While the meeting was taking place in Tantei Association, Takuma was busy checking his watch.

Everyone had left an hour ago. He was beginning to panic when the hotel staff knock on the door, demanding he opens the door since they are going to clean his room. The loud shouting from the next room made him even more anxious. If that was Sulky Shiro making all that noise, Takuma thought with a shudder he didn't want to be caught in here alone. Shiro would probably rip him to pieces. Shiro is after all Kyo's cousin, and also bandmate.

Shiro has no idea Kyo had switched places with Takuma, just to sneak out to meet Takuma's other detective friends to look into the disappearance of his brother. If Shiro finds out Takuma is here instead, Shiro is going to kill him. What should Takuma do...to get rid of them?

Then, he recalled something.

There was this vacation their school took previously. Some camping trip if he wasn't mistaken. And man, back then, Kudo Ranran was beyond piss. She didn't want to be on this vacation trip.

So being the schemer she is, she was able to get all the things other kids were not able to get. Instead of sleeping in a tent where it is stuffy, and filled with flying noisy insects, she was able to get a bedroom of her own in a hotel, with an air-conditioner. Of course, other kids were pissed off, or more like, jealous over the fact Ranran was given the special privilege and demanded that she shares it with them.

What she did next stunned them. She acted like a tyrannical queen, and just like in the medieval era, Ranran punished them severely with her bare hands

In Takuma's opinion, he recalls the experience told by those unfortunate kids as 'brutal', 'horrific', and 'inhumane'. And then he got inspired. Once more, he needs to channel his inner Kudo Ranran!

"You can do this, Takuma. Walk out of the room and scream and yell at everyone. The way Ranran would do. Though I am going to ruin Kyo's reputation because of this, sorry Kyo."He approach the door and risked a peek into the gap of the door.

Again, the housekeeping staff were outside his door. Further glimpses reveal that the police were all standing in a huddle at the other end. He took a deep breath. It was now or never. He threw open the door, slammed it shut, and screamed in rage. The police and housekeeping staff jumped and reached for their guns.

"What a dumb hotel!" he ranted. "The peanuts are so freaking stale! The water's not hot enough! The bed is bloody lumpy! The sheets stink as if there was a dead corpse rotting in here!" He raised a fist into the air "And my pillows smell like somebody's been eating fish on them!"He stamped along the corridor and jabbed a fist at the police. "And don't tell me I can't go downstairs, or else I'm going to get the manager FIRED!"

The police watched him, their mouths sagging open but they didn't get a good glimpse, since the housekeeping fled in response, feeling terrified.

Takuma then kicked open the door to the service area and disappeared around the corner."Phew," he breathed, wiping his brow. "Close call."

That is it, he decided he is going to leave here. Right now he is certain if he remain, Shiro is going to look into it since he knows Kyo is too shy to do this sort of thing.

Without warning, the service elevator opened and a huge figure blocked Takuma's path. He leaрt back when he recognized the bouncer from the concert. The brutal face with the broken nose and the scarred left cheek turned in his direction.

"Hey kid," Sneered the hulking man, "haven't I seen you before?"

"What, you mean me?" Takuma pointed to himself, pretending not to show how horrified he is since he recognized this man to be one of the bodyguards of Red Illumination who met at the stadium earlier this morning. "But I don't know you." Takuma shook his head.

"Sure I have," growled the man. You were at the concert taking to the cops with those brats earlier!"The man lurched forward, his hands ready to attack, but Takuma moved faster. He aimed a sudden kick at the big man's knee, then darted inside the elevator as the doors began to close.

His last sight of the big man was that of him nursing his knee, hobbling on one leg, his face twisted with rage. Something had fallen from the pocket of his black coat. It looked like an envelope. Takuma would've wanted to pick it up, but not getting caught is his priority right now.

And then the doors closed while the elevator carried Takuma down to safety.

"Phew," Again, he wiped his brow, "That was close."

Right now needed to find a safe place to hide and figure out his next move. He remembered his friends are at the association HQ right now. He had to get there, fast.

Having managed to bolt through the staff entrance and down the lane behind the hotel. He dived into the shadows of another doorway and caught his breath.

He reached into his pocket for his smartphone and realized it must have been with his girlfriend, Reina since he handed it to her for safekeeping while he was dressed up as a fake Youtuber. He pulled out a handful of notes and coins. At least, he consoled himself he'd have enough money to get a cab back to headquarters.

He was just about to make a dash for the main street when he saw the bouncer come out. The big man looked up and down the lane. At last, satisfied that nobody was watching him, he began walking briskly to the main street.

It was at this point, Takuma made a split-second decision.

Slipping from his doorway, he followed the big man.

Something told him that the bouncer was the key to the mystery of Ryo's disappearance. He just knows it.

.........

"A drum set?" The members of Tantei Association blinked in surprise.

"That is the case. A drum set," Kyo hesitated, his eyes clouded with anger, "Mr Ogawa bought him the drum set he wanted, and he wanted to use it for our concert for our upcoming performance. But then for some reason, it went missing by the time we arrived here, so when Ogawa bought Shiro another set, he threw it aside and burst a huge hole in it, demanding he must get the one Ogawa promised him to get. Otherwise, no show."

"No offence, but why did he insist on wanting this particular drum set? Is it expensive or something?" Ranran frowned.

"It is, but that is beside the point," Kyo bemoaned, "The musical instruments he always requests had to be costly. Sometimes it made me wonder if he is more interested in playing expensive musical instruments rather than making good music for our fans together."

Ran furrowed her brows in confusion. "Does it make a difference if one uses an expensive music instrument?"

"I think it's because he wants to appear more skilled and talented than he really is," Shinichi spoke up, "If he plays an expensive instrument, people might assume he's a better musician than he actually is. The reason I know this is because my mother who is a former actress used to meet such people."

Kyo nodded in agreement. "That's what we've been thinking too. But it's frustrating because it's affecting our band's reputation and causing unnecessary drama."

Shinichi jotted down some notes in his notebook, thinking about the dynamics within the band, "According to our earlier interview back at the hotel, I thought you said Shiro was born with talented ears, which is why the last-minute rehearsals you and Ryo never include him. If that were the case, he didn't need any of those, to begin with." Michio thinks.

Kyo sighed, "Yes, he has a good ear for music, but that's not enough to make him a great musician. His mindset is the problem when he keeps on thinking expensive musical instruments will help our unit excel. His demanding ways when it comes to those things led us to have tons of drama, and it's affecting our performances and rehearsals."

"But you are all rich," Junko pointed this out, "Although I agree you all had to pay up the staff members and stuff, don't tell me Ogawa would put a stop to this."

"Oh no, Ogawa does so willingly, "Kyo replies as he nodded, "But I do find it annoying that we are all doing this to suit his ears most of the time, at the expense of our own money."

"What does Ryo think of this then?" questioned Emiko.

"Too easy on him, "Kyo grunted "He gives in to him all the time, just to keep the group together. No offence for talking to him like that, but really....he is a real pain. Sometimes I wish that he wasn't born to have gifted ears so that we don't have to comply with his every wimp."

Emiko felt a twinge of discomfort at Kyo's words while the rest just gave Kyo a silent thought. She understood his frustration, but she didn't think it was fair to blame Shiro for wanting to play the best instruments possible. After all, it was natural for musicians to want to use the best tools available to them.

Feeling angry at Kyo's harsh words about Shiro, confronts him and says, "Do you really think Shiro wanted this talent to begin with? Do you think he enjoys being the source of all this drama and tension within the band? It's not his fault he was born with a good ear for music, and it's not fair for you to blame him for all of your own frustrations."

Kyo looks taken aback by Emiko's unexpected outburst, and so were the other members of the association. "Emiko-"

But Kyo cuts Ran off, "I understand what you're saying, Emiko, and you're right. It's not Shiro's fault that he was born with this talent, and I shouldn't have spoken about him that way. I just get so frustrated with the way he acts sometimes, and it's affecting our performances and rehearsals."

Emiko shook her head in disbelief, "No, you don't understand, do you? Having a talent doesn't mean one owes it to anyone's expectations. It's not his responsibility to make everyone happy just because he's born to be good at something."

Kyo seemed to be processing what Emiko was saying, "I know that. But there are certain sounds that we play that wouldn't make a difference even if one buys an expensive musical instrument. I felt like if he had listened to us, it would have been less of a hassle for everyone around him."

"Emiko, calm down."

But she was ignoring the founder's words, "Every single success that you have all achieved for all those years were all thanks to those bothersome gifted ears he was born with." Emiko bitterly, her eyes flashing, "Let's face it," She gave Kyo a sеaring look, "Without those ears, you both would be nothing!"

And with that, she got up and stormed out into the shop. The rest of the members just stared after her in shock, while Shinichi and Ranran spoke in whispers over a conversation neither member are able to hear.

...........

Mouri Ran who grew worried about Emiko's unexpected outburst got us and left the association, walking down the corridors before entering the shop, hoping to find the artist.

Majima Michio's mother waved from behind the counter as Emiko was inspecting a rack of jewellery, and Ran went across to join her. "Emiko, are you alright?"

Ran caught Emiko's eye. She gave her a sheepish smile. "Ah, Ran-san? Sorry for the outburst earlier."

"It's alright," Ran reassured her, "I just wanted to make sure you're okay. What's been bothering you?"

Emiko sighed. "I just couldn't stand the way Kyo was talking about Shiro. It's like he forgets that Shiro didn't ask to be born with that talent. And just because he has it doesn't mean he should be treated poorly."

Ran nodded in agreement. "I understand how you feel. It's not fair to judge someone based on their talents, especially if it's something they were born with. But...why did it feel like when you were scolding Kyo, it was as if you are scolding someone else?"

Emiko hesitated for a moment before speaking, "It's because I see a lot of myself in Shiro."

"In what way?"

Emiko takes a deep breath and starts to speak. "My dream as an artist...my parents barely supported me."

"Eh!?" Her eyebrows shot up.

"When I decided to become an artist after realizing my talent, my parents didn't support me." Emiko rubbed her other arm with her hand, " I wouldn't be able to make a living from it because it is an underappreciated career, unlike stable careers like becoming a doctor or a lawyer. I used to resent my art talent a lot. Thinking I won't be getting anywhere in life."

Then Ran remembered the scholarship incident when Emiko went mad that it was at risk of ruining her dream, "So is that why you went mad when you realized that the scholarship you were granted was linked to some scandalized prestigious Art University-"

"Yeah." Emiko nodded to her, still bitter, "My parents even used up the college funds that were saved for me to be used on my elder sister, who is studying overseas. It was their way of saying 'We won't offer you a single yen on your dream unless I quit dreaming of becoming an artist'. The funny part of all of this was: They even say they wish I wasn't born with this art talent."

"That is cruel!"Ran felt a pang of sympathy for Emiko's struggles. "I'm sorry to hear that, Emiko. It must have been really difficult for you. And I imagine you must be hating your sister to death, I mean look at it! It is obvious whose child is their favourite!"

Emiko shrugged, trying to hide her emotions. "It's fine. I've learned to accept it and work hard to achieve my dreams without their support. As for my sister...that is another thing."

Ran could sense the bitterness in Emiko's voice, but she didn't push the topic further. Instead, she offered her support to Emiko. "Emiko, it was evident that you are talented. I mean if we were to even put Takuma's drawing of Peaches the cat side by side, even the sketches of those suspects you helped draft made it all so obvious that you deserve to become one. Don't ever let anyone make you feel like you're not good enough or that your dreams are not worth pursuing. You deserve to be happy, and I know you'll make it as an artist."

Emiko looked at Ran with gratitude. "Thank you, Ran."

"But aside from that," Ran grinned mischievously, "Are you sure there's not a little bit of a crush there with Shiho, Emiko? Defending a guy so passionately usually means there's something more going on."

"Hmm...you think so?"

Ran grinned at Emiko's admission. "Ah, I knew it! So there is more to it than just defending a bad boy."

Emiko rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. Maybe I do have a bit of a crush on him."

"A bit?" Ran raised her eyebrows playfully. "Who knew your type are on bad boys alone?"

"Stop teasing me, Ran. It's not like anything can happen between us anyway." Emiko laughed, fingering the jewellery. "You think we suit each other?"

"You never try, you never know."

"We both have messed up families, Ran. I don't know if I can handle any of this," Emiko shrugs as she went on, "I can't even handle my own family, to begin with."

"Emiko....." Ran placed a comforting hand on Emiko's shoulder. "In life, you can't let one bad experience hinder you. If I lived the way you do, I don't think I could even bear with my parent's separation a long time ago."

Emiko smiled weakly. "I know, but it's easier said than done. Sometimes it just feels like everything will fall apart before it could even begin."

"I do, I have been there, and still am," Ran nodded sympathetically. "But you have to keep moving forward. Don't let your past define your future."

Emiko nodded, taking a deep breath. "You're right. I can't let my family's dysfunction stop me from living my life."

"And who knows, maybe things will work out with Shiro-san." Ran grinned mischievously.

Emiko looked up at her friend, a small smile on her lips. "Thanks, Ran. You always know what to say. Truthfully, I believe he ain't rude. It's just an act he puts on to protect himself so he doesn't get hurt, and I understand where he's coming from. But underneath it all, I know he's a very quiet and honest guy."

Ran stared at Emiko in amazement, her mouth hanging open. "Wow," she shook her head. "You mean you can see all that in him?"

Emiko winked. "Of course. I wouldn't end up in Tantei association if it wasn't for this talent of mine."

Ran nodded. Sometimes Emiko really surprised her with what she thought and felt. Ran on the other hand hated rude boys, well, maybe Shinichi is the only exception. She liked the ones who fussed over her and made to feel special.

"Well, what do you think of Kyo?" she asked her friend.

"Kyo...now that sort of boy are common, "Emiko snorted. "Too smooth, too slick, too Mr Nice Guy,"

"Is it? How do you know that?"

Emiko shrugged. "I can just tell. It's a gut feeling after running an intel business for a few years."

Ran nodded. "I see. But have you talked to him or interacted with him at all? Maybe there's more to him than just his surface image."

Emiko shook her head. "No, not really. But sometimes you just know, Ran. And my gut is rarely wrong."

Ran nodded in agreement. "That's true. I've met a few guys like that myself. But I haven't sensed anything off about Kyo yet."

"Is that so? Did they notice it off the bat? How smart, still...."Ran looked down, worried, "You'd better not let Junko hear you say, that I think she's fallen for him."

"Let her be, as Ranran would say, "Emiko stared into the distance. "She'll learn."

Then she swung round. Followed by Ran, she returned to where the Kudo children and the others were making their plans.

.........

At that moment back at the hotel in Room 45, Shirou (Nagano Shinobu) happen to be watching television as his manager was enjoying a few of рeace and quiet moments. Suddenly a scraping sound caught his attention.

He glanced across in time to see an envelope being slipped under the door. He pushed himself out of his chair and reached for the envelope. "More fan mail?" Shiro smirked from his bed while his manager ignored him. He peeled open the envelope and froze.

A single sheet of paper was inside. Letters had been cut from newspapers to make up a simple, terrifying message:

WE'VE GOT RYO, PAY $1,000,000 (In US currency) OR YOU'LL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN.WAIT FOR OUR INSTRUCTIONS.

Shirou's heart raced as he read the message. He felt a chill run down his spine as he realized that this was not fan mail, but a ransom note for his friend Ryo. He quickly showed the note to his manager, who had been dozing off in the corner.

"What should we do?" Shirou asked urgently.

It was when Ogawa Touma's hand was trembling, his late pale, He could feel tightness in his chest. He ran to his smartphone.

As the manager waited for the call to connect, Shirou couldn't help but wonder who could have taken Ryo and why they were demanding such a large sum of money. Oddly, why on earth did the kidnapper specifically request in US currency?

Half an hour later, after a stormy meeting with the drummer and manager, Sergeant Genzo returned to the hotel's basement security room. He was seething with anger

"It's now a kidnapping case," he told his senior men. "Someone impersonating Nagano Katsu (Kyo) had recently come out of Room 44. And while our men were distracted and went in search of him, someone else managed to slip a ransom letter into Room 45. Meanwhile, the real Kyo is also missing!"

"But we've got the hotel sealed," protested one of the officers. "How could anyone get in or out?"

"But you didn't have men posted at the staff entrance, did you?" Sergeant Genzo snapped back. "I want to see the surveillance tapes from the hotel security cameras.

Sergeant Genzo pulled up a chair and began watching the videotapes recorded by the hotel security cameras.

He sipped from a plastic cup of water, his eyes fixed keenly on the screen.

Suddenly a fountain of water spurted from his mouth all over the desk. His assistant jumped clear just in time. "What's the matter, sir"

"Stop the tape," ordered Sergeant Genzo. "Rewind the tape and see what happened, during the last twenty seconds again.''

They replayed it, staring at the grainy grey images on the screen. His assistant shrugged "It's just some of the kids doing a Youtube social experiment assignment, sir."

"Like I buy that!" barked Genzo in anger, "I know that short brown-haired girl, that is Suzuki Sonoko, Mouri Ran's friend, who is also, one of the members of Tantei Association. That would mean if Ran is involved, everyone in the Tantei Association is involved! Especially that Kudo Ranran girl! And I'll bet that's Kyo with them hiding behind the laundry bag."

He leapt up, squashing the plastic cup, "This time," he shook his head violently, "The two children had gone too far!" Genzo replied, his voice seething with anger. "I won't let them get away with this!"

His assistant nodded, understanding the severity of the situation. "What do you want us to do, sir?"

"Get a team ready," Genzo ordered, his jaw clenched tightly. "We're going to find out where they are and bring them in for questioning. And if they're involved in this kidnapping, they'll face the consequences."

"Should we not inform the higher-ups?"

"No, we don't need to cause another panic. Especially since we are no closer to looking for Ryo yet."

Genzo's tone was firm and decisive, and his subordinates knew better than to question his orders. They quickly got to work, assembling a team to track down the suspects and retrieve the missing star.

.....

Genzo's car pulled up outside the Tantei Association headquarters. He grabbed his walkie-talkie and contacted the two plainclothes men he had stationed in the car park behind the jewellery shop. They confirmed they were in position and ready to stop anyone from leaving.

As he stepped out of the car, he felt a heavy burden settle over him. Michio's father had been his best friend, and he couldn't shake off the sadness that came with his death. He had encouraged Michio to pursue detective work, but this particular case had put everyone on edge. The kidnapping of a world-famous pop star had attracted global media attention, and the last thing they needed was to jeopardize the investigation by breaking the law or causing negative publicity.

Genzo entered the little shop where Michio's mother sold handcrafted jewellery. She smiled at him, thinking it was a nice surprise. But as soon as she saw the expression on his face, she knew something was wrong.

"Good morning, Mio," he began, trying to sound casual. "Is Michio around?"

Her face turned pale, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "They were all in their headquarters a few minutes ago. Why, Genzo, what's happened?"

He led her to the back room, which was deserted except for the stack of books and pencils on a chair. He picked up one of the pencils and contemplated his next move.

"Mio, your son has just gotten the entire Tantei association mixed up in a kidnapping case," he said, holding her arm lightly.

She looked at him in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

He explained the situation and suggested they go to the association office to confront the children. As they arrived, they realized that every single child was nowhere to be seen. Shinichi had suggested they revisit the stadium to investigate how Ryo had disappeared, and they had all gone along with it.

Genzo let out a sigh. "Those kids never cease to amaze me," he said, smiling faintly.

..........

Kyo had jumped into the back seat of one taxi with Junko, leaving Michio glowering at them from beside the driver. He was wearing a spare part of Michio's jeans and one of Takuma's old army shirts, the one with a green and grey camouflage print.

Meanwhile, Ranran, Shinichi, Ran and Emiko piled into a second cab.

"Damn....."Emiko couldn't help but shake her head over this, "I don't know how I would feel if I were Michio."

"Probably a first-ever erupting scandal between Tantei Association and Red Illumination in the making, where a love triangle takes place. Or Michio is thanking God's lucky stars for fleeing such fate."

"Don't be cruel, Ranran, "Shinichi frowned at her as Ranran chuckles while Ran was still observing the taxi ahead of them.

"This is impending heartbreak doom...."Ran couldn't help but say.

"Ran, she kinda ask for it."Emiko rolled her eyes.

As they rode in the taxi, Shinichi's mind wandered back to Majima Michio.

Shinichi had always found it strange that Junko could always find Michio, no matter how much he tried to distance himself from her. It was as if she had some sort of tracking device on him or she had spies watching him all the time.

Michio had once confided in him that he had tried to distance himself from Junko several times in the past, but it always backfired. He couldn't understand how she always managed to find him, even when he enrolled at Teitan Elementary and lied to her that he was studying elsewhere.

Ever since Tantei Association was opened, she had become even more obsessed with him, especially after Adeline appeared. It was as if The Snake's daughter's interference had made her want Michio even more. Similar to Ran's obsession with him because Mamiko was using Ranran as bait, now he strongly believes there is something going on with Junko.

And the number 1 suspect he had in mind is none other than Junko's mother.

Shinichi remembered when he began digging into Junko's mother, he learn that she had quite the reputation for being shady and involved in criminal activities. He suspected that she might be using her connections and resources to track Michio's every move, and possibly even manipulating Junko to be obsessed with him. But he couldn't figure out why.

Michio's family ain't close to wealthy the way Sonoko, himself, or even Ranran for that matter. He grew up in a single-parent household for the first 10 years of his life, so Shinichi still couldn't figure out her motive behind this. And though Junko's family is poor, it wasn't to a point that they couldn't sustain themselves. So why did her mother go after Michio?

At first, he assumed that maybe his late father, a respectable high-rank detective back then, could've done something to her mother. But he used the family connections and found no traces or link between the two. The one link he did find however was that the two used to study at the same high school together: Teitan High School.

But that was about it, any trace he could find was seemingly intentionally erased, as if someone is maliciously trying to hide something and avoid bringing it up.

Also, he felt uneasy for some reason when he learns that Mamiko's mother was also a student there. Adding Mamiko's last comments about Ranran's mother. These three women...just how are they linked to each other?

And Ranran's reaction at that time when Mamiko made that comment about her mother allegedly playing victim to something...the red lip mentor grew mad when it was brought up.

Is there...is there something Shinichi isn't aware of?

Especially Junko's mother being a huge pariah within the community...what did she do to Ranran's mother that was so severe, it got her kicked out? And that a lot of parents he would meet would look down on her. Naturally speaking, Shinichi could've asked Ranran about this, but she was a cryptic little girl. She is the type who she rather had him look into it himself, to see the truth for what it is, rather than hear it from her.

Because in a way...certain truths can't be manipulated, no matter how many lies were built around them. 

Shinichi knew that he needed to gather more information to get to the bottom of it. Normally, he would have led things to be, but Michio is doing a horrible job not putting his foot down over where their relationship truly lies. From the way Michio spoke about Junko during their kindergarten days while they were staking out at the gallery that day, although the friendship was there, so was Michio's ambiguous relationship with Junko.

In a way, when Michio showed an annoyed look when Kyo and Junko rushed over to the backseat of the cab and called dibs, Shinichi assumed he was jealous. But would someone as jealous as Michio go behind Junko's back, just to date The Snake's daughter Adeline at that time?

Michio had always been polite to Junko, never once making it clear that he wasn't interested in a romantic relationship with her during their interactions in the association. When Shinichi shared his thoughts on this whether Michio is purposefully misleading Junko's feelings earlier while the other children were waiting for the cab (yes, they had to use Ranran's emergency funds again), to his surprise, Ranran saw things differently.

"Should we set Michio up with Junko to prevent another situation with The Snake's daughter?" They were hanging out in the HQ alone, as Shinichi shares his concern after The Snake's daughter's fiasco. "He can't seem to tell that one beautiful girl is duping him because of her looks."

"If he had feelings for Junko, I am afraid they are dying at a rapid pace, and he would've confessed to her years ago."

"What makes you say that?" Shinichi asked, intrigued.

"Michio is not the type to play with their feelings," Ranran explained. "But his downfall is when it comes to matters of the heart, he is scared to confront it. It's pretty clear that whatever he had for her, feelings or not, died the moment he decided to join the association to flee from her obsession towards him, especially when he began seeing The Snake's daughter at that time."

Shinichi considered this for a moment. "Do you think Junko is aware of his feelings?"

"I think she is, that is why she is going after Kyo to use him to get Michio to look at her. After that episode with Adeline, I could see why. Let's not forget that he had no father figure throughout his whole life to tell him whether what he had for Junko is love or just sisterly love. And his mother is constantly working to keep the roof afloat," Ranran suggested. "Plus, they have a long history together, and he probably doesn't want to lose that friendship. To him...family is everything. But I don't think he's leading her on or trying to manipulate her in any way."

Shinichi nodded, understanding the situation a bit more. "So what do you think we should do?"

Ranran shrugged. "I think we should just let things play out naturally. Michio needs experience with girls to learn what he likes and dislikes. You don't learn to run without crawling after all. As for Junko...she'll eventually realize what happens to people who play with fire. It's not our place to interfere in their relationship or lack thereof. Unless they posed a huge threat to our association."

Shinichi considered this and nodded. The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

Still, Shinichi couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on with Junko and her obsession with Michio. And everything is pointing back at her mother.

He made a mental note to investigate further into whatever the link is, between Michio's parents, Junko's mother, Ranran's mom and how Ranran fit into all of this. He felt like if he doesn't, he is going to regret it.

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

As they made their way to the stadium, Shinichi couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Although Kyo said he will take them there to investigate, he couldn't shake the feeling that they might be in over their heads.

"Hey, Ranran," he whispered, pulling her aside. "Are they any indication on Twitter that Kyo went missing?"

Ranran looked at him thoughtfully, "No."

"Good," He sighs with relief, "If they ever find out Kyo went missing, I am expecting chaos even before we enter the stadium. Hell, I am worried that they notified Red Illumination's security team."

Ranran nodded in agreement. "It's best that we keep this under wraps for now. We don't want to attract any unnecessary attention. Let's focus on finding Ryo first, and then we can figure out what to do next."

Shinichi nodded in agreement and they continued on their way to the stadium. 

When they reached the stadium, the stage door was open and the security guard on duty instantly recognized Kyo. "Ah, Kyo-san! Any news about your brother? I am sorry to hear that he has gone missing." he asked.

"Not yet," Kyo shook his hand. "We're just going to have a look around."

"By the way," The guard pointed to the other children, "Who are they?"

"They are my new friends I made here," Kyo said with a smile. "We're just hanging out and enjoying the day, while Ryo is still missing."

The guard nodded, understanding. "Alright then, enjoy your time here."

The guard waved them on and went back to reading his newspaper. The backstage area was deserted. Kyo led the way behind massive towers of amplifiers and speakers, and past the empty seats where the band's orchestra was to sit. They entered a long hall that brought them to the rockstar group's dressing rooms.

"You seemed familiar with the stadium, despite coming here for the first time," Ran couldn't help but comment, "When we rushed over to the dressing room earlier, I swore I could've gotten lost if Sonoko hadn't known the way."

Kyo smiled shyly, "Well, all of us are briefed to get to know the layout of this place, in case there is a fire or anything.

"Wait, everyone?" Heads turned to Ranran, "Including your manager?"

Kyo shook his head, "No, not everyone. Just the band members and some of the crew members. Mr Ogawa and the rest have their own responsibilities to take care of."

Shinichi spoke up, "So you've all been trained in fire safety and emergency protocols?"

Kyo nodded, "Yes, we take safety very seriously here. We've had incidents in the past where fans have gotten injured or sick, and we want to make sure that we can handle any situation that may arise."

Junko looked impressed, "That's really responsible of you all."

Michio and Emiko rolled their eyes, while the artist muttered to him, "It's just protocol to avoid getting sued if one dies."

"Agree." Michio agreed.

Junko shot them a disapproving look before turning back to Kyo. "I still think it is cool that you all did your duties."

Kyo grinned at Junko, "Thanks. It's just part of being a professional, I guess."

Emiko thought for a moment before speaking up, "Does this stadium not have any CCTV installed? I see so many of them installed here and there."

"We do," Kyo nodded, before sighing, "Unfortunately for today, for some reason, the CCTV cameras malfunctioned."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow, "Today of all days?"

Kyo nodded, "Yes, it's very strange. The security team on our part never had any issues with the cameras before leading up to today. The police also checked this and found it rather odd."

Ran looked worried, "Do you think that the kidnappers could have tampered with the cameras to cover their tracks?"

"It's possible," Shinichi admitted, "But let's not jump to conclusions just yet. We need to focus on finding Ryo."

Ranran asked, "How many people do you all have in your security team? How many years of experience do they have?"

Kyo looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, "Our security team consists of about 20 people, and they all have years of experience in the industry. They've worked with other bands and artists before, so they know how to handle the crowds and keep everyone safe. They're also trained in martial arts and have weapons training. So they can handle any situation that might arise."

Michio nodded, impressed. "That is impressive, though..."He soon frowned, "How is it possible that Ryo is able to go missing despite having so many people?"

Kyo shook his head, "I don't know. It's strange, really. Ryo is always careful and aware of his surroundings, so for him to just disappear like that, it's not like him."

"If someone had a grudge, it could be someone who was fired or let go from the team," Ranran explained. "That's why I asked about former employees."

Michio nodded, "It's not uncommon for former employees to hold grudges and seek revenge. It's worth looking into."

Kyo frowned, "We've had some people leave the team over the years, but we've always tried to part on good terms. I can't think of anyone who would have a grudge against us." Finally, the keyboardist pointed to one of the dressing rooms, "Let's start there. That's where the band was getting ready before they went on stage." Then, he pointed to three doors with red stars, "Ryo had the first room," he explained. "I was in the middle and Shiro had the other one."