In Detective Conan: Intercepting Miwako Sato at the Start

Page 54

"Don't worry, since he was so concerned about you last night, he'll definitely come over if you call him," Miyamoto Yumi said confidently.

Afterwards, Miwako Sato still made a phone call.

She stammered, "Hello, is this Takada-senpai? I have something to tell you in person. Would it be convenient for you to come over?"

Chapter 80 Organization Call

"Senior!" Sato Miwako suddenly mustered her courage and interrupted him, raising her head and finally meeting his eyes. Although she was still shy, her gaze held a newfound determination.

"Um... to express my gratitude, are you free at noon? I'd like to... treat you to lunch! Yumi can come too, of course!"

Yumi Miyamoto immediately understood and nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, yes! Takada-senpai, please give us a chance to express our gratitude!"

Yuuki Takada looked at the mixture of expectation, nervousness, and sincerity in Miwako Sato's eyes, then glanced at Yumi Miyamoto beside him, who was actively agreeing with him, and pondered for a few seconds.

The brief silence made Sato Miwako's heart race again.

Finally, he nodded slightly.

"can."

Sato Miwako's eyes met his, her eyes filled with gratitude and shyness.

She opened her mouth slightly, but for a moment she didn't know where to begin.

Yuki Takada's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a calming and reassuring quality.

His gaze swept over Sato Miwako's slightly flushed cheeks, and finally he nodded gently.

“Okay,” Yuki Takada replied, his tone as natural as if he were agreeing to something perfectly ordinary.

However, this was anything but ordinary for Miwako Sato.

She seemed to be instantly injected with vitality, her eyes shining brightly, and she almost excitedly whispered "Mmm!" The tension and confusion she had just felt were replaced by a soft joy.

Yumi Miyamoto excitedly and secretly made a victory sign behind Miwako's back.

The midday sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow on the streets.

The atmosphere subtly became lively on the way to the restaurant.

Miyamoto Yumi naturally became the mood-maker. She walked slightly behind Takada Yuki, chattering about the interesting things that had happened in their traffic class recently, occasionally cleverly throwing the topic to the somewhat silent Miwako.

"Senior Takada, don't let her quiet demeanor fool you. Last time we were chasing that criminal, she was faster than any of us. That leaping tackle was so cool!" Miyamoto Yumi nudged Sato Miwako beside her with her elbow.

Sato Miwako blushed slightly and, somewhat embarrassed, whispered to stop him, "Yumi! There's nothing to say about that..."

Yuuki Takada listened intently, his gaze fixed on the swaying shadows of the trees ahead, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Indeed, compared to Sato's skills, I witnessed them first when I came to Tokyo for my post. He has great explosive power and a very solid foundation."

The understated praise made Sato Miwako feel a little guilty. She subconsciously looked up at his profile, where the sunlight outlined his defined jawline.

After all, she still remembers the rash thing she did back then.

Sato Miwako responded softly, "There's still so much I need to learn from you, Takada-senpai."

Upon hearing this, Yuuki Takada turned his head slightly, his gaze meeting hers for a moment, but he didn't say anything, only nodding slightly.

The restaurant was chosen by Yumi Miyamoto; it's a rather elegant Japanese restaurant with quiet private rooms, perfect for conversation.

When they took their seats, Yumi took the first seat inside, naturally letting Sato Miwako sit next to Takada Yuki.

After ordering, a brief silence ensued.

The barley tea in the delicate porcelain cup emitted a faint aroma.

Sato Miwako held the slightly hot teacup in both hands, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the inside of the cup, as if gathering her courage.

Finally, she raised her head again, turned to Yuki Takada, her eyes sincere and clear.

"Takada-senpai, I am truly grateful to you all this time." Sato Miwako looked at him earnestly and said, "I can say that if you hadn't appeared in time to stop me during this period, I might have really done something dangerous, and even implicated others... I still regret that reckless impulse when I think about it now."

She lowered her head slightly, then raised it firmly again: "I realized that enthusiasm alone is not enough; experience and calm judgment are more important. I learned a lot from the way you handled things back then, Senior Takada."

Miyamoto Yumi also put away her joking expression and nodded seriously: "Yes, Takada-senpai, thank you so much! Miwako really scared me to death back then."

Yuki Takada did not immediately accept their thanks. He listened silently to Miwako's words, his finger lightly tapping the table.

“Sato…” Takada Yuuki spoke slowly, his voice steady and devoid of emotion, “I have received your thanks, but you don’t need to blame yourself too much.”

"When faced with an emergency, choosing to intervene immediately instead of backing down is the most valuable quality in criminal investigation. Many senior police officers might not have done better than you in that moment."

Sato Miwako stared at him blankly, not expecting such a response.

Yuki Takada continued, "The reason I asked you to leave the Shinkansen train was because it was the most reasonable decision at the time. What you lack is not courage, but the ability to effectively transform that courage into control of the situation. This requires time and experience."

His words, devoid of any flowery embellishment, were like a calm breeze, gently dispelling the lingering unease and self-doubt in Miwako's heart.

She felt a surge of deep understanding, and a warm current quietly welled up in her heart.

“Yes…I understand.” Sato Miwako nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with understanding and determination. “I will work hard to gain experience and become more reliable!”

As the dishes were served one after another, the conversation gradually became more relaxed.

Yumi Miyamoto lively shared all sorts of gossip from the police station, and occasionally asked Yuki Takada a question or two about solving cases.

Yuki Takada remained a man of few words, but he answered every question with concise and precise language. His occasional insights always enlightened Miwako Sato and Yuki Takada.

They discovered that this supposedly unapproachable senior was actually just reserved, not cold-hearted.

During the meal, Sato Miwako gradually became less nervous.

She would even muster the courage to ask Takada about some of the questions she had encountered in training or theoretical studies, following up on topics raised by Miyamoto Yumi. Takada Yuuki would then put down his chopsticks, think for a moment, and then give a clear and organized answer.

He watched as the younger man listened attentively, his eyes shining. In those eyes, which always held a sharp, scrutinizing gaze, there seemed to be a barely perceptible softening.

Lunch drew to a close in a much more harmonious atmosphere than expected. Sato Miwako's initial thought of "just to express her gratitude" had long been replaced by a deeper sense of admiration and accomplishment.

Looking at the neatly arranged empty plates on the table, she felt a surge of warmth and contentment. This lunch had been far more meaningful than she had imagined.

When it came time to pay, Yuuki Takada didn't try to compete with them; he simply stood quietly to the side and waited, maintaining a perfectly appropriate distance.

Stepping out of the restaurant, the sun was still shining brightly.

"Ah!" Miyamoto Yumi cleverly found an excuse: "I suddenly remembered that I have something to do in Shibuya!"

"Takada-senpai, Miwako, I'll be going now!" After saying that, she waved to the two of them without waiting for a reply and quickly slipped away.

Suddenly, only two people were left standing at the store entrance.

A gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness.

Sato Miwako felt her cheeks start to burn slightly again. She took a deep breath and turned to her tall and composed senior colleague.

“Senior…” she said softly, her gaze falling on the second button on his trench coat, then she looked up with effort to meet his dark eyes. “Thank you so much for today. Thank you for agreeing to come to dinner, and thank you for what you said to me.”

Yuuki Takada looked down at her. Her eyes were bright and sparkling, filled with sincere gratitude and a hint of lingering shyness. The sunlight seemed to dance on her hair.

He remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, his voice seemingly a fraction softer than usual.

You're welcome. I enjoyed lunch.

He paused for a moment, then added, "If you encounter any problems in handling cases in the future, you can come and ask me directly."

Ding-ling-ling!

Just then, Yuki Takada's phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was a coded telegram from the organization.

Seeing this, his expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said with a smile, "Sato, I have some personal matters to attend to. See you next time."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Sato Miwako's eyes, but she still smiled and nodded: "Okay, go ahead and be careful."

After saying that, Yuuki Takada nodded slightly to her, turned around and started walking.

Then, he hurriedly ran towards one of the alleys, his heart filled with unease.

Sato Miwako stood there for a long time, watching his tall figure gradually disappear into the distance. Her heart seemed to be gently filled with something, and a feeling mixed with encouragement, longing and an indescribable excitement quietly spread through her.

A gentle breeze swept across the street corner, carrying the warmth of the afternoon and taking away the brief encounter, yet leaving a clear and lingering aftertaste in my heart.

Chapter 81 Escorting Sherry

Meanwhile, in the deep alley.

Looking back, the phone displayed a unique name—Karasuma Renya.

After arriving at the alley, Yuuki Takada confirmed that no one was around and quickly answered the call from the organization's leader.

The voice coming from the phone receiver was specially processed, cold and urgent, conveying an unquestionable order: "Hennessy, go back to the organization immediately. In the meantime, complete the mission of protecting 'Sherry'. As for the Metropolitan Police Department, I've already asked someone to get you leave."

"Received," Yuuki Takada replied in a low voice.

His face then instantly became expressionless, a stark contrast to his gentle demeanor in front of the restaurant.

After hanging up the phone, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and after taking a deep breath, he calmed down completely.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated. It was a text message from the organization's leader. After glancing at it and memorizing the approximate time, I deleted the message.

Yuki Takada raised his hand and glanced at his watch.

There was still plenty of time before the time agreed upon by the organization, enough for him to make some preparations.

When Yuki Takada walked out of the alley, the expression on his face had completely changed.

The previous gentleness and hesitation were swept away, replaced by an almost indifferent calm.

Only those eyes suddenly revealed a hint of clarity, scanning every corner of the street and assessing every possible danger.

After confirming that Miwako Sato was not in the vicinity and that there were not many police colleagues around, they confirmed that Miwako Sato was not nearby.

Yuki Takada immediately returned to his secluded apartment.

This apartment was unknown even to his direct superior at the Metropolitan Police Department; it was Hennessy's private base in Tokyo.

The furnishings inside were so simple they were almost rudimentary.

A bed, a table, a computer without internet access, and a safe hidden under the floor.

Yuuki Takada knelt on the ground, skillfully entered the password, and opened the safe.

Inside, besides a Beretta 92F pistol and two magazines, there was only a plain black bank card.

After taking everything inside, an encrypted message appeared on his phone screen again.

"12 Tamagawa 2-chome, Ota Ward, Hakuba Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd."