Hanasaki was certain of it. The gift was perfect for Noro. He rang the doorbell.
"I told you to call before coming!" Noro complained as she opened the door. Pippo hooted while circling Hanasaki's head.
"Alright, I'm sorry about that. I just wanted to give you something."
"Hmm?" Noro sounded as they stepped inside her room and she was handed a bag with big pink and white circles on it. She pulled out a book.
"What's this?"
"Open it." The girl did as told and her eyes widened. There were pictures of the whole Boy Detectives' Club. Inoue making a call with Katsuta scribbling something down. Yamane trying to prevent Ohtomo from making an experiment with a bottle of weird liquid. Kobayashi sleeping on a sofa with Pippo sitting on his stomach. Hanasaki making a face. Akechi smoking with a glass of alcohol in front of him.
"Why have you made this? Nobody makes printed photobooks anymore," Noro mentioned. Her eyes were glistening.
"I wanted to make sure that you know I love you."
"What?! Aren't you confessing to a wrong person here?!" Noro screamed while seemingly getting ready to throw the book at Hanasaki's head. Hanasaki raised his hands up.
"No, you're getting it all wrong! I just... always wanted to thank you for the jobs you'll do for us. Without you, I might've lost my place in the club forever. I certainly would've lost Kobayashi, at least. You helped both of us to understand each other. You're always doing so many things for us in the club, even when you don't care about stepping outside of your home. So... thank you for everything, Noro." Hanasaki smiled and stepped closer to ruffle Noro's hair.
"Will you stop that?! Go to Koba and make sure he'll get plenty of touches!" Noro screeched. Hanasaki just laughed.
"Man, you'll never change, do you?"
"Go home!" Hanasaki waved his goodbyes to a steaming Noro and left.
Noro spent the rest of the evening looking at the pictures and remembering the boys. Inoue needs me more than ever these days. He's become a fine leader. Katsuta is great support for him; they make a good pair. Koba and Hanasaki... Well, they are a match made in heaven if you ask me. Yamane started off as a wimp but he's grown up during past months. Ohtomo is his unbearable smug self as always. He's useful, though, and helps us, if only for Yamane and Hanasaki. Akechi... I wonder if he found what he was looking for the whole time. I'll always be grateful to him because he asked me to join the Boy Detectives' Club. The fact the other club members were happy made her happy. She was their mom in a way, after all.