While waiting across the street from Kudo's apartment, Kusanagi notices Kudo pulling in to his apartment complex. He rushes through the basement entrance to get ahead of Kudo and then flashes his badge, requesting that Kudo answer some questions.

While in Kudo's apartment, Kusanagi affects a purposely hard-nosed demeanor in order extract information from Kudo. He purposely suggests that Togashi met with Yasuko despite Yasuko's testimony to the contrary. This is done deliberately in order throw Kudo off his balance and make him more prone to unintentionally divulge extra information. But the whole time that he faces off with Kusanagi, Kudo is polite and honest, providing evidence for his alibi on March 10 and opening up about his romantic intentions in the wake of his wife's death. He gets defensive about any suggestion that Yasuko is guilty and rushes to defend her against Kusanagi's suspicions. After being quesioned for some time, Kudo is able to infer that Yasuko has been under police surveillance, which is what enables the police to connect him with Yasuko. Upon leaving, though, Kusanagi resumes his usual demeanor, concluding that Kudo is innocent of any wrongdoing.

Next, Kusanagi takes a taxi to Imperial University, hoping to catch up with Yukawa and inquire about Yukawa's recent visit to the lunch box shop with Ishigami. Yukawa, however, is not at his lab in the university. A graduate student present in the lab tells Kusanagi that Yukawa has gone to Shinozaki Station, the train station closest to the murder scene. Wishing to call Yukawa and find out more about his reasons for going there, Kusanagi decides to let Yukawa investigate the case freely.

Finally, Kusanagi catches up with Ishigami as he walks home from school after having finished grading the make-up exams for his students. Kusanagi shows Ishigami a picture of Kudo, asking whether or not Ishigami can provide information about him. While Ishigami considers it prudent to simply feign ignorance about Kudo, he is too curious to pass up on the opporunity to learn the identity of the man who has been going out with Yasuko recently, so he asks Kusanagi specifics about Kudo. Kusanagi also inquires about the purpose of Yukawa and Ishigami visit to the lunch box shop, which tips off Ishigami about the fact that he has been under police surveillance. As Kusanagi leaves, Ishigami intuitively senses that is carefully crafted plan has been disrupted by some "unpredictable variable."