The two child detectives made their way to the dormitory building where Akane resided.

As they walked through the corridors, Michio couldn't help but notice how quiet the building was, given that it was noon right now.

When they arrived at Akane's door, Michio knocked three times. After a few moments, the door opened to reveal a young woman with short, black hair and a friendly smile.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked.

"Hi, we're Tantei Association detectives we spoke over the phone," Michio introduced himself and Junko. "We're here to ask you some questions about your friends Jun and Miki."

"Ah, so you are the child detectives Mr Genzo told me about," Akane was a bit taken aback looking down at them, "I know that he said that you are children, but it's still surprising to see how young you both are."

Junko grinned. "We may be young, but we are skilled detectives."

Akane chuckled. "I don't doubt that, I read the ruby and illegitimate Extra case. Please come in." She led them into her small apartment and offered them seats on her couch. "So, what do you want to know about Jun and Miki?"

"We're investigating a potential case involving them," Michio said. "Since we aren't sure whether the victim might be murdered or had committed suicide, we thought of tracing back to see if we may find anything."

Akane's expression shifted to a concerned one. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that. I'll do what I can to help."

"Thank you," Junko said with a smile before starting the recording of the interview on her smartphone, something Ranran often reminded them to do, "Let's start with how you have gotten to know Jun and Miki during your university days."

Akane nodded and began, "Well, we all enrolled in this university during its foundation days, so we all joined various clubs together. While I was part of the drama club with Jun's fiance, Kichiro, Miki was in the cliff climbing club. But we often hung out together during breaks and after classes."

"Wait, fiance!?" That caught Michio and Junko off-guard, while Michio pressed, "You mean Miss Jun was supposed to marry someone else before Miki?"

"Yeah, you didn't know?"

"Eh!?" The two kids reacted in unison. Then Junko asked out of curiosity, "Who was Jun's fiance?"

"Nakamura Kichiro, also Mik's best friend," The woman answered, "And if I were, to be honest, had he remained alive, I believed Jun would've been living a happier life than she is now with Miki."

Michio and Junko exchanged a surprised look before Michio asked, "What happened to Nakamura?"

"He died while attending a post-graduate expedition in Argentina," Akane replied with a solemn expression. "It was a difficult time for all of us, especially Itsuki Jun. She was devastated by the news and I think she never completely recover from it."

Junko was shocked, "Are you sure? If she never recovers...then why did she end up marrying Miki and remained married for over 12 years?"

"Oh, that marriage to Miki!? That was a trainwreck waiting to happen." The woman seemed to stop smiling.

Michio and Junko looked at each other in surprise, wondering what Akane meant by that. "What do you mean?" Junko asked.

"Well, to put it simply, Jun was never really in love with Miki, even though he pinned onto her for 4 years while she was still happily engaged to Kichiro," Akane explained.

"No way, really!?" Junko's glasses almost slipped in response, "But were they not married for 12 years?! I mean 12 years is a long time!"

"I know, it's surprising, but it's the truth," Akane said. "Jun and Kichiro had a strong connection that couldn't be denied, but unfortunately, fate had other plans. A month after Kichiro died in an accident shortly, Jun and Miki got married."

"Are you serious!? A month!?" Junko's jaw almost met the floor, "Is she heartless or what!? Who...who on earth does that to someone they deeply love after losing them within a month!?"

Even Michio was blown away by what he was hearing. When his father died in a car accident before he was born, his mother never remarried or date anyone for the first 10 years he has been brought into this world till now. For Jun to do that...she barely likes him at all.

"Honestly, when our entire drama club heard of this, it felt like she stab all of our members in the back. I mean we treated Kichiro as our own family member, so for her to do that after a month was...cruel to Kichiro." Akane sighed, "Even the entire campus didn't like Jun way more than Miki when they got word that they started dating a week after Kichiro died, in a way, everyone strongly believed Jun was manipulating Miki by using her tragedy with Kichiro to fill her loneliness, then married a month shortly. Oh yeah, I remembered that even Kichiro's family were furious at that time."

Junko frowned, feeling a sense of anger towards Jun's actions. Then she thought about what Ranran said the other day, "Is it possible that Ranran was right? That Jun could've been secretly having an affair with Miki behind Kichiro's back?" she said, thinking out loud.

"Ah no, there is no way," Miss Akane denies and insists, "She loved Kichiro way more than Miko. We know this because Jun was so devastated after Kichiro's death, she plotted to commit suicide multiple times with sleeping pills. Had Miki not intervened, she would've joined Kichiro."

Michio looked at Akane with surprise. "Really? That's quite extreme," she said.

"Yes, it was," Akane agreed. "But that's how much she loved Kichiro. I don't think she would've been capable of having an affair with Miki or anyone else. It just ain't like her. That is right," She hit her fist in her palm gently, "I remembered many times that when they were dating, she always compared Miki to Kichiro."

"Really? Could you give us any incidents you could recall?" Michio and Junko prepare to jot down in their notebook.

"Well, there was this one time we were all hanging out together, and Jun saw Kichiro's favourite flower, a daisy, and got very emotional," Akane recalled. "She told us all about how Kichiro loved daisies and how he would always pick them for her whenever they were together. Then she turned to Miki and said, 'You know, Kichiro used to give me a daisy.' It was clear that Jun was trying to convince herself that Miki was a suitable replacement for Kichiro, but it was also clear that her heart wasn't in it."

"Man, poor Mr Miki," Michio sympathized, "Why didn't he just break up with her?"

"He loved her, he had pinned for her for 4 years. Until Kichiro died, he never made a move. This reminded me," Akane remembered another incident, "When they announced their engagement, while Jun was planning their 2nd wedding..."

"Wait, second wedding?" Michio interrupted.

"Yes, Jun and Miki got married twice," Akane explained. "The first one was a bigger celebration that they held privately between families, the second one was with us. Anyway, when Jun was planning their second wedding, I remembered that Rika, whom Miki put in charge of their wedding at that time, had an altercation with Jun regarding wanting daisies filled on every table. It ain't a secret to us all that they are Kichiro's favourite flowers, and for her to do that to Miki..."She paused for a moment, "Miki shouldn't have let Jun get things her way, I know...Jun is pitiful, but he seriously was in the wrong to let Jun have her way."

"Hold on a minute, Rika the horse instructor at Kodama Forest was the wedding planner for Miki and Jun's wedding?!" Junko's jaw dropped, recalling the details that Ranran mentioned Rika could've had a huge crush on Miki, "Has Mr Miki lost his mind!? How dare he put someone who had unrequited feelings for him to be in charge of his own wedding!?"

"Well, it wasn't like that," Akane clarified. "Miki didn't know that Rika had a crush on him since they were kids. We knew that and often cheered at her to go after him, but something always stopped her from going after him."

"But she worked as a horse instructor, under the same campsite activity centre both Miki and Jun co-run!" Michio pointed out.

"Yes, that's right," Akane agreed. "But Miki is oblivious, it never occurred to him that she had feelings for him."

Junko shook her head, feeling frustrated with Miki's cluelessness. "I can't believe he didn't notice, for 12 damn years.... It's like he's blind to the world around him," she said.

"Well, sometimes people are blind to things that are right in front of them," Michio said.

Exactly, just like how serious I am with you. But Junko didn't say it in front of him.

"Now that you mentioned Mr Miki's marriage with Jun happened shortly after, would you say they are happy?" Junko inquire.

"For Miki? Perhaps, at least...he tells himself that," Former classmate of Miki and Jun named Akane thinks, "But as for Jun....it's a different story."

Junko nods, her interest piqued. "What do you mean by that? Did Mr Miki mistreat her or anything? Or even cheat on her"

"Ah no, Miki will never do that to Jun, he loves Jun too much to cheat," Akane sighs, "Just that whenever we meet up, Jun seems...distant. She doesn't seem as happy or fulfilled as she used to be."

Michio looks concerned, "That's not good. Did she....not consider divorcing him?"

"I did suggest this to her at some point if Miki has been doing that, but she kept reassuring to me that the one at fault was never him throughout the marriage, but herself. Not sure why she never left him," Akane says, shaking her head. "To be honest, ever since she dated Miki, no one truly knows what goes on in Jun's head anymore. It was as if the old her died in that cliff with Kichiro."

Michio who paused his thoughts can't help but ask, "Miss Akane, you mentioned Miss Jun and Mr Miki had two weddings. Are they rich to be able to afford it?"

"For Miki, we are never sure because he never once invited us over to his real-life residence. He lived at the student dorms for years before graduating, but as for Jun, I know there was no way she could afford it since her parents had been running an average shoe store that isn't making tons of profit. Which is why there have been rumours that Miki could've belonged to a wealthy family."

Junko furrowed her eyebrows. "Interesting, so it's possible that Miki came from a wealthy family, but he never flaunted it?"

"That's right," Akane confirmed. "Miki never talked about his family or his background much. We only knew that he lived in the dorms and worked part-time jobs to support himself. But the fact that he could afford two weddings, one of which was quite extravagant, does make you wonder."

"Was it extravagant? The wedding you all attended?" Junko pushed her glasses up.

"Oh, yes," Akane replied. "It was held at a fancy hotel, and there were over 300 guests. The venue was decorated with beautiful daisies, and they had a live band playing music throughout the night. It was a grand affair."

"It does sound extravagant," Michio commented. "But if Miki did come from a wealthy family, why would he need to work part-time jobs to support himself?"

"That's a good point," Akane agreed. "I guess we'll never know the full story. But what we do know is that even before the wedding, everyone at the campus always think that Miki deserved better."

"In what way?" Junko's right eyebrow raised.

"Don't get me wrong, Jun is in every way popular and beautiful in her own way. And Miki himself is a good-looking guy. If one is to put them side by side, they look perfect together. But our classmates always felt like regarding personality...Miki didn't deserve her."

"Is she a terrible person?" Michio asked.

"Before, I wouldn't say much," Akane shook her head, "She was a bit prideful like a diva regarding her appearances, usually rather do things her way, and she cares for her friends deeply, especially Kichiro. But after Kichiro died...what can I say? She is....snappy."

"Snappy?" Junko repeated, confused.

"Yes, snappy," Akane repeated. "She became easily agitated, irritable, and would lash out at people for no apparent reason. It was like she was constantly on edge, and any little thing could set her off. I guess losing Kichiro took a toll on her, but it wasn't easy for anyone else either. We were all grieving, but she seemed to be taking it the hardest."

"I see," Michio said, jotting down some notes. "And how about Miki? How did he cope with Kichiro's death?"

"He was devastated, of course, I mean he was there in Argentina when the cliff incident happened," Akane said. "But he seemed to be handling it better than Jun. He was quieter and more reserved than usual, but he didn't have the same explosive outbursts that Jun did. I mean I honestly don't know how he puts up with her," She pouted a bit, "One time, while we were out in a pub when she was drunk, Jun was pointing at him accusingly that it was his fault that Kichiro died."

With the two kids exchanging looks, Junko probes, "In what way?"

"I wasn't clear with what went wrong during the expedition, but there had been rumours that Miki could've intentionally killed Kichiro, then force Jun to marry him."

"How?" Michio grew confused.

"Well, I don't know how to explain to the two of you," With her brows knitted at the children, Akane was hesitant to share, "Have you...heard of the word 'One night stand'?"

"Ah yes, I do," Michio nods, "Something about hanging out at night as adults with no love involve, it's very humiliating."

The young woman frowned at the little boy, "Aren't you too young to know this sort of thing?"

"Not me, Ranran told me." Junko's face fell at Michio's words.

"And may I know, how old is this Ranran?" Akane probed as a stern disciplinarian teacher would.

"6," Michio answered.

"6!? Kids this day, they learn the wrong things when the adults aren't looking," Akane muttered to herself.

Junko coughed awkwardly and redirected the conversation back to the topic at hand, "So, about the rumours surrounding Kichiro's death..."

"Yes, well," Akane cleared her throat, "There were rumours that Miki and Kichiro got into a fight, and in the heat of the moment, Miki pushed Kichiro off the cliff. And then, when Jun got drunk and was still feeling sorrowful after Kichiro died, so was Miki...that happened, and then to cover it up, both sides of the families pressured her into marrying him."

"That's a pretty serious accusation," Junko said, her brow furrowed.

"I know," Akane agreed. "And as I said, it's just a rumour. But it's hard to shake off when you see how Jun acts towards Miki sometimes. I mean they have been married for 12 years....so it may be true. Also...their parents from both sides are very conservative people."

Junko nodded, taking in the information.

"Honestly I feel like if Kiryu-senpai didn't organize that expedition right from the start, none of this would've happened." Akane deeply ponders in sadness, "If that trip didn't take place, Jun wouldn't have been the way she is, and I am certain Kichiro wouldn't want her to live this sort of life."

"Wait, Kiryu!?" Junko recalled a detail of his name mentioned through Ranran, whose name was erased and replaced with Eiji's name during the class schedule for the cliff climbing activity on a Monday, "Kagetora Kiryu right?!"

"Ah, that's right," Akane is a bit startled that they dug deep into this investigation, "He was also a student here, and the main person in charge of leading the group to some global warming expedition. Such a shame, he died last week when his shower unit exploded."

Junko and Michio looked at each other with widened eyes, realizing that this investigation had taken a more serious turn than they anticipated.

"That's terrible," Junko said, her voice laced with concern. "Do you know what caused the explosion?"

Akane shook her head. "Not really. They claimed there was a defect in this shower unit he bought, and it seems like it was an accident. But it's still under investigation, so we don't know for sure."

The room fell silent as the gravity of the situation sank in. The investigation that had started as a mere curiosity about the death of a rock climbing instructor had now turned into a much more serious matter involving two deaths. "Is there anything else you like to ask?"

"Hai, do you know of anyone by the name of Eiji Ishida?" Junko almost forgot to ask.

"Hmm...no, who is that?"

"The rock climbing instructor who died," Junko explained. "He took over Kagetora Kiryu's shift, but we didn't know he died until you mentioned it."

"Also I think Eiji claims that he is friends with Kiryu, do you anything about it?" Michio adds.

Akane shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't know anything about him. I ain't as close to Kiryu, but perhaps maybe Yoshinaga Iwao might know more about it."

Recognizing his name as the boat instructor of Kodama camp, Michio was surprised, "He is a student here too!?"

"Yes, he is," Akane confirmed. "He's been studying marine biology here for a few years now. He is also friends with Jun and Miki. I even have a photo with me. Let me go check."

Akane rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small photo album. She flipped through the pages until she found the photo she was looking for. "Here it is," she said, showing the photo to Junko and Michio. "That's Yoshinaga on the left, Miki in the middle, and Kichiro and Jun on the right. This was taken a few years ago during their summer break."

Junko and Michio studied the photo intently, trying to see if they recognized anyone else in the background. "Do you know where this was taken?" Junko asked.

"It was during that time that Yoshinaga-san finally overcome a lot of his claustrophobic issues, so to celebrate, they went out on a beach" Akane admitted. 

"Wait, Yoshinaga-san is claustrophobic?" Michio was a bit startled, staring at the photo, one would not have thought a big size man like Yoshinaga Iwao had such fear.

"Yes, he is. He used to have panic attacks whenever he was in small or enclosed spaces, thanks to his late grandfather having once built him a tree house, but then it collapse on him on a rainy day. But he's been working on it, and he's made a lot of progress. That's why they were celebrating," Akane explained.

"I see," Junko nodded in understanding, though she wasn't expecting this.

"Yoshinaga loves the ocean, it's wide and open, so they did promise him that if he overcome it, they will take him on that trip together." Akane reminisce fondly, "They went to a secluded beach in Okinawa, which is where that photo was taken. It was a really special moment for them. Which is why when the expedition incident took place, it was surprising how things later turned out for them."

A lightbulb moment struck Michio, "Miss Akane, does the campus here have documents that documented the expedition on that day?"

"Rightfully, it should've been the case. But...."Miss Akane's words died out a bit, with bewilderment on her expression.

"But what?" Junko asked.

"Well, after Kiryu-senpai's death, all the documents and reports related to the expedition suddenly disappeared. We don't know who took them or where they went," Akane replied.

"That's strange," Michio frowned. "Do you have any idea who might have taken them?"

"I have no idea," Akane shook her head. "It's possible that the university administration took them for safekeeping or investigation purposes, but I really don't know."

Junko and Michio exchanged worried looks. The more they dug into this case, the more it seemed like there were layers upon layers of secrets and mysteries.

"Thank you, Miss Akane, for answering our questions," Junko said with a small bow.

"Yeah, thanks," Michio added.

"No problem," Akane smiled at them. "If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask."

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

With the photos of the suspects collected from Akane's apartment, Junko ranted all about Jun's questionable decisions to Michio as they were leaving the campus, "Jun's behaviour towards Miki is absolutely unacceptable! How does someone like her can just easily end up getting married?!"

Michio nodded in agreement, "And it's not just Jun. What about Miki? If the rumours are true, then he could be responsible for masterminding Kichiro's death as well."

"And if Miki is really rich, she got lucky to be married off to a rich man who let her do whatever she wants! I swear to God, I swear that this Miss Jun that Ranran asked us to investigate is a horrible person!" Junko rants, reeling from all of the information they had gathered, "And despite being married for over 12 years, she is out there busy eying on that Eiji according to Ranran, a man with scars all over his face!"

Michio let her continue to rant while they head to the bike they had ridden all the way from the main association HQ, parked at the bike section. Junko had the tendency to judge people on the decisions they made that led them to commit the crime, and when she joined Tantei Association, the rants were endless.

He remembered that one case, when they investigated a cheating scandal in school, and Junko was furious at the girl who cheated on her boyfriend. She ranted about how the girl ruined not only her own life but also the life of her boyfriend, the trust they had, and the future they could have had together. Michio knew that Junko's anger towards Jun was similar, fueled by the idea that Jun's actions is making Miki miserable, that they made use of Miki despite being kind to her.

"Also, poor Miss Rika," Junko finally stopped, her temper finally subsiding, "For 12 years Mr Miki-san has no idea about Miss Rika's feelings."

Michio nodded, "It's a missed opportunity."

"How does one not see one has to feel for the other for 12 years?" Junko can't help but wonder.

"Maybe because they are childhood friends, that is why." Michio shrugs.

"Eh?"

"Sometimes when you're close to someone for so long, it's easy to see them as just a friend and not realize your romantic feelings for them," Michio explained. "It's possible that Miki saw Rika as a friend for all these years and never considered that she had romantic feelings for him."

Suddenly, Michio's words made Junko realise something.

Having known each other in kindergarten since they were both 5 years old, they are both 10 now. Perhaps Michio had gotten used to Junko's presence for so long, that even he himself wouldn't have suspected that Fuyuko Junko had a crush on him.

Junko pushes it out of her mind. "Michio, should we contact Sergeant Genzo to get a look into Kagetora Kiryu's case? Regarding the shower unit that exploded which led to his death? I am certain that it can't be a coincidence with Eiji's death back at the island where Ranran and the gang are." Junko suggests.

"I agree," Michio agrees. "I think it's worth looking into the possibility of a connection between the two deaths. Hopefully, Genzo can help us find out more information about Kiryu's case and see if there are any similarities to what happened with Eiji."

Junko nods, "Alright, let's do that. I'll call him once we get back to the office. I wonder if Emiko made any progress?"

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

9-year-old Miyama Emiko meanwhile was begging to wonder if this Eji person even exist in the first place.

As Emiko continued to investigate the identity of Eiji Ishida, she began to feel frustrated. Despite her efforts to scour the internet and social media platforms for any information on Eiji, she couldn't seem to find any trace of him. It was as if he didn't exist.

The founder of Tantei Association, 6-year-old Kudo Ranran was someone who rarely makes a mistake when it comes to obtaining information from anyone. So it was surprising that Emiko found not a single trace of Eiji on social media, even though Ranran is the one who heard this from the bus.

Emiko's mind raced as she tried to figure out which of the two possibilities was more likely why she was heading nowhere. Ranran was known for her excellent investigative skills and attention to detail, so it seemed unlikely that she would make a mistake about something as important as a potential suspect in a murder case.

On the other hand, it was entirely possible that Eiji was lying about his identity. Perhaps he was using a fake name, or maybe he had no online presence at all. Emiko knew that some people preferred to stay off social media for privacy reasons.

Emiko decided that the only way to find out the truth was to continue investigating. She made a mental note to ask Ranran for more information about Eiji the next time they spoke, and to keep an eye out for any other clues that might lead her to his true identity.

Scrolling through the messages from Michio and Junko, she was shocked by what the two had uncovered from her smartphone. Reading that one of the suspects in the case actually was engaged, only to lose the fiance and remarry someone else a month later....who in the right mind does that!?

As she continued her investigation, Emiko began preparing the profiles of every single suspect. Since Tuesday, Emiko had collected enough information to build a profile over what sort of personalities the suspects have. In her perception, it is usually the traits of certain people that will give way that the person is behind the killings.

Building a profile for each suspect was a meticulous process that required a lot of observation and analysis. She had to take into account their behaviour, their alibis, their motives, and any potential connections to the victim, or perhaps victims since Junko mentioned one fell from the cliff, the other due to an exploding shower unit.

Of course, at times it isn't as straightforward like those romantic dramas Junko and Ran watched on their smartphones. After she was done, she gave a hard look at the profile of Itsuki Jun.

No matter how hard Emiko look at it, she can't help but suspect Itsuki Jun is a heartless woman. Even if she was a victim of losing a loved one, how she just do something like this on a whim? Also, Miki is Kichiro's best friend of all people. This kind of move would piss anyone off.

Speaking of which, she wonders if Kichiro's family is still around. She makes a note that they should look for his family.

The more Emiko observes this in silence, she looked back at the notes she had jotted down. For several days, she, Michio and Junko have been chatting back and forth with Ranran, and that ghost story from Mr Eiji was brought up. For some reason, she can't help but notice there were some parallels between Eiji's story and Jun's colourful love life.

If Eiji like what Ranran speculated was secretly carrying out an affair behind Jun's husband's back, then was Jun and Eiji closed enough for Jun to share out her past involving her late fiance? Which is why that ghost story and Jun's real-life tragedy sounded similar?

Emiko's mind raced with possibilities and connections. Could there be a link between Jun's past and the murders? Or was it just a coincidence?

The one common link that all of the suspects had in common, goes right back to the university they ended. But the problem is Eiji isn't a student here.

Suddenly, Emiko sees a movement from the hallway of the association, a woman's face popped as the door was slide opened, revealing to be none other than Majima Mio, Michio's mother.

Majima Mio is by all accounts in Emiko's opinion, a bit on the reserved side. She was also known to the customers who lived nearby as 'The 10-year widow'.

Emiko had heard about Mio from Michio before, how she had lost her husband when Michio was just a baby, in a motorcycle incident while his poor father was on the way to sell it off after his mother advised him to sell it off. She was known in the neighbourhood for being a hard worker and taking care of Michio all by herself.

Digging about Mio, the artist knew that Michio's mother had her life rough as a newly widowed young mother. It was one thing when Michio's paternal grandparents told her to give away custody of her son to them, as she wasn't in a position to provide for him financially, but it was another when she was also timid in personality.

Although the birth of Michio eventually made her toughen up to protect her son, it only did little progress for her personally. A lot of men, oddly the decent ones, did eye on her and did try to ask her out, even promising to look after her son, but Mio always refused, still having a hard time moving on from the death of her husband.

"Ah reh, Emiko-san?" Mio blinked in surprise, "What are you doing here in the HQ?"

Now usually, whenever the 7 children gather here, it's usually all work on any investigation involving crime. Majima Mio is aware that the association cannot function without the leader, 6-year-old Kudo Ranran. So when she heard that her class was having a camping trip, for a brief moment, the widower breathe relief that during the 2-week period, she is away, her only son would be spared from danger. And that the association office would remain empty.

So to see Emiko here was surprising since Mio planned to clean it up. Usually, Mouri Ran is in charge of doing the cleanup, but since she is out on the same camping trip, Mio thought of doing it instead.

"Ah, Mio-Obaasan," Emiko greeted, "Michio is out on an investigation with Junko, he should be back in 4 minutes from now."

"An investigation?" Mio grew confused, "I thought Ranran isn't around, so I thought Michio is supposed to be free?"

"Well, it is a long story." Emiko is reluctant to share, not wanting to make this woman worry.

Mio raised an eyebrow, sensing that there was more to the story than Emiko was letting on. "Is everything okay?" she asked, her tone concerned.

Emiko hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to confide in Mio. "It's about the camping class trip Ranran is on...they apparently dealt with...something unexpected."

Mio's concern deepened, "What do you mean by 'something unexpected'?"

Emiko took a deep breath, "There was a suspected murder on the island they were camping on."

Mio gasped in shock, "A suspected murder? Are they all okay?"

Emiko nodded, "Yes, they are all safe now. But the problem is....no one is able to send help to the island they are on due to the upcoming bad weather, and there are no officers present. And we are not sure that there could be a murderer on that island, so...yeah. That is what it is now. So Ranran had no choice but to send Michio and Junko to check if that is the case."

Mio's eyes widened in shock at the news. "That's terrible," she said, her voice filled with concern. "Is the teacher aware?"

"No, she too is a suspect at that moment. But she isn't aware, neither are the other instructors at the campsite."

Mio's expression turned grim as she processed the information. "This is a serious matter," she said, her voice low. "Why didn't she inform the authorities right away?"

"She did, but there is a typhoon coming within an hour, which might last for days too, so she and everyone are stuck with a potential killer whom even she herself has no idea who is it."

Mio sighed, "I see. That's a difficult situation." She thought for a moment before speaking again, "Are the children there aware?"

"That is the thing..." Emiko paused, "They can't know yet, cause in case if this is an actual murder staged like an accident. If they know, they will die. Only the members including us are aware."

Mio's expression grew even more serious as she listened to Emiko's explanation. "I understand," she said, nodding slowly. "But she shouldn't put herself in danger. Tell her and the others to be careful, alright?"

"I'll make sure to remind them," Emiko said. "Thank you, Mio-Obaasan."

Mio smiled weakly at the girl, "You're welcome, Emiko-san. Please tell Michio and Junko to be careful as well. Don't involve in anything dangerous. If you all need anything, call Genzo."

Emiko nodded again, understanding Mio's concern and care. "Thank you, Mio-Obaasan." As soon as the young woman was about to leave, Emiko decided she should ask, "Ah, Mio-obaasan."

"Yes, Emiko?" Her head turned back.

"I...wanted to ask you something."

Mio looked at Emiko expectantly, "Of course, what is it?"

Emiko hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should ask, but decided to go ahead anyway. "If a woman was engaged but lost her fiance, and then began dating a week after his death, and married someone else a month later....in your opinion, that woman never loved her dead fiance, right?"

Mio furrowed her eyebrows, surprised by the sudden question. "Emiko-san, that's a very specific situation. Are you asking for yourself or for someone else?"

Emiko sighs, "It's from the case I told you about, one of the suspects did that. We are trying to understand if this person is heartless to do this, are they capable of committing a crime."

Mio nodded slowly, understanding the situation. "I see. Well, it's not necessarily fair to make assumptions about someone's feelings based on their actions alone. Everyone processes grief differently, and there's no right or wrong way to do it."

"Is it?" Emiko doubts it, "You didn't marry anyone after losing Michio's dad, so by right, she should've done the same, does she not?"

Mio let out a small sigh, "Emiko-san, it's not fair to compare someone else's situation to mine. Every person's circumstances are different, and their choices are their own. It's possible that the woman you mentioned genuinely loved her fiance and was devastated by his loss, but found comfort in the companionship of someone else. It's also possible that she didn't love her fiance as much as she thought she did, and that's why she was able to move on so quickly. The truth is, we can never truly know someone else's thoughts and feelings."

Seeing that Emiko is still sceptical, Mio continues, "I too felt very lonely when I had Michio on my own, you know?"

"Eh?"

"There were times that whenever the topic of remarrying came up, I felt like no one can ever live up not only as my husband but also, live up as Michio's dad." Mio smiled sadly, recalling the happier memories when her husband was alive, "We even talked that should any of us die unexpectedly, one should move on and remarry. Even so......it's not easy to actually do it. There are times when I look at Michio's face, I am reminded of his father's face, as well as me feeling guilty that I am leaving both his father and Michio behind to be happy. Although...I even have Michio's permission to go on a date...it still feels......difficult to imagine myself with someone else. But that's just me. Other people may feel differently. It might also be due to fear of loneliness, they just marry anyone to fill in the spot."

As Mio left the shop, Emiko couldn't help but think about the complex nature of human emotions and how difficult it is to truly understand them.

As I thought...love is a messy thing.

Speaking of love, Emiko pondered about their founder, Ranran. Born with beautiful features like a doll, she can't help but wonder why she didn't turn out like Ran or Junko, so disinterested in love and romance.

Emiko shook her head, now she should be looking for Eiji, not thinking about Ranran's mysterious past. She knew that the Tantei Association was skilled in solving mysteries, but this was a whole different level of danger.

One death at the island where Ranran and the rest of the kids are, while another when the shower unit blew up before him. Supposedly...if this is a work of a serial killer?!

Emiko shuddered at the thought of a serial killer being on the loose. It was a terrifying prospect, especially since Ranran and the other children were trapped on the island with a potential murderer.

She knew that Ranran had the means to stop the killer, but the situation was becoming more dangerous by the minute. When Emiko first heard that Ranran left the campsite on her own alone, Emiko was about to scold her that it was an excuse, that she was leaving the other children at the point of death's door while the killer is still on the loose, till she realized Ranran didn't do it recklessly.

Since Ranran didn't hide the fact that she hated camping, her vanishing and checking into a hotel will not stir suspicion from the killer in the first place. The killer would naturally assume she is an eccentric spoiled brat child who has no idea about the murder.

So overall, Ranran truly does think ahead of everything.

In a way, her cunning mind is admirable.

But with no police officers by the detective girl's side...would Ranran even succeed in protecting everyone's lives there?

Emiko took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. Hopefully, Emiko's guess was wrong, that it could've been the work of a serial killer.

Unfortunately, if Emiko's hunch had brought her success when she was exchanging intel to survive in Teitan Elementary School, it was never truly in the wrong.