[Rikudo Kusuda]
[March 19, 5:56 p.m., crushed by a steel coil.]
[Before death, rides in a colleague's car, seated in the passenger side, on an Organization mission. The vehicle loses control on the highway, skidding and crashing into the guardrail on the passenger side, injuring him.]
[After his colleague safely exits, Kusuda attempts to climb out through the driver's side but is crushed by a steel coil that falls from a passing truck.]
The Death Note can't cause third-party deaths.
Only those named in its pages die. Writing something like "Rikudo Kusuda crashes his car into an innocent pedestrian and is crushed by a coil" wouldn't work—Kusuda would just die of a heart attack.
But naming a specific target, like "Rikudo Kusuda crashes his car into Shinichi Kudo and is crushed by a coil," would hold, since both are marked for death.
That's why Hayato had to specify "his colleague safely exits" in Kusuda's entry. Without it, the scenario might involve a third party, rendering it invalid.
Lucky for him, the tail was Kusuda—a named bit player from the story. Otherwise, it could've been trickier.
Ring-ring! Ring-ring!
"Hello, this is Hayato Masaki."
"Pardon the intrusion, Masaki-sensei. It's Nanami Asamiya from Futaba Publishing."
"Asamiya-san."
"Yes. Thanks to our promotion efforts, your new book goes on sale in three days. We've scheduled your signing event for the same day. Does that work?"
"What's the plan?"
"The first signing will be at Futaba Bookstore in Beika City, this Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. How's that sound?"
"Perfect. No issues."
"Wonderful!"
"We'll lock it in, then. On a personal note, I'd suggest dressing sharp that day, Masaki-sensei. Your presence will be a big draw for promotion."
"We could even arrange a professional stylist if you'd like."
"Thanks, but I'll pass on the stylist for now. I'll make sure to look the part."
Hanging up, Hayato marked Sunday on his calendar.
It was part of the contract—Futaba would pour resources into promotion, including events like the signing.
A prime chance.
He wasn't a detective yet, but boosting his fame was a smart move.
And, for the record, Hayato was pretty confident in his ability to clean up well.
---
Time skipped forward.
The scene shifted.
Sunday's commercial strip buzzed with life, but the real shock was the line snaking out of Futaba Bookstore.
"That's insane… Shinichi, are we really queuing up?"
"…I didn't sign up for this kind of crowd."
"It's rare, though, seeing you care about a signing event."
"It's not caring. I'm just curious."
High school detective Shinichi Kudo shot back at his childhood friend's teasing smile.
Another girl chimed in with a jab. "What's the difference?"
"There's a huge difference!"
Shinichi rolled his eyes, clearly not meshing with her.
Kindaichi Case Files had impressed him lately. The meticulous details, clever methods, and near-universal villainy in Freak Hall Village Murder were especially gripping.
Rumor had it the author was young, sparking his interest enough to check it out.
After Shinichi explained, Sonoko Suzuki scoffed. "Ugh, whatever. Lan, let's ditch this and hit the cake shop next door. This line's gonna take forever!"
"Sonoko…"
Ran Mouri gave a wry smile.
She'd planned a girls' day with Sonoko—cake and book shopping—but Shinichi's last-minute call about the bookstore had turned it into this.
"Oh my gosh!"
"Did you get a different photo?"
"He's gorgeous!"
"No way he's not a celebrity!"
"Such a refined look…"
"Hey, I'm printing this one!"
Sonoko, half-ready to bail, perked up at the chatter. She glanced over, spotting a gaggle of young women buzzing with excitement, clutching books and printed photos.
Who's this about?
Drawn in, Sonoko sidled closer, craning her neck. "Who're you guys talking about?"
The group paused, then lit up at the high schooler's curiosity. One eagerly showed her a photo.
One look—
"!!!"
Sonoko's eyes popped. In a blur, she zipped back to Ran, grabbing her hand. "Come on, Lan! We're buying books and getting in line!"
"Huh? Wait—!"
Ran was practically dragged into the store.
Shinichi, trailing behind, twitched.
Now he was the one second-guessing the line.
But knowing Sonoko's tenacity, he sighed and followed. No way she'd back off now.
Inside, Shinichi's jaw tightened again.
"This is ridiculous…"
Futaba Bookstore, usually open and airy, was packed to the gills. The line snaked toward a signing table swarmed with fans—mostly women.
Store staff and the manager hustled to guide signed-book holders out, while the publisher's assistants and Asamiya scrambled to keep up.
Amid the din, Ran's puzzled voice cut through. "Sonoko, didn't we need English study guides too?"
"We'll grab those after!"
"…"
She's already got the book? That was fast.
Shinichi shook his head, exasperated.
***
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