Discussion Thread about Rum

[Guest]

Despite the fact that Gosho mentioned this in an Animal Crossing Hint in September last year, I think it's a bit too quick to say that this is factual, especially when we have a limited range of suspects, and that the AC hint was followed by a laugh. I just don't think we should rule out new characters because of that AC hint.

 

There really isn't a reason to completely ignore an AC hint. The one that says "Sera-chan calls 'kichi-nii' " (as in to call a name/nickname) was even before the "the truth is, Rum has already appeared" one and it still has not actually happened in series yet. 

 

Rum could have easily appeared before somewhere in the series, but probably recently enough for the common audience to recognize the person and actually be shocked at it. I'm NOT saying that Shuukichi has anything to do with Rum. But there really should be no reason not to put him on a suspect list. I mean Kansuke Yamato is still listed on the wiki suspect list despite Gosho saying twice that he is not Rum. 

 

 

For Jimmy:

Nice catch! Might be either a coincidence or Gosho playing with numbers; I can say I am pretty sure it won't be related to the plot. Secondly, the "types" of smiles were clearly different in all three cases, I don't think that is enough to determine Shuukichi is Rum, besides if we trust what Gosho said he has not appeared before. 

 

I wasn't even really trying to use it to say that Shuukichi was Rum, because I dont think he is. I just happened to find that while looking for Okiya related stuff and it fit with the post I was typing/responding to. I had actually typed more in that post, but after adding the comment about the smiling stuff, that other information seemed irrelevant. Thats why there are two lines of blank space between the parts of the comment.  Actually what Gosho said is that Rum HAS appeared before. He said this at around ch906, just after we got descriptions of what Rum is supposed to look like.

[Heliotropic 139]

There really isn't a reason to completely ignore an AC hint. The one that says "Sera-chan calls 'kichi-nii' " (as in to call a name/nickname) was even before the "the truth is, Rum has already appeared" one and it still has not actually happened in series yet. 

 

I'm not saying we should completely ignore it. I'm merely stating that it's a possibility that Rum has not already appeared throughout the series. Saying that any character that has appeared after File 906 can't be Rum, because of that hint just seems a little absurd to me (Especially since we don't really have a clue as to who Rum could be at this point in time).

I wouldn't completely write off Shuukichi as a suspect, but I suppose it depends on how you look at it. Both Kansuke and Shuukichi have enough at this point to dismiss them as Rum candidates, regardless of the AC hints. The same applies to Kuroda. 

 

If a character from a past case suddenly makes another appearance, it's definitely worth examining 

 

Edit: I mean who knows some of the time. He could be talking about the bottle of Rum on the cover of File 906, or maybe he could even be referring to the tribute to Urusei Yatsura with Lum's appearance in the manga. 

 

[EthanHunter 7]

For Heliotropic:

Congrats for getting the 463,364th post! (palindrome)

 

 

So for now we can say it wasn't anyone too obvious, since Gosho realized it later on, or so it seems at least.

 

For Jimmy:

Yup, I know you are not suggesting he is the mid brother, I was just saying it would be way too pointless if that's the case and also a bit far-fetched, besides it would make all the deductions we have made about him since the bowling case useless, so I just don't even want to consider that being a possibility.

 

I know this is also far-fetched, but what do u guys think about that old man in the night baron case? I remember him being one of the minor suspects for being the boss, but it might make sense if he is RUM. 

A major problem is that since we know RUM has not really made a very direct appearance and could literally be any random character, Gosho could have changed his identity any time mid-way so it would be hard for us to just guess.

[Guest]

 

I'm not saying we should completely ignore it. I'm merely stating that it's a possibility that Rum has not already appeared throughout the series. Saying that any character that has appeared after File 906 can't be Rum, because of that hint just seems a little absurd to me (Especially since we don't really have a clue as to who Rum could be at this point in time).

I wouldn't completely write off Shuukichi as a suspect, but I suppose it depends on how you look at it. Both Kansuke and Shuukichi have enough at this point to dismiss them as Rum candidates, regardless of the AC hints. The same applies to Kuroda. 

 

If a character from a past case suddenly makes another appearance, it's definitely worth examining  

You mean like Sakurako?

She, Shuukichi, MG, and Kuroda are really the only unique characters that have

been introduced as of late that seem to be moving the story a little. 

 

I never said that characters that have appeared after 906 couldn't be Rum, I was just stating that the comment was said around then. I believe that it was mentioned before either earlier in this thread, or the Rum thread on DCTP that since Kuroda's past is a little bit sketchy with the whole coma thing and suddenly looking a bit different when he woke up. This could mean that a character we have seen before, who is Rum, could be disguising as Kuroda as someone who has infiltrated the police force. In this way it could still be someone who appeared before 906, but still be someone who is currently appearing after 906. (It sounds a bit weird and complicated, but its not impossible) 

[Heliotropic 139]

You mean like Sakurako?

Well, not exactly... though I suppose she might have raised a red flag after her third appearance in File 918. I think she'll have some significance to the plot, even if it's incredibly minor. It does seem strange that not only she's noticed Conan's double personality, but that she keeps reappearing, and even got a keyhole for the latest volume. I'm not going to read into it too much since she might be there simply because she is Chiba and Naeko's friend.

[Uchiha Shadow 44]

The more he's hinted to be the middle bro, the more he's unlikely to be it.

I just want to say that it's not always the case, Gosho always gives a lot of hints about his mysteries, like for example, that Scar Akai is not the real Akai but Bourbon, and that he is Amuro, the fact that Okiya is Akai, all of them were hinted at greatly to the point where it was obvious, if Gosho intended for Shuukichi to even be a RUM suspect, I think he would've made him do suspicious things that at least make him a suspect.

[Guest]

I just want to say that it's not always the case, Gosho always gives a lot of hints about his mysteries, like for example, that Scar Akai is not the real Akai but Bourbon, and that he is Amuro, the fact that Okiya is Akai, all of them were hinted at greatly to the point where it was obvious, if Gosho intended for Shuukichi to even be a RUM suspect, I think he would've made him do suspicious things that at least make him a suspect.

 

But to be fair, Okiya was made to appear to be an overly suspicious person and then turned out not to be. 

He is literally introduced (ch622) as a character who sets off Haibaras Bo detector

He sits in the dark drinking Bourbon. 

Making really creepy faces when ever possible 

There was all the stuff about getting close to Haibara, but remember, at the time Conan and Jodie were assuming 

that Bourbon wanted to get close to Haibara anyway. 

There also really wasn't any way to determine 100% that Okiya wasn't Scar Akai until the Red shirts bomber case (ch700)

where they appeared side by side. The first appearance gave so little info about Scar Akai that all you

could really determine is that it was not the real Akai.  

Heck even the character "Amuro Touru" didn't even appear until Ch 793, which is 170 chapters after Okiya is introduced. 

 

The main reason that the dynamic between Okiya and Amuro got figured out so quickly is that Gosho said in an interview that 

he wanted to create a character based on the Gundam character Amuro Ray and kept talking about Gundam references. 

Then, a few weeks later Amuro Touru appeared and everyone was like "well, I guess we know who that is...." 

 

Right now we are only sitting at 84 chapters since Shuukichi's initial appearance. Who knows what he can do. Heck he has only appeared

in person in two cases so far. The most recent was only a phone call appearance. We don't really know what he does when he isn't playing

Shogi. He could eventually do something suspicious, although he may not. Its really all up in the air. We need him to appear more, we need

Masumi to see him face to face. Right now even Scar Akai has had more conformable appearances than him. 

[EthanHunter 7]

In no other case except that of Vermouth have we had some many clues and then got fooled, now Vermouth was an extremely important character reveal, should not be the case with Shuukichi.

I think Okiya was a bit too obvious to be Bourbon when he first appeared, another clue that he was Akai was that he appeared right after the Akai arc.

I believe by ep. 704 we had more than enough clues to determine he was Akai, and we were not trolled.

[Chekhov MacGuffin 1089]

In no other case except that of Vermouth have we had some many clues and then got fooled,

Eh, Vermouth's arc used the same mystery tactics as Kir's and Bourbon's. True, the clues were harder to spot and fewer in number, but you definitely could see the writing on the wall from a ways out. Once you got the feeling Jodie was not Vermouth but was actually hunting her instead (the biggest easy to spot clue was the fact that Jodie chose a high school position, not elementary school where Haibara and Conan were), then suspicion fell sharply on Araide. The big difference was that it was the first arc mystery where the reader had to hunt for a BO, so readers didn't have the learned experience yet. Also there were no internet forums to collaborate on back then, like edogawa proboards or early stage DCTP.

[DCUniverseAficionado 252]

She might be there simply because she is Chiba and Naeko's friend.

Not saying Gosho isn't capable of this, but that would be a waste of a character. He just likes her voice actress, one may also say, but isn't it possible that such a reason could motivate him to have her play a key part in the plot (at least at one specific juncture)? People kept wondering why Ariade kept appearing after his debut in Files 234–237... in Files 429–434, he was revealed to have been impersonated by Vermouth. Not saying that this specific twist is going to be used again, but the broad point of a seemingly insignificant character people wonder about the continued appearances of may very well apply.

[EthanHunter 7]

Yup, it  is not going to far to say the maid seems kind of suspicious, it is not like Gosho to do things such as introduce recurring characters for no reason. 

It might have been possible that she was introduced to be a connection between Chiba and Naeko, but then did Gosho really need to make her question Conan's double personality?

Going back to Shuukichi, I really expect him to be Rum at all no matter what actually.

[DCUniverseAficionado 252]

Yup, it  is not going to far to say the maid seems kind of suspicious, it is not like Gosho to do things such as introduce recurring characters for no reason. 

It might have been possible that she was introduced to be a connection between Chiba and Naeko, but then did Gosho really need to make her question Conan's double personality?

I think her presence will start something that leads to Shinichi/Conan finding out something about Rum. I don't think she's an antagonist (like a BO agent or criminal), and that includes Rum. Like Shiho/Ai said in File 925, if Rum had seen her, he/she would've been after her, and Sakurako had plenty of chances to see her during Yumi's Love Story (File 847–File 849) and the Talent Blog Murder Case (File 918–File 920). 

 

Going back to Shuukichi, I really expect him to be Rum at all no matter what actually.

You mean you don't expect him to be Rum at all, no matter what, right? 

 

I completely agree—given how he recognized Shinichi's/Conan's intelligence, saw Shiho/Ai, his personality, and the fact he has a girlfriend (who he first met when he fell asleep and drooled on her shoulder), pretty much rule him out. The man he played in the Meijin Match, though... why did he appear on that Volume's keyhole (85), when he only appeared for a few panels? He wasn't even really important, in terms of the case, like other one-case keyhole characters are. It's true that Shukichi beat him even with the little time he had to play, and Gosho could've just slapped him on the keyhole because he couldn't think of anyone else or because he liked how the character looked, but...

 

Point is, the guy Shukichi beat in the Meijin match, Chikara Katsumata, is more likely to be Rum than Shukichi is.

[EthanHunter 7]

You mean you don't expect him to be Rum at all, no matter what, right?  .

yeah xD

 

I don't think she's an antagonist (like a BO agent or criminal), and that includes Rum. 

Yeah I agree with that, she does not at all seem to be like what a BO member should be like, she clearly doesn't have enough intelligence to be the BO #2. RUM aside, she probably doesn't have to do with either BO, or FBI or even CIA, because even if she is putting up an act, why would she act as a maid? It just doesn't make sense, and same for Shuukichi, I don't think Gosho would make him one of the guys just out of respect to Yoshiharu Habu

Let's hope we get a plot relevant case soon, whether it is Akai family related or BO related doesn't matter

[DCUniverseAficionado 252]

Let's hope we get a plot relevant case soon, whether it is Akai family related or BO related doesn't matter

 

Pattern I noticed in DC: 

 

Conan–Kir Arc (Files 1–621) – Depth over breadth in plot-related cases, meaning there are fewer plot cases, but with a lot of plot in them.

Bourbon–Rum Arc (Files 622–) – Breadth over depth in plot-related cases, meaning there are more plot cases, but with less plot in them.

 

My point? MG has appeared in 6 of the 18 cases—in nearly the past two years—since her intro in October, 2013. Despite her appearing 1/3rd of the time, we still know so little about her, pretty much as little as we did when she first actually spoke (File 878). This is a multi-arc dangling plot thread that continues to go unanswered, and it is tied to Masumi's past meeting with Shinichi and Ran. Her knowledge of the fact that Shinichi is Conan and that she knows him has been alluded to, at least in the case of the former, since her introduction. The Bourbon arc was 3 and 1/2 years old when she was introduced—essentially, so many questions surrounding her have gone unanswered for 4 and 1/2 years... that's as long as it took for Bourbon's identity to be revealed.

[EthanHunter 7]

 that's as long as it took for Bourbon's identity to be revealed.

Yup, sera and bourbon were both introuced at similar times, probably to make sera seem a little bit suspicious and a suspect of being bourbon.

I agree with what you said, and my opinion on that would be that DC is running out of ideas. I mean cases like the red woman or the treasure chest case, the romance novelist case and perhaps even the recent condiments case wouldnt be as interesting without Sera, IMO the treasure chest case would be an AO level case without Sera. Same would apply to some Bourbon appearances... another example is of course the blog case which wouldnt really have been significant without a Kuroda appearance. 

In other words, they are making important and mysterious characters make random appearances just to keep cases interesting, nothing wrong with it because I personally don't expect any exceptionally brilliant cases any soon, and they of course can't reveal much about the characters because then the series will end much sooner.

[EthanHunter 7]

Just saw there is an AC hint that said RUM is gonna be in movie 20

Does that mean we will get a reveal like movie 18? ^^

[Heliotropic 139]

Just saw there is an AC hint that said RUM is gonna be in movie 20

Does that mean we will get a reveal like movie 18? ^^

I suppose it depends on how he will "appear". If he makes a proper appearance in the movie, he'll probably show up in the manga soon.

 

Movie 18's "reveal" didn't really mean much since many people put together that Subaru was Akai long before the Scarlet series, mostly after the Mystery Train, though the situation might be similar to M18.

[DCUniverseAficionado 252]

Movie 18's "reveal" didn't really mean much since many people put together that Subaru was Akai long before the Scarlet series, mostly after the Mystery Train, though the situation might be similar to M18.

 

But no other movie before it spoiled the manga before the manga files that revealed the truth came out.

 

By watching Dimensional Sniper, you could be spoiled on one of the Bourbon arc's longest questions (it went unanswered even longer than the "Who is Bourbon?" question) if you didn't watch Episode 509–Episode 704.

 

I'd say a lot of people on this site and DCTP put the answer to the question together, but I can't comment on other DC fan sites.

[Balthazar Manfredie 226]

most likely rum will be introduced in 2-4 months

[Heliotropic 139]

But no other movie before it spoiled the manga before the manga files that revealed the truth came out.

 

By watching Dimensional Sniper, you could be spoiled on one of the Bourbon arc's longest questions (it went unanswered even longer than the "Who is Bourbon?" question) if you didn't watch Episode 509–Episode 704.

 

I'd say a lot of people on this site and DCTP put the answer to the question together, but I can't comment on other DC fan sites.

 

Yep!

 

By the time Movie 18 was out we did have quite a bit to draw from though (in both anime and manga). If Rum does make a proper appearance, even by the time M20 is aired in Japan the anime won't really have anything to put the pieces together (Granted the anime is only 7 cases behind the manga...)

Many will see the movie around October, so maybe the anime will get out some relevant information, but only if Rum makes an appearance in the manga relatively soon...

 

Either way, I suppose if Rum does make an actual appearance, I'd consider it a much bigger reveal than Movie 18, at least if you are partial to the anime.

 

I'm definitely not holding out hope for an actual reveal. I wonder if we'll see anything of significance in the trailer...

[DCUniverseAficionado 252]

most likely rum will be introduced in 2-4 months

Ah, but Gosho said Rum had already appeared by September 2014. You must mean something else.

 

By the time Movie 18 was out we did have quite a bit to draw from though (in both anime and manga).

True, but Subaru pressing that part of his neck that was always covered while he spoke, a beeping sound being made, due to it, and his voice suddenly being Shuichi's is about as close to official confirmation you can get without reading File 894–File 898, and Dimensional Sniper came out around the time the first images and spoiler info about File 894 were coming out.

 

If Rum does make a proper appearance, even by the time M20 is aired in Japan the anime won't really have anything to put the pieces together

We really haven't had something about Rum since Kuroda last appeared (File 920) and was last mentioned (File 925)—but that's if you count focus on a red herring character (Even Gosho, through Shiho/Ai, has said he's too obvious and hasn't done what Rum would do (File 925)). Technically, the case just covered in the anime (File 906–File 908/Episode 792 and Episode 793) gets everyone who just watches anime on par with what the manga readers know of Rum—we'll definitely reach Kuroda's introduction before Movie 20 comes out, and maybe even reach his last actual appearance before then (File 920). Remember, the anime was on Steamy Relations (File 856–File 858/Episode 740 and Episode 741) when Scarlet Showdown started being released—Shuichi/Subaru didn't appear between File 843/Episode 723 and File 894/Episode 781. No significant info about Rum has been revealed since File 908/Episode 793, so as long as Gosho starts to dive into it in the manga (or has made plans to) by then, he has a pretext to work him into the film. Most likely, the movie will come out on Saturday, April 16th—since 2008, every DC movie has come out on the Saturday of the third week of April—Rum case or not, we'll be getting spoilers when it's hitting theaters in Japan. If it is a Rum case that we start getting spoiler images of, that Friday, we may get them even sooner, and also sooner—actual pictures taken of the relevant info by people in theaters.

 

The anime is only 7 cases behind the manga...

I know, right? Normally, it's 10-13 cases behind. It may climb back up to 8 or even 9 with all October being AO episodes, but this is the closest the anime and manga have been together in... ever?... ah, those elusive dates of release for DC files released before 2004...

 

Many will see the movie around October, so maybe the anime will get out some relevant information, but only if Rum makes an appearance in the manga relatively soon...

By then, we'll probably have already gotten the Zombie case, and will, then, be getting whatever case is due next in the anime... wow, just thinking about that...

 

Last year, at this time (October 3rd, 2014), Midnight Crow (MK File 31–MK File 33) was in the process of coming out, and the most recent case in the manga was Scriptwriter Murder Case/Three First Discoverers, the most recent manga cat adapted to anime... I guess time can fly, even with DC.

 

Either way, I suppose if Rum does make an actual appearance, I'd consider it a much bigger reveal than Movie 18, at least if you are partial to the anime.

You know it—no vital info about the BO was revealed in Countdown to Heaven or The Raven Chaser. Any info about the boss' number two in Movie 20 would be groundbreaking.

 

I'm definitely not holding out hope for an actual reveal. I wonder if we'll see anything of significance in the trailer...

Yeah, it's quite a long shot... but why not hope? Did anyone think Subaru's identity was going to be revealed when Movie 18 was in the works?

 

Just watch the trailer for The Raven Chaser... now that's false advertising—and Movie 18's trailer made it sound like Shuichi was being targeted by the sniper... you know, the supposedly dead Shuichi... and the end of it had the sniper verbally taunt Shinichi/Conan with something like, "The game's over, detective...", which he never said, in the movie. He just kept calling Shinichi/Conan a brat.

 

Have your BS detector on when the trailer for Movie 20 comes out... I'm eager for the poster, as well. Movie 13's had skull-Gin looking at a bleeding Shinichi/Conan with the outline of Shinichi, who was bleeding just the same... wonder what Gosho has in mind... he did make a reference to working on it, in an AC hint.

[Balthazar Manfredie 226]

Ah, but Gosho said Rum had already appeared by September 2014. You must mean something else.

 

Yes, you are right

My bad, i forgot about that statement

Given that i hear that he will apear in M20 I was thinking we will see who he is in that time cause the new movie is kinda close

Also, you look informed...a lot

Jave you narowed the suspects

[DCUniverseAficionado 252]

Also, you look informed...a lot

Jave you narowed the suspects

I do? Thanks! 

 

It's not Kuroda (obvious red herring + confirmed by Gosho); it's not Kansuke (red herring + confirmed by Gosho on multiple occasions); it's not Matsumoto (if he was, by now, Shinichi/Conan would be done—I think he even got a chance to see Shiho/Ai (File 804–File 808/Episode 681–Episode 683) + we see him three years after File 78–File 80/Episode 18—unless he escapes or Shinichi/Conan lets him go for some reason, or Gosho has DC take over 4 years (unlikely, given that Ran states in File 882 that it hasn't even been a year since just before File 1), he can't be it); and it's not Heizo, Heiji's father (he should've figured out what Heiji was up to with Shinichi/Conan and had chances to meet Shinichi/Conan and observe his intelligence—punching his son may be extreme, but it was done to catch criminals (it's not like he needed to do that—why not just let such a difficult case go? He seems pretty secure in his position), and then there's the matter of his wife, Shizuka... what would her position be, if her husband was Rum, especially with her speech to the culprit of her intro case (File 276–File 278)?).

 

Taka'aki (Koumei) seems a good choice, but his friendship with Kansuke would be pointless, and then there's the fact he's noticed how intelligent Shinichi/Conan is probably more than any other police officer, given Shinichi's/Conan's camaraderie with the Nagano detectives.

 

In File 898, Agasa plays a trick on the DBs by putting vinegar in four cups and pretending one has lemon juice—this "cheating" is the subject right before Rum is revealed. Perhaps there is no artificial eye—maybe all the people thought to be him, described by various Organization members, were just body doubles who had a prosthetic eye... this was done to further throw off people in the matter of Rum's identity.

 

Beyond the fact that Rum has appeared, I just can't think of who it could be, after I've eliminated all those suspects... I'll ponder it some more, and then get back to you.

[Heliotropic 139]

Though it has already been mentioned, I'm still under the impression that Gosho could have been referring to Lum with that AC hint (Rum has already appeared). I'm pretty sure the hint coincided with that File (906), and he did have that panel for the MyxLum34 section in 2007 with Lum depicted as Rum, the newest B.O member (though I'm not sure he'd really be referencing something that obscure). The Lum cameo in 906 was most likely inspired from that section too.
 
Not sure if the interview has been posted here either (but here it is)

To be honest, I’m at a loss (laughs). 

Well, I don’t think this is a right place to write my personal problems, but my manga “Case Closed” has lazily continued over ten years and a lot of members from the Conan’s rivalrous Syndicate have appeared over the course of the story. Gin, Vodka, Tequila, Sherry and Vermouth etc… 

Yeah, their names are all from liquors. 

And the last name I have not use yet, but the most famous and coolest one 

It’s “Rum”… 

But this name curved in the heart of all of manga fans from all over Japan, no, all over the world. And everyone knows..who qualifies for this name. 

I myself know it more than anyone else. 

Never USE IT-----! I could possibly never use it!! 

This oni girl appears on pages in aggressive ways, and Attracts innocent fans with her cute appearance, sexy body and destructive electric shocks. And still now she is mastering the centers of their hearts! Probably she will do so in the future…like Astro Boy of Osamu Tezuka-sensei… 

…..But someday I will use the name 

……Please forgive me with laughs when I do it. 

……Oh, woe is me!.... (Laughs) 

 
 
Not discounting that Rum could have already appeared either, it's easily possible, but I think Rum could also be a new character too. If he has already appeared, I can't really think of anyone in particular that could fit, not reasonably anyways..

[DCUniverseAficionado 252]

Though it has already been mentioned, I'm still under the impression that Gosho could have been referring to Lum with that AC hint (Rum has already appeared). I'm pretty sure the hint coincided with that File (906), and he did have that panel for the MyxLum34 section in 2007 with Lum depicted as Rum, the newest B.O member (though I'm not sure he'd really be referencing something that obscure). The Lum cameo in 906 was most likely inspired from that section too.

 

Not sure if the interview has been posted here either (but here it is)

To be honest, I’m at a loss (laughs). 

Well, I don’t think this is a right place to write my personal problems, but my manga “Case Closed” has lazily continued over ten years and a lot of members from the Conan’s rivalrous Syndicate have appeared over the course of the story. Gin, Vodka, Tequila, Sherry and Vermouth etc… 

Yeah, their names are all from liquors. 

And the last name I have not use yet, but the most famous and coolest one 

It’s “Rum”… 

But this name curved in the heart of all of manga fans from all over Japan, no, all over the world. And everyone knows..who qualifies for this name. 

I myself know it more than anyone else. 

Never USE IT-----! I could possibly never use it!! 

This oni girl appears on pages in aggressive ways, and Attracts innocent fans with her cute appearance, sexy body and destructive electric shocks. And still now she is mastering the centers of their hearts! Probably she will do so in the future…like Astro Boy of Osamu Tezuka-sensei… 

…..But someday I will use the name 

……Please forgive me with laughs when I do it. 

……Oh, woe is me!.... (Laughs) 

 

 

Not discounting that Rum could have already appeared either, it's easily possible, but I think Rum could also be a new character too. If he has already appeared, I can't really think of anyone in particular that could fit, not reasonably anyways..

 

Hmm... in that case...

 

Since I can't think of who Rum could be, this would definitely work, as a possible explanation for some things.

 

Still, Kuroda's too obvious, and Kansuke can't be it, either.

 

Maybe Heizo could be our man, but you'd think he'd try not to have Heiji become someone he might have to get rid of, and again, his wife's staunch morality—it's kinda like having Kogoro be Anokata... all those connections and development become moot.