Stand My Heroes: Piece of Truth (スタンドマイヒーローズ PIECE OF TRUTH)

Hello.

What showed up?

It's your job to figure that out, isn't it?

I didn't call you out here for a field trip.

Is that it?

I've never seen this drug before.

I wonder if it's a new kind.

What happened to the owner?

He was arrested last night after going berserk downtown.

If you want to talk to him, go ahead and go to the precinct.

I can go.

Thanks.

We'll have to have Kotaro take a look at this.

"Stand My Heroes"

"Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo"

"Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo" You managed to get Mr. Hiyama to introduce you to the next STAND candidate?

Not bad.

A best-selling author, huh? Must be nice having celebrity connections.

You're coming with me this time, right, Sugano?

Sorry!

Huh?

I've got a bunch of reports I have to do piled up.

So could you maybe ask someone else?

What about one of the narc guys?

They've been busy all morning on a different case where a man was arrested

in possession of a new kind of drug.

I think Mr. Asagiri was covering the case on your end.

Oh, that... Then why not go by yourself?

What else can you do?

But Mr. Aoyama said I should bring someone with me at least for the introduction.

Oh?

Mr. Hattori.

Makoto Tsuzuki, eh?

Isn't he the "God of Tear-jerker Novels," or something?

If I recall correctly...

Weren't you a fan of his, Sosei?

"The Planet Next Door Is Blue" "Makoto Tsuzuki" N-No...

Um...

I must say that I didn't picture you to be a fan of books like that.

Shut up.

S-Sorry.

Um, I've been wondering...

Mr. Tsuzuki is the genius novelist who keeps writing

one hit after another despite how young he is, right?

His younger brother, Kyosuke, who's a popular young actor,

is also another STAND candidate.

Do the police regularly ask novelists and actors to aide them in their investigations?

One of STAND's goals includes

trying to look into new ways of solving cases that were never considered before.

Actors are one thing, but with Mr. Tsuzuki--

They're considering Makoto Tsuzuki as a suspect profiling advisor.

Profiling?

Oh, right. Mr. Tsuzuki used to write crime fiction books, didn't he?

Yeah, to the point that he's being considered

a reliable reference to the police.

Then it'd be great if he's willing to help us out.

Calm down. This isn't a game.

I'm sorry.

Not to mention, we don't know how reliable he'll be.

You looked into how many series he's currently writing, right?

"Is the Popular Novelist Considering Retirement?!" But I think I saw in some tabloids lately that he's possibly considering retirement.

What kind of idiot actually believes what's written in the tabloids?

Oh, right.

You were planning to meet him with unreliable information like that?

This isn't a game.

I'm sorry!

He seems scarier than usual.

Um, my name is Izumi, and I have an appointment with Mr. Makoto Tsuzuki.

We've been expecting you. Please go ahead.

Yes?

Hello, my name is Izumi. I'm here on Mr. Hiyama's referral.

"Novelist: Makoto Tsuzuki"

"Novelist: Makoto Tsuzuki" I'm Makoto Tsuzuki.

Basically,

we were hoping we could ask you to assist us with

your exceptional observation skills and ability to read people.

I'm sure you'd need some time to think this over,

-but if you could--

--That's enough. --but if you could--

--That's enough. --Huh?

I said, that's enough.

That sounds absolutely dull and plebeian

to the point that it's discouraging. It's unthinkable.

And if you're trying to say that something so stereotypical is my skill,

I can only imagine what you're going to say next.

I'm sorry to make you come all this way,

but I'd like you to leave now.

M-Mr. Arakida!

Um...

If I have somehow insulted you in any way, I'm terribly sorry.

But I can't leave knowing that I've insulted you.

Could you consider hearing me out again?

There are two reasons I can't take on this request.

The first is work-related. Right now, I'm rather busy.

Due to certain reasons, I'm thinking about ending all of my current series.

Since I'm planning to quit due to personal reasons,

I need to do everything I can to ensure that

I can come up with endings that my readers will be satisfied with.

I have no time to take on a side job right now.

The second reason is rather personal.

I don't trust narcs.

I believe they're incompetent.

As long as narcs are involved in this

I have absolutely no intention of cooperating.

You're not supposed to look so blatantly disappointed in front of him.

I'm sorry. But after he was so blunt about how he felt, I couldn't hide my shock.

Yet you were still audacious enough to say,

"I'll be back again," and gave him documents.

So he's going to end his series...

So what if he does?

It's work. If it became too personal, he'd probably keep seesawing back and forth.

Right...

These are the drugs we confiscated.

We questioned the man who had these, and according to him

these drugs are safe because they aren't addictive.

Wha? He can't be serious.

Where'd they come from?

He refused to tell us.

Kotaro.

How's the component analysis going?

It's going. There was one thing that concerned me though.

This drug has very similar components to another drug in our database.

It was commonly known as "Plus."

It made the rounds ten-odd years ago.

What kind of drug is it?

That's unknown.

Wait, what?

All we had were the results of its component analysis.

That itself was incomplete and insufficient data.

There might be more detailed information kept elsewhere.

All right.

Yui, continue analyzing the drug.

Natsume, could you take another look through the database?

What?

Carefully search through the whole database to make sure

there isn't any other information concerning Plus.

But that's insane...

Kotaro couldn't find any more info, could he?

You're a firm believer in getting off from work on time, correct?

Then we're going to work you as hard as a racehorse while you're on the clock.

Hey!

Um...

Isn't there anything I can do to help?

Your scouting duties should be your priority.

Izumi.

Scouting Makoto Tsuzuki didn't go so well?

It wasn't the best encounter.

Sorry I haven't been able to help you out lately.

Oh, no!

I'm fine. Mr. Arakida was even kind enough to call me audacious!

I'll keep doing my best!

You had no right to decide that on your own!

I had every right.

Why are you always so...

Fine!

Ah...

So you're the one that left those STAND documents with him.

Must be cool, being a narc.

Thanks!

Don't be so nervous, Miss Rei.

"Miss Rei"?

"Actor: Kyosuke Tsuzuki"

"Actor: Kyosuke Tsuzuki" You can just call me Kyosuke.

"Actor: Kyosuke Tsuzuki" Don't be too distant with me, okay?

Wait, did I creep you out?

Oh, no! It's just that you seem nothing like your brother.

I get that all the time. My brother's talented, after all.

No, that's not what I meant!

I know. My bad.

Sorry for what you saw earlier

and to make you hold off on seeing my brother again.

It's fine...

It's not like he was going to welcome me with open arms anyway.

So my brother's novel Being In Love In the Center of the World...

There are plans to make a live-action drama of it.

I got offered the leading role.

That's amazing.

But my brother refused to let it get adapted into a drama.

Really?