Yuko Ikezawa continued to argue, her tone defensive and dismissive.
"Recognizing that it's a lighter isn't strange—I've seen one with a similar design before. And as for the toilet, it just felt like that area was where it might be."
She shrugged with mock innocence.
"Having a strong sixth sense isn't illegal, is it? Officer, this is my first time here. You're pointing fingers at the wrong person!"
Her words were sharp, but her irritation seemed to shift when she turned her attention toward Akashi.
However, upon seeing the impossibly adorable young boy nestled in Ran's arms, her anger dissipated, replaced by a brief moment of stunned silence.
Despite her attempt at misdirection, Inspector Megure and Kogoro remained unconvinced. Both bore down on her with more pointed questions, determined to uncover the truth.
As long as Yuko Ikezawa refused to confess, the investigation was bound to stall once more.
---
Meanwhile, Conan's suspicions were not limited to Yuko Ikezawa. His sharp eyes darted between the three suspects, analyzing their behavior.
At one point, he noticed Yoko's expression shift when her gaze fell upon the corpse.
Quietly, Conan approached her and whispered,
"Big sister, do you recognize the deceased?"
Yoko shook her head quickly, her movements stiff.
"No, I don't know him," she said, her voice shaky and unconvincing. Her panicked demeanor and wandering eyes betrayed her words, particularly when she stole a glance at her manager standing nearby.
At the same time, Eiichi Yamagishi, her manager, seemed entirely disinterested in the ongoing investigation. Instead, he approached Akashi, leaning in with a smooth, rehearsed tone.
"Child, where's your guardian? Can you tell your uncle?"
Without waiting for a response, he continued,
"You've got such exceptional potential. I've already spoken with the president about you. If you sign with our agency, we'll offer you a top-tier S-level contract. I guarantee you'll become the brightest star of this era!"
Ran appeared momentarily intrigued by the offer, but Akashi's face darkened.
Why is this guy so persistent?
Despite having been refused earlier, Yamagishi was like a stubborn stain, impossible to get rid of.
More concerning was the faint malice Akashi sensed in his demeanor, a predator's glint masked by a veneer of charm.
With a frosty tone, Akashi responded,
"I don't need a guardian to make decisions for me. I can decide for myself. I won't be an artist, so stop pestering me."
Yamagishi's smile didn't falter.
"What a shame," he said lightly. "You'll change your mind eventually."
The way he spoke hinted at relentless persistence, a refusal to accept rejection.
---
Akashi, however, had no intention of relying solely on Conan to solve the case.
From his perspective, the murder at the idol's residence bore an uncanny resemblance to a case he recalled from his previous life.
Furthermore, both Yoko and Eiichi Yamagishi's behavior struck him as suspicious. Especially the manager—if a corpse was found in an artist's home, shouldn't he be focused on damage control or strategizing PR?
Yet here he was, trying to rope Akashi into becoming a child star.
Something didn't add up.
With a slight struggle, Akashi slipped out of Ran's arms and grabbed Yoko's hand.
"I need to ask Sister Yoko a few questions!" he announced, pulling her toward one of the rooms.
Before anyone could react, the door closed and locked behind them.
Ran blinked in confusion, taking a hesitant step forward.
What?! Why would Akashi go off alone with Miss Yoko?
Aside from Ran and Conan, no one seemed to pay much attention to Akashi's sudden action.
---
Inside the room, Yoko's bedroom revealed itself, a pink, princess-style haven.
Her blue eyes sparkled with curiosity and delight. She seemed almost excited by the private moment.
"Akashi, what do you want to ask big sister?" she inquired, her voice soft and playful.
"Do you want my autograph? Are you a fan of mine too?"
Without waiting for an answer, Yoko knelt down, scooping up Akashi and placing him gently on the bed.
Having seen Ran holding him earlier, she was undeniably envious. Now, with the chance to hold the adorable boy herself, she couldn't resist.
His fluffy hair, fair complexion, and bright eyes—everything about him was so irresistibly cute.
But just as Yoko was about to lose herself in adoration, her gaze locked with Akashi's deep, penetrating eyes.
A strange energy seemed to emanate from them, freezing her in place.
Akashi's brow furrowed slightly. 'Did it work? Was the hypnosis successful?'
This was his first attempt at using the LV1 hypnosis ability he'd recently acquired, and he wasn't entirely certain of its effectiveness.
Nonetheless, he was determined to test it on Yoko, hoping to extract the information he needed.
At that moment, a strange blush spread across Yoko's delicate face, her sequined makeup glimmering in the light.
Without warning, she stood up and began to take off her pink windbreaker. Beneath it, she wore a blue cropped top and black hot pants, revealing her toned midriff and long, slender legs.
Her graceful figure and radiant beauty solidified her status as the idol cherished by millions of fans.
However, Yoko didn't stop there. She continued to remove her clothing, her movements fluid yet unsettling.
Akashi froze, his mind racing.
'What in the world is happening?!'
This wasn't what he intended at all. He had only used hypnosis to gather information—nothing more!
'Could this hypnosis technique have a built-in program? Some kind of automatic response that—'
He didn't dare complete the thought.
As Yoko stretched out her arms, pulling him close into an embrace, Akashi quickly snapped out of his daze.
"Wait, wait!" he exclaimed, his voice sharp but urgent.
Yoko stopped instantly, her movements halting as though she were a doll awaiting its master's command. Her azure eyes, clouded with confusion, locked onto him, silently expecting further instructions.
Desperately calming himself, Akashi focused on the matter at hand.
"Miss Yoko," he said, his voice firm yet steady, "do you know the deceased outside?"
For a moment, Yoko's expression wavered, a flicker of resistance breaking through the hypnotic state. Her delicate features twisted in an internal struggle.
'What kind of hypnosis is this?' Akashi thought, frustrated. 'It's completely unreliable for anything serious!'
Hastily, he reached out to steady her, his small hands resting gently against her skin. The touch seemed to work like magic, calming her turmoil.
Yoko's tense expression softened gradually, and after what felt like an eternity, she spoke:
"His name is Akiyoshi Fujie. He's...my ex-boyfriend."
Akashi's heart skipped a beat. "Did you kill him?"
Yoko's response was immediate, her voice trembling.
"No!"
"Then do you know who did it?"
At this question, her face contorted once more, the internal struggle now even more intense.
Akashi sighed inwardly. 'This is getting ridiculous.'
To coax the truth out of her, he had to pause and console her repeatedly, ensuring she remained calm enough to answer.
This process was unlike any investigation technique he had ever imagined—a mix of interrogation and babysitting.
And yet, even with all his effort, the hypnosis technique felt laughably unreliable. 'How can something this finicky ever be useful?!'