The following morning on a Monday, the children of 1-A were moving around together like a flock of anxious sheep.

Having their breakfast in the sitting room of the activity centre, not a single 6-year-old child had any intention of hanging out near the kitchen, knowing the corpse was in the freezer.

But if their anxiety right now could not be as bad as what is likely going to happen tonight.

Thanks to last night's incident, two things had happened.

The first incident was a suspected bear had been tearing up the tents the kids were in. To be honest, not a single child nor adult had actually witnessed the bear, but the tear marks on the tent were undeniable, mainly Takuma's tent.

And unexpectedly, the medication box Ranran gave him had gone missing.

"I doubt this was done by a bear, more like someone used a knife to cut it up," Reina inspected closely the photo taken with the smartphone.

"How can you tell whether this is done by a bear or a human? Are you even a bear expert?" Sonoko had a nerve growing around her forehead.

Reina paused and thought for a moment before replying, "Well, I don't know much about bears, but I do know that they usually leave claw marks, not clean cuts like these. Right Takuma?"

Takuma, who now has a bandage wrapped around his head following last night's events, nodded in agreement. "Bears usually don't come into campsites unless there's food or trash left out. We've been careful with our food, and we've thrown our trash away properly in the activity centre, so I don't think it's a bear. Also, the tear looks too clean-cut to be considered a bear."

Sonoko looked around nervously. "Then who or what could it be?"

The second incident that happened was what happened last night.

While chasing after the guy, somehow after the person flickered the torch light on and off, shone brightly behind Takuma, he couldn't see and ended up running against a tree, rendering him unconscious.

The girls eventually lost track of the suspect in the chaos that followed, and they had to carry Takuma back to the activity centre, where the adults immediately tended to him, but not before scolding the four of them for being reckless.

The events of last night had left the children even more on edge, with the added fear of a potential killer on the loose. They had all agreed to stick together at all times and to notify an adult immediately if they saw anything suspicious.

"Have you informed Shinichi and Ranran over the walkie-talkie what happened last night?" Sonoko asked, the four were away from the others to avoid them hearing.

"I did, and Shinichi was stunned that he dared to approach despite the typhoon,"Takuma added.

Ran nodded in agreement. "Okay, let's keep a close eye on everything and stick together. We don't want anything else to happen to any of us."

"But besides that, let's stick to the main point of now...." All eyes are on the cereal in their bowl, as Sonoko irked in disgust, "Do we really have to eat this?"

The other children couldn't help but sigh, "Come on, Sonoko, it's not that bad," Takuma said with a grin.

"But guys, the milk use in this cereal is from the same walk-in fridge, where Mr Iwao's corpse is still being preserved in there," Sonoko complained.

"What choice do we have....?" Reina sighs,  pushing her bowl away. "It's the only source of food we have on this island."

"I know it's not ideal, but we need to eat to keep our strength up," Ran said, trying to reassure the group. "And who knows, maybe we'll find some other food sources on the island later."

"Yeah, we could go foraging for berries or catch some fish," Takuma suggested optimistically.

Sonoko's expression softened a little. "Okay, I guess you're right. I'll try to eat it." As they dug their cereal, Sonoko can't help but ramble, "I bet Ranran and Shinichi who are at the hotel are eating a hearty meal at least."

The rest of the breakfast was eaten in silence, with all the children lost in their own thoughts and worries. As the rain continued to pour outside, the group couldn't help but wonder what other dangers awaited them at the activity centre.

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

Back at the penthouse, Ranran asked Shinichi who is preparing to take notes on the case, "What do you want me to order for breakfast? I am ordering something from my hometown in the U.K."

"Really!?" Shinichi shifts his focus for a moment at Ranran, "What are you ordering?"

"I was thinking of getting a full English breakfast. It's a classic breakfast dish in the UK, and it has bacon, sausages, eggs, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, and toast," Ranran explained.

Shinichi's mouth watered at the thought of a full English breakfast. "That sounds amazing! Can we also get some black pudding?"

"Of course!" Ranran smiled. "I'll place the order now."

As Ranran placed the order, Shinichi got to work on taking notes on the case. He reviewed what they had learned so far and started making a list of potential suspects. "Takuma contacted us this morning earlier, while you were asleep. The trap worked, but....." Shinichi said. "The murderer escaped when flashing their light on and off, and Takuma ended up running into a tree thanks to the intense brightness...."

Ranran's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, just a little shaken up, with a bandage around his head. But oddly, the guy...." Shinichi explained as he jotted down notes, "Cut up his tent."

"When did that happen?"

"Around 4 am I think," Shinichi pondered, "After chasing the guy went unsuccessful and when they returned, the tent was still fine. But then, when he and his supposed campmate got out to the washroom in the activity centre and returned, the tent was suddenly cut up."

"That's strange," Ranran commented. "Did Takuma see anyone around the tent when he went to the washroom?"

"No, he didn't," Shinichi replied, "Which is why it's so suspicious. It's almost like the culprit was waiting for them to leave before damaging the tent."

"Is the killer warning them not to go after him or her?" Ranran grew suspicious at that.

"And there is more," Shinichi paused before stating, "Do you remember the medicine box you gave Takuma? The one with the drug that gives out symptoms of cocaine to be used on the killer to weasel him out? Well, it went missing."

Ranran's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean it went missing? Did Takuma misplace it?"

"No, he said he had it with him when he went to bed last night, but this morning, it was nowhere to be found," Shinichi explained, "It's possible that the killer got to it and disposed of it."

Ranran took a deep breath, trying to process the information. "So the killer is getting bolder, and they're sending a message that they won't be caught easily."

"It seems that way," Shinichi agreed, "But we won't give up. We need to keep investigating and find out who's behind all of this."

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Ranran went to answer it. A hotel staff member was standing there with a tray of food. "Your breakfast, miss."

Ranran thanked the staff member and brought the tray over to the table, where Shinichi was still scribbling down notes. "Let's eat first and then continue with our investigation," she suggested.

Shinichi nodded in agreement, and they both dug into the delicious full English breakfast. Even though they were in the midst of a murder investigation, they tried to enjoy the moment and savour the taste of the food.

"How is it? The food?" Ranran asked in the dining room, out of curiosity since Shinichi lived in Japan, having never once eaten British food. Then again, Shinichi's family is as rich as hers, so who knows whether has he eaten any of it the first time?

Shinichi took a bite of the bacon and nodded in approval. "This is really good! The bacon is crispy, and the sausages are juicy."

Ranran smiled. "I'm glad you like it. It's a breakfast staple in the UK."

"It's amazing! You are so lucky to be able to eat this everyday back in the U.K," Shinichi exclaimed between bites of his breakfast.

Ranran chuckled. "Well, it's not everyday, as it is a bit too fattening. We also eat other things, such as cereal, toast, and fruit for breakfast."

Shinichi nodded, taking another bite of the black pudding. "This black pudding is really interesting. It's made from sausage blood, right?"

"Yes, it's a traditional ingredient in the full English breakfast. It may sound weird, but it's actually really delicious," Ranran explained, then frowning, "I am surprised you are aware of this fact. Most of the Japanese kids everytime when they see me eating this, they kept asking what is it made of."

Shinichi chuckled. "I want to go to the U.K someday, after reading tons of stories from my idol Sherlock Holmes." He took another bite of the black pudding. "But I can see why people would be curious. It's not a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine."

Ranran nodded in agreement. "That's true. Japanese breakfast is usually rice, miso soup, and grilled fish. It's very different from a full English breakfast. By the way," Ranran tilt her head, "You haven't been to the U.K. yet? I thought your parents took you all over the place."

"They did, but not there yet," Shinichi shook his head. "Usually they prefer to go to places like France and Italy for their vacations. And the last time I almost did...." He grew a bit sad at that.

"What happened?" Ranran asked, noticing the change in Shinichi's expression.

"When I was in kindergarten, my parents plan this trip for our summer vacation, and I was really excited to go." Shinichi explained, "But then...Sonoko being overly dramatic misunderstood the situation as me moving overseas for good, so Ran cried and cried till she had a high fever. In addition, there was also heavy downpour in the U.K at that time, so...."

"Seriously, nothing good has ever come from either that crybaby Mouri Ran or that one-brain cell Sonoko. Your two former friends are a handful."

Shinichi sighed. "It's not entirely their fault. They were too young to understand."

"Too young?" Ranran is in disbelief, stuffing another bacon in her mouth, "When I was around 4 years old and my mentor mentioned he will be going out on his first-holiday trip to Japan, I didn't go around throwing tantrums the way they did. They are now 6 years old now, and they are still behaving that way. I don't know how the kids here function with their brains, but if this sort of behaviour occurred in Edgewood, they do public caning against spoilt brats. Even 3-year-olds are no exception."

"Seriously!?" Shinichi grew startled, "In kindergarten for us here, our sensei goes on with the empathetic approach. Wait," He became doubtful, "I thought caning was banned in the U.K.?"

"Well, in case you are not aware, Edgewood is an exception since all the kids in the school are from royalty or noble lineage." Ranran took a sip from her drink."When you are born into a world where the sky is no longer the limit, there's a certain level of discipline and responsibility that is expected of you, starting from a young age."

Shinichi nodded, starting to understand. "I see. I guess it's different in Japan, where the emphasis is on respect and politeness."

"Exactly. By the way, just out of curiosity. If you and Mouri had remained friends, you don't plan on furthering your education in a university in the U.K, just to make sure Ran doesn't cry?," Ranran said, finishing up her breakfast.

"She wished!" Shinichi chuckled at Ranran's question. "No, even if we had remained friends, I will never put my dreams of going to London in the backseat. I don't let tears stop me from flying overseas to the U.K."

Ranran smiled, nodding in approval. "That is a good attitude."

"Is it?" Shinichi was a bit puzzled at her response.

"Before, this was when we are both hating each other, I used to see you with Ran and Sonoko walking on their way to school. Whenever the whole lot of you headed there....while Ran is right next to Sonoko chatting happily, you were always walking behind them. Your expression back then was....how do I put it?" With her finger on her chin thoughtfully, then goes, "Bored."

"Bored!?"

"Bored," Ranran repeated, "It's like you are internally thinking: I want to get out of these mundane days, but I can't because Ran and Sonoko will make a lot of fuss, saying that I am too much of a troublemaker for a wannabe tantei...that sort of expression was what I have of you."

"Is it?"Shinichi asked, a bit surprised at Ranran's observation.

"And in addition to that, the light in your eyes...there was...beginning to fizzle out."

"Eh!?"

"Whenever Sonoko teased you and Ran as a couple...before, it used to be bashful and embarrassing. But within days, during recess...I would see glimpses of signs of agitation and annoyance, which grew increasingly the more Sonoko teased about your Tantei dreams and told you to focus more on Ran."

Ranran then listed out her observations.

"During recess, when it is lunchtime, you began to eat your food while burying your nose in mystery novels, ignoring their calls and didn't hang out with them as you usually do. Another time was when you started to spend more time at the school's lost and found department, and keep allocating the missing wallets and stuff to the students rather than hang out with them. The last red flag...was when we were having music lessons, Sonoko and Ran laughed about how much you suck at singing playfully, but then when I began singing and the kids of 1-A including our music Sensei gave me a standing ovation, she made the comment that I sing better than you...it was the first time I saw your eyes hardened onto me. And this was around the time we ignored each other's existence, barely one paid any attention to the other. All of this happened before...we both found out she was misusing my name to get you to hate me so Sonoko could marry you off to Ran."

Putting away the cutlery back on the cartwheel tray, Ranran ended it with, "I felt like...had this continued on, it was a matter of time before you eventually blow up like a volcano. Which you later did, by breaking into my house."

Shinichi listened intently to Ranran's recollections, his mind wandering back to those days. He remembered feeling trapped, torn between his love for detective work and the fear of losing his friends. He also remembered feeling frustrated with Sonoko's constant teasing, which only made things worse.

Shinichi had never realized that his feelings were so apparent to someone else, even though he had tried to keep them hidden. "You actually noticed all of this?" He huffed to himself, "And I thought I was getting better with my poker face."

"Oh no, it was good. But it began to slip after that feud you had with Rokuro. And my suspicions were only confirmed shortly after you were no longer talking to Ran and Sonoko anymore for a week. Before, you used to give in. But the minute Rokuro happened, you no longer bothered anymore and ended up getting fixated on me as The Fox."

"Well, good to know that my poker face is close to perfection," Shinichi said sincerely. "And I'm sorry that things turned out the way they did between us. Cause...when I heard of your existence at that time-"

Ranran shook her head. "Don't apologize. We were both victims of Sonoko and Mamiko's manipulation. But we've found ourselves and didn't lose it to them, and that's what's important."

Shinichi nodded in agreement. "True. I guess I was going through a lot back then," Shinichi said with a sigh. "I felt like...I wanted friends, but I also wanted to keep my dream. At that time after I found that video on Mamiko's laptop...I felt I deserved it."

"Why?"

"I got greedy, so greedy that I didn't realize that I was even willing to oversee Sonoko and Ran's misbehaviour towards me while pursuing my dream as a tantei."

Ranran nodded, understanding his point. "But that sort of greed is fine."

"Eh?"

"Who doesn't want to be treasured for who they are, as well as become successful at the same time?" Ranran clarified, "We always watch all those idiotic romance dramas where being ambitious is bad and evil, but is it really?"

Recalling something from her past, she begins, "Let me tell you about one of my clients back then when I was The Fox back in the U.K. And this is a true story. There used to be a pair of fraternal twins from this particular noble family, and one of them hired me to look into the source of her sister's behaviour problems."

Shinichi leaned forward, interested in hearing Ranran's story.

"The eldest who hired me wasn't as smart as the other one, the younger one is ambitious to the bone, way smarter than the eldest. Yet oddly...the eldest ended up getting engaged to a crown prince in another state, which pissed the younger one so much so, she schemed all sorts of things to break them apart. In a way...the eldest didn't like her betrothal at all, not one bit. Was more than happy to give away her engagement to the younger one, even willingly falling into her schemes, but the younger sister kept calling her ungrateful. In anyway...if you first meet her, it will remind you of all those idiotic annoying villainesses in a tv romance show. If this world itself is a drama show, she would've met her doom. But it took a different turn after I started digging everything about her."

Shinichi listened attentively as Ranran continued her story. "When I was digging into the younger twin, I learn that she always wanted to be the queen of the state where the crown prince came from."

"Why does she want to be queen?"

"At that time...I assumed maybe she wanted the privileges of a royal, which made sense to me. But I ain't going to lie, she does live up to her qualification: Smart, driven, and a hard worker, unlike my client. Even in appearance, she was way more beautiful compared to my client. Which is why she grew frustrated over why the prince, a guy she has a crush on, likes her eldest twin. And...there were many factors actually throughout the investigation that made me realize...why she is what she is."

Shinichi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What factors?"

Ranran leaned forward as if sharing a secret. "Firstly, this isn't completely the parents' fault, but the younger twin had been hospitalized since she was an infant, unlike my client who was born as fit as a horse. By the time she joined Edgewood, she was severely behind in education and everything, which made her feel inferior. Since the people closest to her knew that she was born with a weak body, it fuelled rumours in school that the eldest one took all the good bits away from her, so at some point, resentment began to brew in her."

Shinichi nodded in understanding. "That makes sense."

Ranran continued, "Secondly, although the younger twin resolved the issue by studying hard and surpassing her eldest...she was really crushing hard on the prince, didn't believe it when her eldest sister revealed the prince she is engaged to be is a bit of a borderline dark-hearted sadist." 

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "The prince is a sadist? As in he enjoyed torturing people of that sort?"

"Oh no, he is barely like that. It's...how should I put it....?" Ranran frowned with her arms folded, before stating, "Did you watch the show 'My Next Life as a Villianess' Anime?"

"Yes, I have, I was forced to watch it thanks to Ran and Sonoko," Shinichi replied.

"Good. So, you know how the main character's arranged fiance, Gerald Stuart, the prince's personality?" Ranran asked.

Shinichi nodded. "Yes, I remember. A little twisted."

"Basically, the prince is like that. He's not intentionally sadistic or anything, but he has a twisted sense of humour and... loyalty regarding the people he loves...especially towards my unfortunate client...he was like that: Two-faced. Unfortunately, my client's younger twin didn't know this and thought he was a perfect prince charming which he played on the outside, but the eldest twin knew the truth, which is why she was very unhappy with the engagement," Ranran explained.

"Could she not have just broken things off with him? It's the 20th century, no longer the old ancient era."

Ranran chuckled. "Well, in real life, it's not that easy, especially for someone in her position. Breaking off an engagement with a crown prince could have serious consequences for her family, both socially and politically. And besides, she didn't hate the prince. She just didn't want to be engaged to him because she knew who he really was."

"I see," Shinichi said, nodding in understanding.

"The problem is....the younger twin was so infatuated with him that she refused to believe it."Ranran continued, "Anyway, back to the younger twin. The reason she wanted to be the queen of the state wasn't just because of the privileges. It was because she wanted to prove to everyone, especially to her family, that she was worth something. She wanted to prove that despite her weak body and her past struggles, she could achieve something great. Being a queen would give her that validation and recognition."

Leaning back towards the chair, Ranran sighs, "I learn that she was weak when it comes to receiving affection. When she was discharged, her parents, her eldest sister, the house staff, and even the school kids her age surrounded her for her intelligence and beauty. But when the prince arrived and secured his engagement to her eldest twin....how should I put this? The attention ended up on the eldest, who is very unhappy with it. And I think as a result...she lost all of the praise. And ended up becoming gullible, her ambitions onto herself....was later misguided by someone close to her."

Shinichi leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Who was it?"

"It was the younger sister's best friend," Ranran said gravely. "She had always been jealous of her intelligence and drive and had been subtly undermining her confidence and manipulating her to make her feel like her ambitions were not in the wrong, to get her kicked out of Edwood. After I removed her best friend and later got her expelled, the younger one realized she was more in love with the idea of becoming queen rather than liking the prince romantically, as soon as I manipulated behind-the-scenes, she got a good glimpse of his real self."

"And did it work?" Shinichi asked.

Ranran smiled. "It did. After seeing all of that, the younger twin started to focus more on her studies and hobbies. She even stopped scheming against her sister and genuinely wished her happiness with the prince." She paused, "In a way, my client's twin sister wasn't a simple villainess, but rather....someone who went through a lot for her age."

"How old was she when you handled her case?"

"Our age, 6 years old."

Shinichi was surprised by the age of the twins when Ranran handled their case. "Six years old? That's such a young age to be dealing with such complex emotions and issues."

Ranran nodded. "Yes, it is. But it's not uncommon for children from families to start feeling competitive and envious of their siblings or peers. So you can imagine when you are from either a noble or a royal family, it is going to be a million times worst."

Shinichi nodded in agreement. "I can see how that would be the case. I can't imagine how awful it must have been."

"She associated hard work = with winning more affection for so long, it really broke her that the client, her eldest twin who was born physically fit, need not lift an effort to end up getting engaged to the prince. Truthfully, the real reason she went after the prince wasn't out of love, but more of....wanting to be praised again. Be loved again."

Shinichi nodded, understanding the story's underlying message. "So that is the reason why the younger twin was so ambitious. She associated hard work with gaining more affection. And her friend took advantage of her insecurity."

Ranran nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Ambition isn't bad, but it would've been pointless to be one if you are ruthlessly ruining innocent lives in the process."

 "Wait," He grew more curious, "What happened after the friend was removed?"

"After her best friend was removed, I can say..."Ranran muses, "The relationship as sisters improved. Unfortunately, the younger one didn't end up with the prince. Even so...she did well in putting her focus on a popular business venture."

"Really? Do I know the name of this popular venture?" Shinichi asked.

Ranran chuckled. "It's a bubble tea shop, they called it 'The Viscountess's Tea'."

Shinichi was surprised to hear that the younger twin had started a successful business venture. "Wow, that's amazing. I've gone there before. Their bubble tea is really good."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. It's one of my favourite bubble tea shops in the area," Shinichi said with a smile, "Not too sweet, right balance. Got that British feel."

Ranran smiled back. "I'm glad to hear that. The Viscountess's Tea is definitely a success story, and it's all thanks to her ambition and hard work. And in exchange for reward..." Ranran's smile widened, "I get called back repeatedly to taste test the free series before it gets released to the public. For life."

"You are lucky!" Shinichi frowned.

"Not really, I felt like a guinea pig," Ranran dismisses him. "If the drink tastes bad behind the scenes, it is off for me."

Shinichi chuckled at Ranran's response. "Well, I guess every job has its perks and downsides," he said. "But I'm glad you get to enjoy some free tea out of it."

Ranran laughed. "I guess in a way, you had a point. Now then, shall we call the hotel service to clean up our breakfast?

"Sure, let me give them a call," Shinichi replied as he reached for the phone.

As Shinichi was making the call, he can't help but notice his mentor's face seems a bit stressed out.

"Is everything okay, Ranran?" Shinichi asked, concern evident in his voice.

Ranran let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair. "Honestly, Shinichi, the tent incident after Takuma ran out of the campsite to chase after the suspected serial killer...I have a bad feeling that he or she could've suspected that the children are aware that the string of accidents that have taken place on this island were murders staged as accidents."

Shinichi's expression turned serious as he listened to Ranran's words. "What makes you think so?"

"For starters, only Takuma's tent was attacked while the rest remain intact. And Takuma was the only kid who chased after him. The guy even seems to be aware that he had a box of medication that I personally had you given to him, but then the guy stole it. How do you think this person knew Takuma was the only one with the meds? The other kids didn't bring any of it."

Shinichi's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "That's definitely concerning. Normally I would've called for cops right now, but this island had non existing cops here."

"I was considering bringing Takuma over to the hotel, but I felt like it might endanger him even more doing so."

"What makes you think that they might be in danger? I saw the security guards guarding this luxurious hotel, it seems safe to me." Shinichi thinks.

"Shinichi, the first murder victim on this island: Eiji Ikeda, how do you think the killer was able to delete the murdered victim's social media account at the campsite back at Kodama Forest? A place with no shred of the internet?"

Shinichi frowned. "I don't know, maybe they brought some sort of device that can connect to the internet?"

Ranran shook her head. "Unlikely. The signal on this island is terrible in that area, it's practically impossible to get a good connection. I think it's more plausible that the killer could've come here to this hotel, connect to the Wi-fi here and erased all traces of it."

"Wait, are you implying that the killer might be aware of the existence of this hotel!?"

Ranran nodded. "It's a possibility. And if that's the case, then bringing Takuma here could put him in danger."

Shinichi nodded in agreement. "This isn't good" He gritted his teeth in response, "But we need to do something. Maybe we can set up some sort of trap or surveillance to catch this person?"

"There is a saying that 'A rat that was trapped once, won't fall for the same trick again', Takuma's trap worked, but the killer ended up severing the rope and escaped, there is a chance they might be more wary than ever. Also," Ranran rubbed her chin thoughtfully, "There is also a possibility that the killer is very familiar with the layout of this island, judging how the killer manage to flee from Takuma."

Shinichi sighed. "So what should we do?"

"I am going to contact Emiko, Junko and Michio back at the association, and dig everything we need to know further in. In the meantime, now that we are in this hotel," Ranran replied. "We need to find out the main motive. Meanwhile, we will do our part by talking to the staff of this hotel. But we need to do it discreetly, so we don't put anyone else in danger."

Shinichi nodded in agreement. "Okay, so how do we do that?"

"We need to start investigating," Ranran said. "Ask an ambiguous question that won't set off others into thinking that we are detectives."

Shinichi nodded again. "Okay, let's get started then. We'll need to be very cautious about this, but I'm sure we can figure something out."

Ranran smiled. "I have faith in you, Shinichi. Let's do this."

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

Back at Kodoma Forest camp, all the time Takuma was chewing his cereal, he was watching the others, wondering if one of them might be the killer. 

When he looked over the top of my bowl, everyone's faces wore the same expression: extreme nervousness. 

The only exception was Reina, Ran and Sonoko whose faces were creased with signs of deep thought. The three girls were eager to track down the idiot who is ruining their camping trip once and for all.

The radio was sabotaged to prevent us from contacting the outside world to report the murder. Who is the most likeliest of culprits?

Takuma's eyes darted in Ran's direction as if he wanted to talk. As much as he and Ran are enemies due to her unreasonable hatred towards Ranran in the name of jealousy, considering that they are now on the same island with a serial killer on the loose, she is the only remaining Tantei Association member he could talk to present at the campsite.

When Miki came in he looked like he'd aged ten years overnight. He had huge bags under his eyes and his skin had gone sort of grey and ill-looking. 

"Look children, I'm really sorry this week's turning out to be such a disaster. You must be desperate to get away." Miki raked a hand through his uncombed hair. "The storm's bound to blow itself out in the next couple of days. I'll get you all on the first ferry, I promise you, even if I have to swim to the mainland to fetch it. But as the typhoon situation around here subsides, as well as the bugs situation isn't still treated in all of your bunk bedrooms upstairs, we will still be in our tent."

Takuma noticed that Miki seemed distracted, and he wondered if the pressure of the situation was getting to him. 

"Mr Miki, can I ask you something?" Reina, Takuma's girlfriend said tentatively.

Miki turned to the little girl with a tired expression. "Sure, girl. What is it?"

"I was just wondering if you noticed anything strange or suspicious happening before the murder. Maybe someone acting weird or sneaking around?"

Miki shook his head. "I'm sorry, girl. I didn't see or hear anything unusual. But I promise you, I'll do everything I can to make sure you all stay safe until help arrives."

Reina nodded, feeling disappointed but not surprised. She had a feeling that the killer was too smart to be caught by someone like Miki.

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

"Oh damn, things are that serious now?!"

Takuma grew starled after hearing the recent reports from Ranran and Shinichi through the walkie-talkie, in the dining room alone.

He felt a sense of fear creeping up his spine as he realized that the situation on the island was becoming more dangerous by the minute. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and tried to think of a way to help catch the killer. "Should I set up a second trap?"

"The person is too familiar with this area if they were able to evade capture with your trap. There is no point in doing it for the second round."

Takuma nodded in agreement with Ran's assessment. "You're right, we need to think of another plan. Maybe we should split up and search the island. The killer could be hiding somewhere."

"It's not feasible with the typhoon situation today, let alone the following days ahead." Shinichi voiced his frustration.

Takuma sighed, realizing that they were indeed stuck on the island until the typhoon subsided. "Then what should we do? We can't just wait around for the killer to strike again."

"As I said, I have a plan," Ranran said firmly. "While Shinichi and I go about interviewing everyone at the hotel, you and Ran do the same at the campsite and see if they noticed anything unusual or suspicious."

Takuma nodded in agreement. "I think I can do that."

"But be careful," Shinichi warned. "The killer could be among us, so we need to watch our backs."

Takuma felt a chill run down his spine at the thought, but he knew they had to do something. "Alright, let's get started then. We need to catch this killer before they strike again."

As soon as Takuma left the dining room, Ran run up to Takuma, "Neh, Takuma! Where have you been!?"

Takuma turned around to face Ran, surprised by her sudden appearance. "Oh, Ran. I just spoke to Ranran and Shinichi. Why, is something wrong?"

"Bad news! Sonoko, she is..."

"What!? What happened to Sonoko!?"

Ran took a deep breath and composed herself before continuing, "She fell ill again."

Takuma's eyes widened in concern. "What? But I thought she recovered from her seasickness not long ago?"

"I know, but it seems like she's gotten worse. She ran under the rain yesterday night while chasing after you, while you went after the killer. And the stress of the killer being around just made it worst, so..." Ran replied, her voice trembling with worry.

"Damn, and this island has no existence of a hospital...." Then Takuma begins to wonder, "I wonder if the hotel Ranran and Shinichi are now in has a pharmacy?"

"It's worth a shot," Ran said. "We have to do something for Sonoko, and fast."

Takuma nodded in agreement and quickly tried to contact Ranran and Shinichi while he and Ran entered the dining room before shutting the door, hoping they would pick up. After a few moments of static, a voice finally came through.

"Takuma? What's up?" Ranran's voice crackled through the speaker.

"Ranran, bad news, Sonoko is sick again," Takuma said, trying to keep his voice steady. 

"Eh!? Sick? What do you mean? Didn't Shinichi tell me earlier when he went to the campsite to chat with all of you yesterday? He said Sonoko looked fine when he left after recovering from that volatile boating trip."

"I know, but she got worse, and we need to get her some medicine," Takuma explained. "Do you know if the hotel you're staying in has a pharmacy? We need to get some medicine for her."

There was a pause before Ranran responded. "Yes, there is a pharmacy nearby the lobby. I can go and get some medicine for her. But I need to warn you, the storm is getting worse and the roads are flooded. We may have to wait till tomorrow to hand the medicine over."

Takuma's heart sank. They didn't have much time. "Just do your best, Ranran. We'll take care of Sonoko here."

As he put down the radio, Takuma couldn't help but feel helpless. 

They were stuck on an island with a killer on the loose, and now Sonoko was sick and there was no way to get her proper medical attention. All they could do was hope and pray that Ranran would be able to get the medicine they needed in time.