Detective Kanji

Chapter 5: The First Clue

Begin!

~Normal POV

Naoto asked Kanji to hang out with her again after school today. If she was going to find this phantom thief, she'd need to start as soon as possible. There had to be something important about that blank card. And they needed to figure out what it was. So the two went to their usual spot to mull it over. Kanji wasn't too confident in being able to help her with it, but he was prepared to try his best. At the moment, Naoto was staring at the two cards side by side, trying to find something she might have missed.

"The first thing I can tell is that these cards came from Shiroku Store." She began, "I talked to the owner before school, and she said the man's description matched the one you gave me."

"So it was definitely that same guy?"

"Yes it was." Naoto answered, confidently. "This Phantom Thief purchased these cards mere days before handing this one to you..."

Kanji chuckled. "Sounds like he planned ahead."

"They are known to be thorough at that. However, if that is the case, then it's hard to imagine any elaborate process was performed on the card."

So that meant it could just be a blank card. Kanji had a thought that maybe it was just to get her attention, and was about to say so, but Naoto interrupted with a very odd question.

"By the way, do you happen to wear cologne?"

He gave her a confused look. That came way the hell out of nowhere. "Uh, no- why?"

"Well, I noticed that the one you gave me has a faint, lingering scent of citrus. I thought it could have come from a cologne."

"Ohh. I didn't notice that." Kanji said, shrugging. "But I had an idea. What if that one was blank on purpose? Just to get your attention?"

Naoto looked thoughtful. "That is a possibility..."

Before they could ponder it any further, they heard a voice call out to them. One they recognized instantly.

"Oh, hello!" Nanako, Yu's little cousin, jogged up to their table to greet them.

"Hey, Nanako-chan," Kanji greeted back smiling.

It was rare for Nanako to approach her cousin's friends without him around, so this was a somewhat new experience. Naoto had only recently been introduced to her, but thought she was a sweet child. She could see why everyone enjoyed her company.

Nanako looked between them curiously. "What are you doing?"

Naoto frowned at the idea that she didn't know how to respond to that question. "Hm... What are we doing really...?" She muttered, quietly.

Nanako didn't seem to hear her. She thought for a moment and then gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry! Are you guys on a date?"

The two teens blushed at the question. Why on earth would she ask that?! Kanji quickly avoided looking at Naoto to hide how red his face was. And he didn't notice how flustered Naoto was, as well.

"I can leave you alone, if you are! Don't worry, I won't tell anybody!" Nanako added, smiling cheerfully.

Finally, Naoto found her voice again and replied, "W-We're not on a date. We're trying to do something, and I asked Kanji-kun for assistance."

"Y-Yeah, that..." Kanji added, sheepishly.

"Oh..." Nanako then happened to notice the cards they had laid out before them. "That card is blank. Are you writing a letter?"