The idea is beautiful, but reality is not so simple.

A few words from Watanabe Gengo disrupted Yuki and Mizuo's original plan.

Before coming to this coffee shop, Yuki and Mizuo intended to gather clues about the man in the photo by contacting insiders who work here, and then use those clues to make progress in their investigation.

That was the plan, but faced with reality and Watanabe Gengo's words, they had to admit that the clue was cut off.

Watanabe Gengo himself was already lucky help. Otherwise, what could two little kids like them do with just a photo of a person's back?

And now, they had to go back to square one and start with the photo again.

"Ah..."

The two little girls sighed at the same time.

"Hey hey hey, what's wrong, what's wrong, what's wrong? You two kids, stop sighing and start smiling more."

"How can we smile when it feels like there's no hope of finding the real culprit anymore?"

Mizuo hung her head, sounding defeated.

Yuki stayed silent, seemingly deep in thought but also gloomy.

"You two are giving up too early, aren't you?"

Watanabe Gengo said, stomping his cane lightly on the ground, startling the two kids.

"Have you tried the police?"

"Have you interviewed the residents nearby?"

"And how did you find out that I work here? Can this method be used to investigate the person in this photo?"

To comfort and encourage the two little girls, Watanabe Gengo offered them one suggestion after another. With each suggestion, their eyes sparkled a bit more, until finally they were full of enthusiasm and ready to try.

Although most of their enthusiasm stemmed from Watanabe Gengo's sarcastic tone and disdainful attitude, it ignited their fighting spirit.

"Old man, don't underestimate us! We are capable kids who can do anything we set our minds to, right, Yuki?"

"Right!"

"We are kids who dare to climb up and down a one-story tree, right, Yuki?"

"Right!"

"We are capable kids who eat anything, including green peppers and natto, right, Yuki?"

"Right!"

"Hmph! Did you hear that? We're amazing! We don't need you, old man, to lecture us!"

Mizuo pouted with immense pride, thinking she was being cool, and jumped off the tall chair. However, her secret weapon, the anti-wolf pepper spray gun and the alarm that would emit a sharp sound when pressed, which she had hidden behind her, fell to the ground as she landed...

"Oh~ Prepared, huh? You really are capable kids."

Watanabe Gengo watched with a face that revealed a mocking and contemptuous smile, to put it simply, he was laughing at them. However, considering his unique appearance, perhaps he just wanted to make Mizuo feel less embarrassed by making her laugh.

Regardless, the children couldn't understand his thoughts, nor would they try to guess them. They didn't yet know that as people grow older, their words and actions become inconsistent, and they become accustomed to wearing masks.

"Yuki, let's go!"

Under Watanabe Gengo's mockery, Mizuo hastily packed up the scattered props and stuffed them into her backpack, wanting to leave this place as soon as possible. However, Yuki seemed to have a different idea.

"Old man, even though you don't know who the man in the photo is, can you help us in our future investigation?"

Yuki spoke with sincerity in her words.

This unexpected request made Watanabe Gengo pause for a moment, but soon, he showed a malicious smile.

"I can, but I have conditions.