𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒

file 003 | suzume's first case

episode 162 — the locked room in the sky

"Excuse me," a man whispered, waking up a tired Ran from her sleep. She blinked her eyes a few times before leaning sideways to see what was going on.

"What? Who, me?"

"Do you mind not smoking? This is a no-smoking section," he requested quietly. His name was Ukai Tsuneo. "It's bothering the other passengers. If you want to smoke, please do it in the smoking section in the rear of the plane."

Otaka Kazuhiro smirked. "Sorry about that. I'll try to be careful next time." He took the cigarette from his mouth and blew the smoke into Ukai's face, causing him to cough loudly. Kazuhiro chuckled loudly as the woman next to him began to wake up due to the noise.

Amano Tsugumi gasped at the sight of the cigarette and snatched it from Kazuhiro's hands. "For goodness sake, Kazuhiro, stop that."

"Why you," he groaned. "That's not a way to talk to your soon-to-be filthy rich boyfriend. Watch yourself."

"Kazuhiro..."

"Come on. Be happy," Kazuhiro urged her, pulling some negatives from his shirt. "The newspaper company over there said they'd pay a lot of money for these negatives."

"If they're real, right?" Another woman sat next to them at the window seat. Tachikawa Chizuru leaned forward slightly. "They're supposed to be scandal shots of a powerful American senator when he was in Japan, but it'd be embarrassing if they were of somebody else."

"You've got to be kidding. I've already faxed two copies of the pictures over there and got it confirmed," Kazuhiro said with a smirk.

"It doesn't matter, just remember, we're on vacation," Chizuru reminded him, Tsugumi nodding in agreement. "Your negatives come second."

"Alright already. I'll show you some really great surfing moves." Kazuhiro stood up and glanced at the person sitting behind him. "Right, Saginuma?" He blinked when he saw him asleep. "What's with him? He's sleeping already." He sat back down. "Oh, well, I guess I'll get some rest too. Good night."

~ — — — ~

A scream from the stewardess woke the entire plane, including one sixteen-year-old Kudo Suzume. Murmurs filled the plane as the lights were turned back on. She rubbed her eyes and listened to the announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? A passenger has become seriously ill. If there is a doctor or nurse on board, please contact the nearest cabin attendant."

"Excuse me?"

"Yes?" A flight attendant said.

Megure Juzo showed her his badge. "Megure of the Metropolitan Police Department. Is someone really ill?"

"Well, the truth is..."

"I went for a look. Somebody's dead," someone whispered.

Suzume had to hold in her sigh at that. Yep, let's try not to cause any unnecessary panic here, okay? She felt Ran look back at her as Inspector Megure noticed Ran.

"Why? Ran, is that you? Taking a trip on the long weekend?" he asked, smiling at the familiar face.

"Never mind that." She shook her head. "I just heard someone was dead."

He held up his hands in a calming gesture. "Calm down, we're about to look into that now." Megure was led the rest of the way to the restroom. "No one has touched the body, have they?"