T.A series Volume 2: The Illegitimate Extra

Chapter 2 - A Sinister Puzzle

"Wait, are we literally getting paid...?!" Ranran gasped.

"Of course, and here is why," Michio handed out the newspapers to each and everyone one of them." The case is famous on its own already, or about to." he explained,"Junko and I were in the theater when it started. Someone cut up a movie and stole parts of it."

"Was it 'Origin Of My Childhood'?"Ranran pointed out.

"That crappy movie where the ending showed they didn't end up together?" Shinichi added.

Before Ranran or Shinichi could go on, both Michio and Junko stood up almost immediately and stomped their feet on the flooring. "How do you both know the ending!? You both watch it?!" both exclaimed.

"Or you watched some pirated copy?! Which I am certain one of you is capable of," demanded Junko.

Ranran and Shinichi shot a glance at the two, "Wikipedia summarizes everything in an instant."Ranran said.

"Exactly, just reading five minutes of the summary is enough." Shinichi nodded with Ranran in agreement before he diverted back to the two elder children, "We don't like watching romance, but we didn't want to be peered pressured into watching it, so we read the entire summary filled with spoilers to criticize it if one brags the movie is good. Please, that movie is too overrated."

"And cringy. Too cringy."Ranran spat in distaste.

"I am glad you both understand my point of view. It's like the equivalent of eating 10 packets of sour candy." Michio added with a sour expression.

"Michio really hates it," Junko told Emiko, who was reading the story in the newspaper Michio gave earlier.

"I probably would have too, after hearing how cringy it is," mumbled Emiko quietly to herself.

"I was going to see it next week," said Takuma, before blushing immediately, having to realize what he had said. "Reichan wanted to see it!"

Shinichi frowned. "Now that you mention it, your girlfriend is also into these kinds of movies, huh?"

"Whether Tak-san likes it or not, she is the queen in that relationship, "Ranran's eyes twinkled in glee teasingly at a blushing Takuma.

"When you said girlfriend, you mean?"Junko was confused.

"Didn't you know? Our student head council is actually his girlfriend!"Ranran winked.

"EH!?"Junko reacted in shock.

Takuma colored turn red on his face. "She lives next door, that's all!"

Emiko meanwhile continued reading the paper,"Who wants to hire us again?" she looked up and asked.

"A man name Mr Muniko Tomio," replied Michio, holding up the business card he'd been given by the stranger. "He's a wealthy businessman, let alone, prominent in the movie industry of Japan as he is a well-to-do film investor."

"What is a film investor?"Ran questioned.

"His job is to basically give money to the people in charge of making the movies, one that he knows would make tons of money in returned profits once it is released to the cinema."Shinichi explained to her before turning to Michio, "How did you come across someone like him?"