In fact, the calculative detective girl was tempted to use a dump account and tell them the location and wanted to see it burn after what Walter and Shiro had to go through. A girl like Colleen deserves the worst kind of hell, even in the afterlife.

But the Shinichi later put a stop to this before that could happen, telling her that as evil as Colleen is to others, and that she deserve every single hell that was coming her way, that girl is no longer alive to harm anyone anymore. Besides, Walter's adopted parents although had cut all form of ties to Colleen for all the harm she did to Walter, Shinichi reminded her that Colleen is still regardless their child, and that Walter's adopted parents are still in an amicable relationship with Ranran through Walter, don't throw it all away in the name of hate.

In the end, she forfeited the idea and listened to Shinichi.

But it wasn't completely all good, Red Illumination's old albums had sold out thanks to media interest rather than the interest in the song content, and their music was played on every radio station and streamed on every music platform. Some fans accused the media of using the scandal to generate revenue and clicks and criticized the public's tendency to sensationalize and profit off of other people's misfortunes.

Nevertheless, Shiro remained grateful for his fans' unwavering support and tried to focus on his music.

As for Tantei Association, their reputation grew even stronger as people recognized their dedication and skill in solving the kidnapping case. The group received numerous requests for their services and continued to help people in need.

....................

"So, you are not happy regarding the fact both you and your tantei partner have been interrupted on an Uno stack-up game, is that so?" the reporter asked.

"Yes, it was a mere waste of time. I mean, he staged this whole kidnapping, then suddenly, our game had to be interrupted just to entertain his and his family's entire scam onto Shiro!" agreed Ranran, knowing that she was being transmitted to millions on news broadcast video.

The airport was currently crowded with screaming fans, newspaper reporters and television camera crews. Right now, both Ranran and Shinichi are surrounded by the press as both of them are giving interviews.

And as always, since they didn't want their identities to be exposed, their faces were blurred.

"Miss and Mr K, is it true the management donated the money to both of your Tantei agencies due to the kidnapping of one of your members?" One of the reporters asked them their online alliances' names.

"R2 and I insist on turning it down, but sensing Shiro's face looking so guilty about the entire ordeal because he still thinks that it was his fault when it never was, we decided it is better if we take it, "Shinichi answered as he shook his head. "Especially that Kyo and Ryo, we knew something was wrong from the moment he was brought in. This whole kidnapping thing was staged."

Then another reporter demands, "On the site, I read that Kyo and one of the members of the detective agency had switched places to personally seek you all out to look for his missing brother, and didn't trust the cops. When he first appeared, did any of you feel starstruck?"

Of course, there are bound to be dumb questions from the press.

Shinichi refrain from rolling his eyes while Ranran handled it calmly, "Honestly no, we had no idea who is Red Illumination, to begin with till one of our members brought Kyo over. And frankly," Ranran chuckled mischievously, "This world ain't Disney, where one would easily fall for a boyband while investigating a kidnapping case, alright?"

The reporters laughed at Ranran's remark, and the atmosphere became lighter when Shinichi snort at her comments.

For Fuyuko Junko who is watching this in a small security room off the main concourse with the other members plus Shiro, it was a clear direct insulting jab at her. "The damn girl!"

"But she ain't wrong, you know?" Emiko commented, "You easily fell for Kyo's lies, which is how he was able to tip Ryo and the others to go on with their kidnapping plan!"

Ran, who was sitting next to the artist, sighed heavily. "Emiko, don't be harsh on her. She just wanted to help Kyo find his brother. Nobody thought it would lead to all of this."

"That's right!" Fuyuko then glared at Emiko, "And it's easy for you to say, since now you are the only one living up like a Disney love story, now that you and Shiro are official!"

"Hey! At least I didn't use him just to make the other jealous!"

Michio decided to step in before the argument escalated any further. "Okay, okay, let's not fight about this. We all made mistakes, but we learned from them. The important thing now is that Shiro is free from harm, and he can move on from those two, ok?"

Shiro who is sitting next to Takuma, curiously whispered to ask the boy in the cap who recently recovered from his cold, "Using Kyo to make one jealous?"

"Ah ha ha, I forgot to mention this," Takuma then explained to the drummer, "Michio is someone Junko liked for 10 years since kindergarten. She has been doing all sorts of things to get him to be in a relationship, but it has been unsuccessful."

"Eh...so that is what she means." Shiro nodded to this, then gave Ran, who is alongside Michio trying to defuse the feud between Emiko and Junko a quiet stare, "I assumed that girl there like that Shinichi boy?"

"How did you know?" Takuma became startled.

"The other night after we toured around the city and celebrated at a party, I saw the way she looked at him when he left to be with that Ranran friend of yours. She was giving me the same look that a bully of mine used to give me. And Emiko told me everything about their situation, how she and a friend kept downplaying his credibility as a detective just to be married off."

Takuma's expression turned serious as he listened. "That's terrible. Also, Emiko ain't wrong." He slumps while revealing, "To be honest, Shinichi really had it rough with Ran and Sonoko. And when Ranran listened to him, they grew mad since they naturally assumed Shinichi would apologize to them and make amends. But this time..."

 "It's that bad, huh?"

Growing worried for Ranran, Takuma then asked, "Neh, I always wanted to know. How did that Colleen got kicked out of school? Cause...if there is anything...at least I can get rid of Ran. She kept pestering Ranran and ended up endangering her so many times, that even when Shinichi tried to get her to leave, she stubbornly refused."

Shiro thought for a moment before answering, "Nothing much. She basically ruined her own life when I left evidence for others to find."

"Evidence?!" Takuma tilts his head.

"Yeah, like when she stole my bento, I intentionally put termites in it," With eyebrows shot up, Shiro explained, "Jiro Ojichan and his late partner used to raise a nest of fire ants as a hobby, so when he was still alive, he told me this trick where he announced to everyone after the bento went missing, that he was going to use those ants for a show and tell school project and as a surprise, he hid it in there. Then the thief/school bully back then landed himself in hot water and was hospitalized." 

"Ah...so you used the same trick on her-"

"It took multiple tries for her to finally admit she stole my bento, she was one persistent bully that eventually admit to her crimes. So I can't say this trick would work on your friend's situation," Seeing Takuma a little stunned, Shiro grew apologetic, "I may have sounded inhumane-"

"Oh no, I wasn't shocked that you behave that way, you have every right to," Takuma reassured him, adding, "Truthfully..."His eyes cast to the table, "That girl Ran has been praying for my friend's death because of a nasty fallout between her and Shinichi, and I am genuinely worried she may not even live past the age of 6."

Shiro's expression turned grim upon hearing this. "That is not good at all," he said. "It's one thing to have a crush on someone, but to wish harm upon them is unacceptable. Has Shinichi been made aware of this?"

Takuma nodded. "He has, in fact, he had made several trips to our school council to remove her from the club for Ranran's safety secretly. But those idiot adults think she's just a kid throwing a tantrum. Her parents also intervene, but it didn't do much in Shinich's favour, insisting that Ranran manipulated everyone. One time, I even overheard that she secretly declared to Sonoko that if Shinichi ever moved to another school with Ranran, she will study her way to get him back."

Shiro let out a heavy sigh. "It seems like the situation is more complicated than I thought," he said. "Have you considered talking to a counsellor or a therapist about this?"

"Well, Shinichi got mad at her one time for rudely interrupting her chat with her overseas friend, and her parents threw her into anger management...let's just say her hate towards Ranran grew further..."

Shiro nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "It sounded like she had been manipulated for a long time."

"Tell me about it," 

"I think at this rate...if things continue like this..." Takuma sighed. "Maybe an overseas school is the only solution."

"Like Edgewood? The school where she used to study?"

The athlete's eyebrows shot up, "How do you know where Ranran studies?"

"I know about it through one of her clients, who is also my friend name Salome Grimthorne. She was the one who recommended me Ranran's services during her earlier days as The Fox in the U.K."

"Salome Grimthorne!?" Takuma grew excited, "Moriko and Reina are huge fans of her work as an actress!"

Salome Grimthorne was not your ordinary child actress. 11 years old, but she had already made a name for herself in Hollywood for her refusal to take on stereotypical child roles.

When most stereotyped child roles in the movie and tv dramas exist, such as the cute, well-behaved yet annoying innocent kids that needed saving and can't think for themselves, to the stereotyped villainous characters who are mean, cruel, and often lacking empathy, Salome's speciality as an actress was her ability to break out of these stereotypical roles and take on more complex, challenging, and nuanced characters.

She was not content to play the cute and innocent child who needed saving or the one-dimensional villain who lacked empathy.

No, if anything, Salome was the type to bring depth and nuance to her performances, even when playing characters who were younger than herself. She did not shy away from difficult or controversial subjects and was willing to take risks and push boundaries in her work.

In doing so, Salome became a trailblazer in the world of child acting, inspiring others to break free from the constraints of stereotypical roles and to pursue their craft with passion, dedication, and a willingness to take risks. Her roles allowed her to explore the full range of human emotions and experiences.

"Wait....Ranran knows Salome!?"

"Of course she does, did you not watch her earlier interviews when asked who is her inspiration? It's Ranran," Shiro confirmed, wondering why didn't Ranran mention any of this to her friend, "They studied at the same school for 2 years. Did she not tell you any of that?"

Takuma shook his head. "No, she never mentioned it to me. But now that I think about it, it makes sense. Salome's work and her dedication to breaking stereotypes in acting...I never could've guessed Ranran was the source behind her inspiration." Then a question rang in his mind, "Wait, what service was Ranran offering back then during her earlier years to Salome?"

"Well...." After thinking about it, he smiled ambiguously, "You can say...it was for the sake of Salome's injustice."

"....injustice you say?" The more Shiro said it, the more Takuma swear he was falling into a whirlpool of confusion.

"Now, don't get me wrong, but Ryo and Kyo will be sent to a mental institution, is that true?"

"Yes, "Just then, the TV in the room caught their attention as Shinichi's voice could be heard. "As they are below the minimum age, they can't be charged under juvenile."

"But that doesn't mean they won't face consequences," added Ranran with an oddly mysterious yet sly smile. "They will receive...a 'special' sort of treatment that they would be as cruel as one would have to deal with when one is in prison."

The reporters in the airport started to buzz with speculation and excitement at Ranran's words. "Can you elaborate on that, Miss KR2?" asked one of the reporters.

Ranran paused for a moment as if weighing her words carefully. "Let's just say that they won't be getting off easy. They will be in a secure facility, with some 'fun friends' to play with."

"...f-fun friends?" Ran and the others began to exchange puzzled gazes with each other.

Unbeknownst to the children, at some anonymous mental institution in Japan, the screams of two former musicians could be heard crying out loud.