Beyond the Truth: Mouri's Odyssey

Chapter 16: The Murder Case at the Golden Music Festival (3)

As expected of Japan's premier music festival, it was utterly captivating. When Hamasaki Ayumi finished her performance, the applause was thunderous and prolonged.

The next performer was Ikezawa Yuko. Wearing a snow-white long dress, she appeared like a fairytale princess under the enchanting lights. With dry ice spraying around her, the stage seemed like a magical wonderland.

"Please welcome Ikezawa Yuko-san with her newly released single, 'Nagori Yuki' ('Lingering Snow')."

"*Kisha wo matsu kimi no yoko de boku wa*

*Tokei wo ki ni shiteru*

*Kisetsu hazure no yuki ga futteiru*

*Tōkyō de miru yuki wa kore ga saigo ne to…*"

The melodious voice immediately transported everyone present into a pure, white world, evoking memories of beautiful past romances.

"Wow, I never expected Yuko-san's singing to be this amazing," Ran said, immediately falling in love with the pure and heartfelt song. Next to her, Boa looked visibly unsettled; this song was far better than the one she had written.

The song 'Nagori Yuki,' chosen by Kogoro, was indeed a masterstroke. It instantly captured the hearts of everyone in the audience. Yuko's performance was on par with the diva who had just performed.

Hearing Yuko's rendition, top-tier musicians in their private rooms—Lee Hyori, Rain, Kazumasa Oda, and Yoko Okino—all became visibly tense. Their advanced musical training allowed them to recognize the song's brilliance.

Even Ayumi, back in the waiting room, couldn't help but clap.

---

In one of the VIP boxes in the audience, the Suzuki sisters were nodding along to the rhythm of the song. Sitting beside them was an elegant woman who exuded the grace of a Persian cat. The three women were enjoying the wonderful music together.

Sonoko had managed to get into the show by tagging along with her sister's friend, Yukihiro Karasawa, who owned the box.

Yukihiro's eyes were slightly narrowed, radiating a sense of guardedness. She seemed both immersed in the music and detached from the world, her elegance underscored by her soft smile. Holding a green tea cup, even her stockings seemed to shimmer with an unusual gloss.

"Ayako-san, have you given it some thought? The Ginza clothing store is truly remarkable. Would you consider partnering with me?" Yukihiro asked.

The Suzuki family's eldest daughter, Ayako, responded with a gentle smile. "Since you've spoken so highly of it, Yukihiro-san, I'll invest 80 million yen."

Watching her older sister and Yukihiro discuss business so gracefully, Sonoko felt a bit disheartened. Both women were so elegant and capable.

---

The music festival was nearing its halfway point. Apart from the third performer, Asibian, who left Kogoro deeply unimpressed, the rest were outstanding.

Kogoro hadn't expected Asibian to be such a character. Looking exactly like a certain comical TV personality, he sang with a heavily Filipino-accented style that was difficult to appreciate.

In Japan, overly Filipino-flavored songs struggled to resonate, which explained why Asibian's rankings always lingered at the bottom. He seemed destined for elimination this round.

Meanwhile, in the VIP box, Sonoko was enthusiastically cheering for Asibian. This prompted Ayako and Yukihiro to sweatdrop; Sonoko's taste was as unique as ever.

Backstage, Matsuo Takashi didn't appear to be enjoying the music. Instead, he kept glancing at his watch and checking his phone.

After the fourth performer, Rain, finished his song, Matsuo stepped onto the stage. "Next, we'll take a five-minute commercial break. After the ads, the excitement continues!"

The Golden Music Festival's two-hour broadcast featured only a single five-minute ad break, a rarity in today's industry. After making the announcement, Matsuo disappeared from sight.

As the five-minute break neared its end, Matsuo returned, sweating and slightly out of breath.

Kogoro paid no attention to this. He was engrossed in a conversation with Boa. Boa's musical acumen was exceptional, and her compositions were excellent. Listening to Kogoro's critiques of the performances, she found herself enlightened repeatedly. The two quickly became absorbed in their discussion.

Ran, however, glared at her father intensely. With Eri absent, she took it upon herself to keep her dad in check and prevent him from flirting with other women. But her glares were ineffective against Kogoro.

Conan sat alone in a corner, doodling circles on the floor. Today had been an unlucky day for him. Actually, ever since moving into the Mouri household, every day had been unlucky.

Conan thought it was simply because Kogoro disliked children, so he lived cautiously. Yet, he still couldn't escape Kogoro's schemes.

---

"Kogoro-san, I didn't expect you to have such deep musical knowledge. I feel like I've met my teacher," Boa said, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she moved closer to him.

For a proud woman like Boa, only someone who surpassed her in her field of expertise could win her respect. Kogoro had done so effortlessly.

Seeing Boa's favorability score rise rapidly on his internal "affection meter" from 12 to 45 points—just shy of the "good friend" threshold—Kogoro felt a sense of accomplishment.

When Ran noticed her father growing increasingly close to this seductive woman, she quickly intervened. Grabbing Kogoro's arm, she said, "Dad, Mom said she's coming back this weekend."

Feeling the soft pressure on his arm, Kogoro tried to shake free but couldn't. "Ran, don't make things up. Eri didn't say anything about coming back."

As the group bickered, a line of youthful and beautiful girls appeared near the backstage curtain. Their familiar faces instantly captured everyone's attention.

Matsuo's voice returned to the speakers. "The commercial break is over, and the competition resumes. Now, please welcome this episode's special guest performers: the sensational girl group, Girls' Generation, performing their hit song, 'Gee'!"

Nine girls dressed in pink quickly walked onto the stage, brushing past Kogoro as they went. Their dazzlingly fair legs and faint fragrance left him slightly dazed. Even Conan's eyes widened, nearly drooling.

"Everyone, we are Girls' Generation!" The nine girls' appearance instantly electrified the live audience. Viewership ratings soared as the group began to sing and dance. Their addictive performance of 'Gee' left countless fans in the audience—especially male otaku—absolutely ecstatic.