#Utako Ohkawa | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mrsleestranger · 2 months

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Chapter 27: The impostor of 20 Faces (P2)

“Destiny?”

Both Akira and Utako exclaimed in surprise, then looked at each other, blushing and falling silent.

"That's right, do you think any thief would easily reveal their face to others? Unless... he wants to kill someone and let them see his face as a farewell."

Kanon said, raising her hand in a slashing motion across her neck, her voice filled with a dark tone, leaving Akira flustered, waving his hands continuously.

"No... no... 20 faces isn't like that."

Then Kanon answered her own question:

"But 20 faces has never harmed anyone before, the words 'violence' are not in his dictionary..."

"Right... right, that's true..."

Upon hearing this, Akira nodded vigorously. Please, Akira, do you want the whole world to know that you're 20 faces? Kanon quickly glanced at Akira and then turned back to Utako, placing her hands on Utako’s shoulders, looking straight into her eyes, and continued to brainwash her:

"So, it can only be that, subconsciously, he sees you as someone incredibly special."

"Really... really?"

Utako had been successfully brainwashed. Meanwhile, Akira had collapsed onto the floor due to his body temperature exceeding the regulated limit. This was the conclusion reached by the Student Council.

Nokoru chuckled behind his fan, secretly amused by Kanon-chan's tactics. The next time they had to cooperate, it would surely be much more enjoyable.

The story of 20 faces ended there, and Utako returned home in a daze. Until now, she had always been confident in her feelings for 20 faces and assumed that he felt the same way about her. But today's events came as a surprise, causing her to doubt her and 20 faces’ feelings, was it all just her illusion? Although Kanon assured her that 20 faces saw her as someone special, being special could have many meanings. Was he really interested in her the way she was interested in him?

Ohkawa Utako continued to walk instinctively, her shadow stretching lonely on the ground. Akira still followed behind his little girl, but he didn't dare to approach and say anything. He was afraid of making her angry, he didn't want to see her sad and upset, yet he didn't know what to do. All those things happened even before he knew about her miraculous existence, so he didn't know how to explain anything. Just as he was feeling down and following her, a hand patted his shoulder, causing him to startle and jump up. Akira turned around:

"Kaichou! Why... why are you here? And Takamura-senpai too."

Nokoru smiled mischievously:

"Akira, don't worry too much. Let Kanon-chan take care of Ohkawa Kaichou. Whatever happened today, Kanon can keep it a secret, but she chose to speak up, especially in a situation like this, so there must be a reason. What happened at Gamera Hall today?"

Akira seemed to have forgotten that they had only talked about 20 faces and didn't mention him at all. Today's complications had overwhelmed him, so he naturally overlooked that fact. At the same time, from a distance, Akira saw Kanon running towards Utako, so he felt relieved and let his two seniors drag him to the canteen. After hearing the story at Gamera Hall, Nokoru folded his fan and lightly tapped it on his head, smiling brightly at Akira:

"Akira, don't you see that Kanon is teasing that guy named John?"

"Huh? Teasing? Why would she do that?"

Akira was very surprised. In his impression, Hanazaki was a very gentle person, a bit eccentric but kind-hearted and respectful.

“According to your story, that guy John was very straightforward, even unpleasant, when talking about 20 faces stealing Ohkawa Kaichou's belongings, knowing that she is a fan of 20 faces, right?

“Yes, it was a bit annoying, but not too excessive.”

“From what you told me, he seems to be very confident in his knowledge about 20 faces, but after all, he is just a foreigner. The things he heard may not be as accurate as seeing and hearing everything firsthand, yet he acts like he knows more than the locals and people involved. He also jumps to conclusions and doesn't even bother to care about those he deems unrelated to 20 faces. This is extremely impolite.”

When it came to John not remembering Kanon's last name, Nokoru's tone became indignant. How could one treat a lady like that?

Akira was taken aback and clapped his hands together:

“So, Hanazaki is expressing her discomfort?”

“It's not just discomfort, it's sarcasm. In the end, Kanon is the one holding information that this guy claims to understand about 20 faces, yet he knows nothing. Isn't that laughable? Akira, you know, what is language used for? It's used to express one's own emotions, and Kanon is a genius in this matter. Otherwise, why would she speak up but not reveal everything?

Nokoru laughed cheerfully, clearly agreeing with Kanon's approach. Suoh cleared his throat then sipped his tea, thinking that Kanon didn't do anything wrong. She may have been a bit excessive, but this council was all about covering up each other's flaws, so it was fine.

“This also relates to another matter, but it's a private affair between Ohkawa Kaichou and 20 faces. We still have to see if 20 faces is capable of facing his own feelings. Otherwise, the misunderstanding between he and Ohkawa Kaichou will only deepen, and it's really troublesome.”

Nokoru finished speaking, sighing deeply as he held his tea cup, resembling an old man causing Suoh to groan inwardly. He didn't seem troubled at all, with that excited expression on his face as if he was watching a play, where did the trouble come from?

After talking with Nokoru, Akira was still worried, but determined in his heart. Tonight, he needed to clarify everything with Utako-san. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable anymore.

Since that fateful night of stealing and being chased by the police, accidentally barging into the room of the delicate princess of the Ohkawa family and seeking refuge, 20 faces had vowed to become a strength, a solid support for her.

‘But he only knew himself as the protector, standing behind, smiling and listening to her nonsensical confessions, being the place where she unloaded her frustrations, and being a strong shoulder for her to lean on when she was tired and sad. He never thought that he would be the one standing in front, holding her hand and walking together in the radiant, colorful sunlight. That was something he dared not even think about. She was a proud princess in the castle, while he was just a thief praised and feared by people. She always stood in the bright, beautiful light, while he could only hide in the darkness and watch her.’

This was just a dialogue from some romantic story, not meant for 20 faces and Utako, because their feelings were incredibly pure and simple, without any suspicion or complexity. Just being together was more than enough for them.

Every Friday evening since that day, Akira and Utako would always have a tea date on the balcony of her room, under the shimmering candlelight and with their souls laid soft. But tonight, the atmosphere was somber, with a hint of unease. As usual, Akira wanted to be the first to speak and explain, but didn't know where to start. They both sat in silence until Utako finally spoke up:

“Today's matter, to be honest, surprised me a bit, no, it shocked me.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Akira tightly gripped the handle of the porcelain cup, causing it to tremble.

“But it's normal for Kanon-oneesan not to know that 20 faces is you so her sharing that story is very normal. It's just... just...”

Utako looked a bit downcast:

“I always thought I was the first person to talk and have tea with 20 faces. I felt a bit jealous of Kanon-oneesan because... because for me, 20 faces has been someone incredibly special since our first meeting.”

“What?”

Akira was taken aback, looking into Utako's determined eyes and her blushing cheeks. He swallowed hard, it couldn't be...

“Utako-san?

Akira felt his heart pounding strongly, he was certain that he had finally understood something that many people might take a lifetime to realize. Upon realizing this, Akira took a deep breath, gently smiled at Utako, and said:

“Utako-san, do you know... I really like, no, I love you!”

Utako raised her head, looking at Akira in disbelief, as if she couldn't believe her ears. Did she hear it correctly? Was 20 faces confessing to her? Now it was her turn to stammer and ask again:

“You... you just said... said...”

“From the first time we met, I vowed in my heart to be the one to protect and support you, but I never thought I would be the one to love you. I always believed that you deserved the best, at least someone better than me.”

Akira gently poured out his feelings, causing Utako to slam the table and stand up:

“Why didn't you say it earlier, you fool? And how could you think that way? The one who loves me and the one I love can only be you, regardless of who is better because no matter how much better he is, he is not you. Didn't you tell me that I should learn to love myself? How could you underestimate yourself and underestimate me, the person that Ohkawa Utako pays attention to, of course, will be the best person.”

Utako said this with her head held high, and Akira didn't worry about it. He just smiled gently and nodded in agreement:

“Yes, that's why I wanted to express my feelings to you. I was wrong, Utako-san. Will you forgive me?”

Akira stood up and knelt down in front of Utako, the flickering candlelight reflecting in his earnest and affectionate eyes, making Utako once again immersed in them, but immediately she smiled brightly and hugged him:

“Of course, I forgive you. Always and forever.”

And then the two of them continued to talk about their future with a family and dogs. Utako mentioned her dream of becoming his wife, and Akira felt a bit embarrassed talking about marriage now, but as long as Utako-san was happy, it didn't matter. Then the topic changed back to the events of this afternoon:

“Thinking back, I feel bad for what I did. It was because I thought Kanon-oneesan was special to you.”

Utako felt regretful, as she really liked Kanon. How could she face her idol now? But Akira laughed and recounted the analysis Nokoru had shared with him, that Kanon was telling the story of their meeting just to tease that guy John. It was only then that Utako realized the problem.

“Ah, that guy was really rude. I was annoyed at that time but didn't know what to say. After all, he was a guest. Kanon-oneesan's trick was really effective, I have to tell Mako-oneesan about it.”

Then, with a determined and strong tone that matched her straightforward and strong personality, Utako said:

“The next day, I had to apologize to Kanon-oneesan and thank her. After thinking it over, if it wasn't for this incident, we wouldn't have honestly confessed our feelings to each other.”

Mako stood outside Utako's room, listening quietly and smiling. It seemed that Kanon-sensei didn't have to worry about the two of them anymore. This afternoon, Mako was surprised when Kanon-sensei came to her and told her everything, asking her to pay attention to Utako. Kanon-sensei didn't think she had the right to advise her younger sister, especially about Utako's feelings towards someone Kanon-sensei only considered as an acquaintance, which led to the misunderstanding. But it seemed Kanon-sensei was overthinking, seeing the strong affection between Utako and Akira, her younger sister had to bring a gift to thank her. Thinking that, Mako quietly returned to her room, giving the young couple their privacy.

The next day, of course, Akira wasn't distracted by his troubled heart but rather overwhelmed with happiness. Nokoru announced to the entire student council that the Airplane Museum, which was sponsored by the Imonoyama Group, would be hosting its 10th-anniversary celebration. On this occasion, the Imonoyama Group had donated a gold plane named Golden Goose to congratulate the museum, and the four members of the Clamp school’s Elementary Student Council were invited to attend as representatives of the school.

“Akira, did you hear what I said?”

Look at your face, so full of excitement.

Kanon suppressed her laughter silently. It seemed that the young couple had made their feelings clear to each other last night, which was great. Resolving everything before the incident of impersonation occurred would surely prevent Utako from facing any danger.

“Ah, I've heard, Kaichou. The anniversary celebration will be held on Friday, right?”

“Yes, that's correct.”

“If there's nothing else, I'll go make some tea.”

After saying that, Akira cheerfully went to make tea, while being closely watched by two curious eyes. Nokoru covered his mouth with a fan and whispered to Kanon:

“Kanon-chan, your plan is working. It seems that we will have plenty of delicious tea and pastries in the future.”

“Is it because you still don't eat enough every day, Kaichou? I always wonder how you manage to stay so fit.”

Kanon raised an eyebrow in surprise and said, while Suoh sat solemnly nearby, ignoring the two chatterboxes.

On the day of the museum's anniversary celebration, the four members of the Student Council arrived together to cut the ribbon and present a gold plane to the museum on behalf of the Imonoyama Group. Nokoru then delivered a speech. Kanon glanced around at the crowd admiring and praising the gold plane. It was exquisitely crafted, mostly made of shining gold, with even the engine plated in dazzling gold. Rumor said that it could fly exceptionally well. However, something attention-grabbing like this would surely attract thieves.

Cliff Edmund, from within the crowd, gazed at the sparkling gold plane. This was the item he was hinted to steal through that mysterious email, something attention-grabbing yet perfectly suited to his taste. Only something like this would make 20 Faces aware and reveal himself. His mind was already filled with a complete plan to steal the Golden Goose. Tonight, he would have the opportunity to become 20 Faces and eventually have complete control over that famous thief. With extreme excitement, Cliff Edmund almost couldn't contain himself and burst into laughter in the middle of the crowd, but luckily he managed to hold back. In a dark corner, Seiji furrowed his brow as he assessed the foreign man with red hair who caught the attention of Kanon. This guy was definitely strange, that was Seiji's conclusion after witnessing his greedy gaze at the Golden Goose and his strange, suppressed laughter. It was a pity for such a handsome face.

That night was a sleepless night for the Airplane Museum, as the precious Golden Goose that had just been donated was stolen. After injuring a security guard, the thief flew away in the gold plane, crazily circling around a bustling shopping center, dropping leaflets with the words "I'm back - 20 faces". Meanwhile, the real 20 Faces was actually on a date with his girlfriend, promising her that he would inform her first when he returned to thieving.

Kanon silently picked up one of the leaflets, frowned, and looked at it. The handwriting was terrible, the paper was of poor quality, and it carried the scent of the owner's perfume. How could someone like this claim to be a thief? If 20 Faces was truly cooperating with him, they would be caught in no time. It was a waste of all those years being a devoted fan of 20 Faces without realizing anything. Seiji also held up a leaflet to examine it. Although he had only heard about 20 Faces and didn't really care, he assessed the thief as someone extremely intelligent and cautious in every step, yet today's actions didn't reflect that.

“Lady, this 20 Faces...”

“So you've noticed too, senpai? It's not like the previous heists 20 Faces has done, right? Before stealing, 20 Faces always sends a notice. Many people consider it an overly confident and arrogant act, fearlessly challenging the heavens and the earth. But I see it as a rather polite gesture, simply wanting to convey a message to the host.”

Seiji didn't want to comment on the etiquette of a thief, but he agreed with Kanon's opinion about sending a notice:

“Exactly, once 20 Faces sends a notice, the police will surround the scene beforehand, and the media will immediately report it. So, why would he need to do something as crude as littering the streets with flyers? It's very uncouth.”

“Therefore... this 20 Faces could very well be an impostor.”

Listening to Kanon's conclusion, Seiji nodded in agreement, but he didn't let it bother him as it had nothing to do with them. However, just because Seiji didn't let it bother him didn't mean others felt the same.

The next day, Kanon went to the Student Council room after being informed by Nokoru about the theft of the Golden Goose. She calmly took out the flyer she had picked up at the shopping center the day before.

“Last night, I was walking around the shopping center and found this. The Golden Goose flew around for half an hour in crowded areas, dropping flyers announcing that 20 Faces had returned.”

Nokoru took the flyer from Kanon and huddled together with Suoh to study it. Suoh immediately noticed a flaw:

“This action is very different from 20 Faces' previous modus operandi, not to mention the arrogant language used in it. And the act of indiscriminately dropping flyers everywhere is very unsanitary. Although I don't agree with stealing, I respected 20 Faces' previous attitude more.”

Kanon silently raised her thumb, Suoh’s deduction matching her senpai's. If this pair were to solve the case together, they would make a good team.

“Indeed, there are still many mysteries surrounding this.”

Nokoru scratched his chin, realizing that his Detective Team had another task at hand. After all, the Golden Goose was a gift from his family to the museum. Just then, Akira pushed the door open and walked in, still wearing a foolish smile on his face, but his cheeks were slightly flushed. Kanon furrowed her brow, they weren't arguing anymore, but he was still seemed soaked in the rain? Was this how young couples express their love nowadays? Nokoru and Suoh also looked at Akira with concern, his state seemed...

“Ijyuin, are you okay? You look...”

“Ah, I'm fine, really.”

Akira raised his adorable smile and looked at everyone, causing the remaining three to exchange puzzled glances. Just then, the phone rang, and Nokoru handed the phone to Akira, saying that someone from the 20 Faces Fan Club wanted to meet him. Kanon widened her eyes as the events unfolded as before. Akira listened to the phone call and learned about the theft of the Golden Goose by 20 Faces, causing him to collapse. Nokoru, Suoh, and Kanon took Akira to the hospital, following the same script. He had caught a high fever from being out in the rain last night, probably from visiting his little girlfriend Utako in the middle of the heavy rain. Love truly has its own power.

The two members of the 20 Faces Fan Club also came to the hospital to inquire about Akira's condition, but Kanon knew that they were more interested in getting information about the stolen gold plane. However, before they could say much, Utako appeared at the hospital. Her face was calm, but Kanon noticed the sharp gaze and strong determination emanating from the girl, mixed with anger and worry.

“I would like to ask the Student Council, no, the Clamp Detective Team to investigate the theft of the Golden Goose from the Airplane Museum.”

Her request left everyone stunned, but Nokoru immediately agreed and promised to listen to her story. As everyone dispersed, Kanon stayed behind to comfort Utako. Just as she felt the hostile gaze of Cliff Edmund on herself and Utako, he turned away. She sensed that he had some ulterior motive beyond the script, but she decided to put it aside for now. Kanon waited for Utako to visit Akira before taking her to a nearby tea shop, ordering two cups of herbal tea. Only then did she smile and ask:

“Are you okay, Utako-chan? We haven't had a chance to talk since that day.”

Utako held her tea cup hesitantly but then decided to speak up:

“Kanon-oneesan, I should have met you earlier to thank you and apologize.”

“Huh? Apologize for what?”

“Well, you see, that day I acted a bit jealous. I... um, I really admire 20 Faces, so when I found out that you had a private meeting and conversation with him, I felt envious of you. But because of that, I realized my true feelings, so I feel like I need to apologize and thank you.”

Kanon looked at the little girl in front of her. She was only 5 years old, but she was surprisingly mature and composed, yet still had that adorable innocence. Kanon felt happy to be able to help such wonderful people, so she smiled brightly and said:

“I'm really glad, Utako-chan, that I could help you in some way. Actually, I knew you were very interested in 20 Faces, so teasing that guy John was just an excuse to tell you that story. From now on, always believe in yourself and your own feelings. The best things will come to you.”

Utako felt like crying. The good things came too quickly and unexpectedly, overwhelming her. Kanon handed her a scented handkerchief from her pocket to wipe her tears, forgetting that there was a magical leaf inside.

After that, the two girls talked about 20 Faces. Kanon didn't want to make Utako worry even more, so she reassured her that the Detective Team had gathered information and leads and would definitely investigate thoroughly. There was a suspicion that someone was impersonating 20 Faces, and it was entirely plausible. Even if it was a thief, they had the right to be cleared of suspicion if they didn't commit the crime.

After talking with Kanon, Utako felt much better and prepared for her appointment this afternoon with the Detective Team. During the meeting, the two members of the 20 Faces Fan Club also requested to hear about the case as they had come from overseas to learn about 20 Faces and were extremely interested in this incident. Nokoru and Suoh presented passionate arguments proving that the Golden Goose thief had impersonated 20 Faces, using evidence from the crime scene to a book written by John, a member of the 20 Faces Fan Club, analyzing the behavior of this famous thief. Nokoru asked about the name of the red hair guy and some details from the book, and Kanon noticed Nokoru's eyes quickly shifting towards Edmund. Immediately after, John blurted out a question:

“What about the announcements?”

“Announcements?”

Utako was a bit surprised, not understanding his question.

“20 Faces always announces before stealing.”

Suoh quickly replied:

“We have confirmed with the museum, the police, the press, and other media outlets that there were no announcements at all.”

Nokoru continued:

“That's why this 20 Faces is a fake.”

Both John and Cliff looked surprised, but John's face showed disgust:

“But who could do such a thing, and what is their motive?”

Before Nokoru and Suoh could say anything, Kanon spoke up:

“There are two possibilities.”

“Two possibilities?”

Everyone turned to look at her, except Nokoru, who covered his smile with his fan.

“One is that he simply wants to steal and blame it on 20 Faces. This is something anyone could think of, but there are too many flaws in his behavior that the police would immediately notice. The other is that he wants 20 Faces to appear.

“Whattt???”

The room erupted in noise, and Utako couldn't help but stand up and ask again.

“Why is that?”

“There are many reasons” - Kanon calmly replied – “But the biggest one, in my opinion, is that the impostor is obsessed with 20 Faces. Recently, 20 Faces hasn't been active, which has been driving him crazy. Just look at how he's been distributing flyers everywhere. It's not to let everyone know, but to let 20 Faces know. Whether 20 Faces wants to clear his own name or expose the impostor, he must come forward.”

“Excellent, a brilliant hypothesis.”

Cliff Edmund couldn't hold back anymore. He felt his blood boiling, and he didn't whisper behind John anymore. Instead, he clapped his hands loudly in support of Kanon's theory. Upon hearing this, John couldn't contain his excitement and spoke up:

“Truly, you are the most beloved detective author of 20 Faces. Although I still find this hypothesis hard to believe, it is surprisingly logical. I have nothing more to say. Please, Miss Hanazaki, sign your name here.”

Saying that, he placed his small notebook in front of Kanon, who didn't hesitate to sign it. Nokoru and Suoh were accustomed to Kanon's unbelievable yet accurate theories, so they didn't say anything more. However, Nokoru's gaze towards Edmund became sharper. He had caught on to the excitement in Edmund's eyes when Kanon presented her theory. There was definitely something off about him, and Nokoru's detective instincts told him that. But it wasn't the right time yet. Nokoru confidently ended the conversation with a smile:

“Therefore, we decided to clarify the incident where 20 Faces was impersonated and stole the Golden Goose.”

Utako was extremely happy and knew the power of the Clamp Detective Team, so she quickly bowed and thanked them:

“Thank you, on behalf of 20 Faces, I appreciate everyone's help.”

Nokoru smiled mischievously and teased her:

“Oh, you act like you're his girlfri...”

But before he could finish speaking, Nokoru lowered his head and hugged his legs, while Kanon stood next to him, calmly apologizing:

“Oh, Kaichou, are you okay? I accidentally stepped on your foot.”

Suoh quickly bent down to check if Nokoru was injured, but there was no harm done, just a light stumble. Nokoru suppressed his cries of pain but was puddle of tears inside, vowing to refrain from being so impulsive saying something like that in the future.

Cliff Edmund observed everything unfolding before his eyes, his gaze gliding over Utako's cheerful face before settling on Kanon's calm expression. Hanazaki Kanon, who was this girl? Cliff Edmund repeated her name, doubting that she held many secrets related to 20 Faces that he needed to achieve his own lofty goal of conquering the art of theft, conquering this world. Therefore, he was contemplating a plan to catch both girls, whom he believed were connected to 20 Faces and could potentially make him appear. Why catch both? Because he didn't have many opportunities, so catching the wrong person was better than missing out.

Although Kanon appeared absent-minded, she always paid attention to Cliff's actions. So when he shifted his gaze from Utako to her, she knew what he was planning. He was indeed a cunning schemer. She tried to divert his attention away from Utako, but it wasn't enough. After the conversation ended, Utako returned home to wait for news, and Kanon watched her from behind. Just now, she suddenly remembered that she had given Utako a handkerchief with a leaf from an ancient tree. Although she wasn't sure of the leaf's ability, her intuition told her that Utako would be safe as long as she kept it. So she felt somewhat reassured but still needed a backup plan. It seemed she would have to rely on her bodyguards for that.

That very night, Cliff Edmund arrived at the Ohkawa mansion first. He opened the balcony door to Utako's room and entered as if it were his house. He was confident that he could handle a preschooler with no resistance. But strangely, why was the child's bed empty even though it was already late at night? Cliff looked around the empty room, the curtains swaying in the breeze blowing in from the balcony, distorting his face.

“Bad kid!”

He muttered to himself but didn't give up, pacing around the room, searching every nook and cranny to see if the girl had discovered something and escaped. At this moment, Utako hid behind the bookshelf opposite the bed, covering her mouth with both hands to stifle her fear and prevent herself from screaming. She had been awakened from a terrifying nightmare, dreaming that she was being kidnapped by a fake 20 Faces. Utako sat up, intending to calm herself with a sip of water when she heard a noise outside the balcony. She quickly hid behind the bookshelf and only then did she notice a stranger entering her room. This man dressed exactly like 20 Faces, but how could she mistake the figure of the person she loved the most? This was clearly an impostor.

Meanwhile, at the Ijyuin mansion, Seiji finally found Akira's bedroom. As he climbed the tree outside Akira's room, Seiji almost stumbled and fell when he saw the scene inside. Don't ask what scene it was, just imagine in the middle of a summer night, you see Santa Claus in cozy attire sitting and chatting with his target, wouldn't you be startled? Seiji took a deep breath to regain his composure, took out the note he had prepared according to Kanon's instructions, folded it into a paper airplane, and flew it straight through Akira's window, landing right in the middle of the table where Akira and Santa Claus were conversing. Once Akira noticed the letter, he immediately left.

Ijyuin Shigetoshi, dressed as Santa Claus, watched as Seiji's figure dashed through the trees, while Akira focused on reading the letter:

“Santa Claus, I have to go now. My friend is in danger.”

“I understand, go right away.”

“Goodbye, and thank you for the conversation.”

Akira didn't have time to think, quickly changed clothes, put on a mask, and rushed out into the night.

“Utako-san, please wait for me!”

Ijyuin Shigetoshi stood in the room, watching his son's figure disappear into the night sky, and smiled kindly:

“Son, you have such good friends. Keep going, my boy. Now, let's see how I can help you.”

Kanon was currently in the student council room with Nokoru and Suoh, investigating the case that directly involved their two friends, so she couldn't be indifferent. Even though no one in the council room spoke to each other, through some invisible connection, they all knew that the other members also knew that 20 Faces was Akira, so they were all determined to clear his name.

Suoh obtained information that on the night of the Golden Goose theft, a similar airplane was seen flying around the miniature London island. It's not unusual for airplanes or helicopters to fly in the sky, but if it coincided with that time, it was hard not to suspect. Nokoru quickly thought of the miniature London amusement park invested by the foreign corporation Edmund and immediately instructed Suoh to investigate Cliff Edmund. In just a moment, the information needed appeared on Suoh's computer, including Cliff Edmund's entire background and related details, such as being the son of the Edmund corporation, a promising candidate for the heir position, but with peculiar interests, especially in criminal psychology. He was an obsessed fan of 20 Faces and had sponsored the 20 Faces Fan Club, including this trip.

"He has a tendency towards violence but always maintains a calm demeanor," Suoh read the information, and Nokoru pondered.

"This person is very dangerous," Nokoru said.

"I think we should report to the police," Suoh suggested.

"Alright, I will inform them to come to the miniature London island immediately," Nokoru agreed.

Suoh quickly stood up, intending to make the phone call, but then Kanon spoke:

"No, inform them to come to the Ohkawa mansion."

Nokoru lowered his head and smiled, impressed by Kanon's keen observation and deductive abilities.

Meanwhile, Akira rushed to Utako's house and as he climbed onto the balcony, he came face to face with someone dressed exactly like him, searching the room. Upon seeing Akira, that man became ecstatic as if meeting a dear friend:

"20 Faces, I finally get to meet you," that man said.

Akira didn't know who this man was, but since he had impersonated him and stolen the Golden Goose, he surely had no good intentions. Akira quickly assessed the situation and realized that Utako hadn't fallen into the impostor's hands yet. If he had her in his hands, he wouldn't stay here.

"What do you want?" Akira asked.

"I want you, 20 Faces," the impostor replied.

Hiding in the shadows, Utako almost stumbled, finding the dialogue confusing. Although she didn't pay much attention to same-sex relationships but 20 Faces was her boyfriend. With these thoughts, Utako clenched her teeth.

Oh, little girl, you're thinking too much!

Cliff Edmund looked at the legendary thief in front of him, surprised by how young he was. But the younger he was, the more time he had to reach the pinnacle of glory in the world. Suppressing his desires, Cliff pulled out a small gun from his vest pocket and pointed it at Akira.

"You need to come with me!"

Seeing her boyfriend being threatened, Utako didn't hesitate and rushed out of hiding, shouting:

"Leave my 20 Faces alone!"

"Utako-san!" Akira exclaimed.

Akira was relieved to see Utako safe, but in this situation...

"So, we have a pair now," Cliff said with great satisfaction. He pulled Utako towards Akira and used the gun to control both of them. However, before he could fully enjoy his victory, they heard the sound of an airplane outside and the distinctive laughter of Santa Claus, "Ho ho ho." Akira exclaimed with joy:

"Santa Claus!"

Cliff stared in disbelief:

"It can't be, how is it possible, how..."

But before he could recover from his shock, he felt a paralyzing grip on his gun hand, causing the weapon to fall. Akira swiftly kicked it off the balcony, simultaneously the Golden Goose released a rope ladder in front of him and Utako. Akira held onto Utako tightly, clutching the ladder as the airplane lifted them into the sky. Cliff tightly gripped his numb hand, his face contorted with anger as he watched the two figures disappear into the night sky, gradually becoming out of his sight. His stubborn and manic nature surged up, and Cliff refused to let go. He gritted his teeth and jumped off the balcony, intending to chase after his idol. But as he leaped, he realized something was wrong. The soft ground beneath him sank, trapping him like quicksand. He struggled, but couldn't escape.

"What the hell, what's happening? Is anyone there? Help me!" Cliff panicked and shouted, while Nokoru, Suoh, and Kanon stood in a corner, watching him rise and sink like a dead fish playing in the waves.

"Oh, this artificial swamp trick is quite impressive. It would be fun to have this in a cultural festival," Kanon commented.

"My opinion is quite interesting, isn't it, Kanon-chan?" Nokoru asked.

Seeing Kanon and Nokoru joking around, Suoh felt a headache. This wasn't the time for casual conversation.

Then came the long wailing sound of police sirens, signaling a sleepless night for the criminals.

In this romantic starry night sky, Akira tightly held Utako's hand, and both of them were filled with happiness.

"20 Faces, today isn't Friday, but we have such a romantic date. It's a pity..."

Utako looked down at her pajamas and sighed:

"I'm not wearing nice clothes."

Akira removed his mask and smiled tenderly at Utako:

"To me, Utako-san always shine like the sun."

Utako blushed, she dreamed that this eternal happiness would never end. Some people say that everlasting love is impossible, that humans always change, but she knew that her love for this young man would never waver.

A leaf from an ancient tree sprout clung to Utako's pocket suddenly unfurled, creating a magical display in the night sky with countless sparkling petals as evidence and blessings for their love.

In a dimly lit room, Yudaiji Idomu looked at the satellite images displayed on the computer screen. His lips curled up, but his eyes were cold:

"The Clamp detective team, huh? Not bad, but the pawn this time is too weak."

Then he pushed a black pawn off the chessboard in front of him.