A week of the new school year had passed for the Shounen Tantei-dan (third year students!(Seniors)), Haru, and Shiho, and a week of pre-school for Toichi, Tsukiko, Sei, Mao, Noa, and Conan. So it was time for the little kid's teacher meetings. Kazuha and Shinichi were taking Haru and Shiho to meet with Watashi-sensei for 2-A(second grade advanced class). While Saguru, Akako, Kaito, Aoko, Heiji, and Ran took Sei, Toichi, Tsukiko, Mao, Noa, and Conan to meet with Teichi-sensei for 0-A(advanced kindergarten class). The Tantei-dan were joining the four year olds because Ayumi and Aya volunteered the group to watch the group 0-A in the room next door while the adults discussed whatever adults discussed in the classroom.
"Why do you two always sign us up for stuff like this?!" Genta set his sleepy-eyed glare on the Tantei-dan's two shortest members. The Shounen Tantei-dan were walking behind the parents and 4's on the way to the school and Genta was not in the best mood for waking up before noon on a Saturday morning.
The shortest responded back, "It's not like you guys haven't done the same before; Mitsuhiko-kun had us all go to that doushin (Japanese doushinji convention), E-chan took us to that karaoke contest, Ai-chan tricked us in to going on that shopping trip in America, and you had us all go to that cake shop last night Genta-kun!" Aya grinned up at her taller friend. "So it's only fair you guys come with me and Ayumi-chan on this."
"Besides, it's not that much work." Ayumi-chan smiled at the group always a piece maker, " Conan-kun (Shinichi's son, not APTX Shinichi) begged us to do it, and Sei-kun said there was only one other kid besides them in the advanced class, so it's not like it's all that much that we have to do."
Ai, Eisuke, Genta, and Mitsuhiko glanced understandably at each other. Aya and Ayumi had never been able to tell any of the kids no, especially Conan-kun.
Ayumi was perfectly correct in saying that it would not very difficult in watching the 4's. Their group of six and the one extra boy were all busy with the teachers assignment, drawing a picture of their family members.
Sei-kun was quietly using a pencil to create a stickman sketch of himself, Akako and Saguru, and his falcon Masanori.
Toichi and Conan seemed to be having to have a contest to squeeze as much color onto the paper as it would take with Conan's drawings of big colorful blobs that he had dubbed after himself, Ran, Shininci, Shiho, Rei, Eisuke, and Aya, while Toichi used a mass of random squiggles to show himself, Tsukiko, Aoko, Kaito, and what apparently was a swarm of doves.
A extremely concentrated Tsukiko, the artist perfectionist, appeared to be attempting to sketch everyone she had ever met from Hakase to Dr. Aride in her piece of paper.
Noa was trying to copy Mao's drawing of Heiji, Kazuha, Haru, and themselves. Thus causing Mao to move to the empty seat next to the new boy, Ichiro-san.
Glancing at Ichiro's paper, Mao noticed that it was quite different from her own. While Mao's paper showed the five current members of their family and an arrow pointing to her mother's stomach to clarify the upcoming of the sixth, Ichiro's paper only showed a picture of one little boy sitting alone.
"Konichiwa Ichiro-san, my name's Hattori Mao, I'm four." Mao gave a short bow to the taller black haired boy.
Ichiro looked up at Mao in surprise. "Konichiwa Hattori-san, my name's Hashimoto Ichiro, today's my fifth birthday."
Mao smiled back at the small boy, then continued coloring in her picture.
The afternoon passed quickly and the Shounen Tantei-dan were quickly running off to catch the next case while the Adults walked the children home.
"Kaa-san," Mao looked up at her mother, "Why doesn't Hashimoto-kun have any Kaa-san or Tou-san?"
"Hashimoto-kun's parents died when he was young," Kazuha stretched her neck to look over her belly at her daughter, "He lives at the orphanage now."
"Oh." Mao stared intently at her feet. Ichiro-san didn't have any family or friends. No wonder he walks to school all alone. I will be his friend. Mao looked up with a determined smile on her face. She was going to become Ichiro-san's friend, whatever it takes.