A/N: This is my submission for Naegiri Week 2021 Day Five, taking place after "The Naegis' Secret Diary!" Please read, review, and enjoy!

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Naegiri Week 2021

Day Six: Free Time!

"And…done!" Makoto sighed in relief as he finished the last piece of paperwork he had due. "This was certainly less paperwork than I usually have to do in the morning…not that I'm complaining." The headmaster smiled; paperwork was the part of his job he hated the most, and he would have easily handed the responsibility to someone else if given the opportunity.

He looked up at the clock with a furrowed brow. "Still, this means I kinda have nothing to do until lunch…what to do…"

"Headmaster." Makoto looked up from his thoughts and smiled at the sight of his beloved wife approaching his desk. "My last meeting for today just finished."

"Seems like we have a bit of free time on our hands." Makoto gestured to the small pile of completed paperwork on his desk, emphasizing his point.

"Indeed…so, what should we do? It's still going to be some time before proper lunch."

Makoto grinned and stood up, dusting off his pants. "Well, why don't we go and take a walk around the school? You know, see what our students are up to."

Kyoko smirked as she teased "Headmaster, are you suggesting we should spy on our students?"

Makoto burst into laughter, greatly amused by Kyoko's joke. "No, no, nothing like that. All I'm suggesting is we take a nice walk, and if we happen to see what our students are up to, well, that's just an unintended bonus."

"Indeed." Kyoko giggled before she turned towards the door. "Well then, shall we go?"

Kyoko smiled in amusement as her husband was swarmed by their students.

"Headmaster, thanks for helping me get that test accommodation!"

"Headmaster, thanks for helping me get along with my lab partner!"

"Headmaster, your homework strategies worked like a charm!"

To his credit, Makoto chuckled at each of his students' praises, making Kyoko smile proudly. When he first started, he would have denied such praise, but now, he openly accepts it without letting it inflate his ego. Makoto…he really has grown into the role and become the headmaster they truly needed. Eventually, the crowd began to disperse as the students left to go to their next classes. "You've become quite the celebrity, ne, Headmaster?"

Makoto laughed and shook his head modestly. "No, no, I'm just…doing my job."

"If you say so." Kyoko smiled as her husband scratched his cheek. "Alright, let's continue our walk, shall we?"

Makoto plucked a rose, making sure to avoid its thorns as he handed it to Kyoko. "I know it's not in vitro, but it's fresh, so…"

Kyoko smiled, accepting the rose before she held it up to her nose and inhaled its fragrant scent. "It's lovely, thank you, Makoto."

"Don't mention it, Kyoko. I'm just glad we have this greenhouse so I can give you these roses once in a while."

"Indeed, I suppose that's one of the perks of being headmaster…you get to build whatever facilities you want…without the trouble of any Steering Committee…"

"Come back, bug friends!" Startled, the two turned to see Gonta stumbling in the distance as he chased after a flock of butterflies. "Please, Gonta won't hurt you! Gonta just wants to talk!"

Makoto and Kyoko sweatdropped before the headmaster chuckled "Well, I guess that's a reminder that this greenhouse isn't just for us anymore."

"Indeed." Kyoko turned towards the entrance, gesturing with her free hand. "Now then, shall we go?"

"Now…where to go…where to go…oh, Tojo-chan!"

Kirumi came to a stop, carrying a tray in hand as she bowed to the headmaster and vice-headmistress. "Oh, Headmaster Naegi, Vice-Headmistress Naegi, forgive me, I didn't see you there." As Makoto waved off her apology, Kirumi looked up at them. "Tell me, are there any services you require?"

"Tojo-chan, I know you mean well, but that statement can be construed very inappropriately." Kyoko told the aspiring maid sternly. "Having a student do things for their headmaster would create a severe ethics scandal."

Kirumi bowed her head shamefully, apologizing "My sincere apologies, I meant no disrespect or shame."

"It's fine, let's just forget this conversation ever happened." Makoto suggested before he looked up at the tray in her hands. "Anyway, what's with the beverages? Are those all for you?"

"No, one of my classmates requested green tea, then another asked for their favorite energy drink. Then a couple more asked for cola, and so on and so forth. As a maid, I am honor bound to fulfill their requests."

Makoto and Kyoko sweatdropped before he told Kirumi "Ano…Tojo-chan, you know you don't have to do these things just because people ask you to, right? You're not anybody's maid or waitress; you can say no."

"Besides…" Kyoko pointed out. "As a student, your first priority should be your grades and, if you wish, joining a club."

"I see…" Kirumi frowned. "I will…take your advice into consideration. First though, I need to complete these requests I promised I would do."

"Alright…run along then, Tojo-chan." Makoto chuckled in amusement at her devotion.

"Shitsureishimasu." Kirumi bowed once more before she walked down the hall and out of sight.

"Well…at least she's devoted to her craft."

"Indeed, hopefully she'll learn to moderate her devotion now that she knows there are lines she's in danger of inadvertently crossing." Kyoko turned to her husband with a smile. "Alright, shall we continue our walk?"

"Ah, it's been ages since I've properly read a Detective Conan manga."

Makoto smiled as he watched his wife's lips tug into a nostalgic smile. The two of them had stopped at the manga library during their walk. While combing the shelves, Kyoko found her favorite volume of Detective Conan and immediately procured it.

"Ah, you have good taste, Vice-Headmistress!"

Makoto and Kyoko looked up to see Tsumugi smiling at them, manga volume in hand. "Ah, Tsumugi." Makoto greeted with a smile. "Yeah, Kyo…Vice-Headmistress Naegi is especially fond of Detective Conan."

"Indeed." Kyoko admitted "It was the only piece of popular entertainment my grandfather permitted me to watch while I was growing up."

"The…only piece of otaku culture?!" Tsumugi gasped in horror. "Sailor Moon, Inuyasha, Bleach, you never saw ANY of it?!" Makoto and Kyoko sweatdropped before Tsumugi pulled them by the wrist. "You need an immediate crash course in manga, and thankfully we're in the perfect place to do it before the next class!"

Makoto and Kyoko sighed in exasperation as Tsumugi tugged them along with surprising strength, taking an odd book from the shelves.

"And I thought Komaru loved anime…" Makoto sighed as they entered the library, having finally escaped Tsumugi's excessively enthusiastic manga lesson. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I may never want to read another manga ever again…"

"It would be ideal to take a break for a while…" Kyoko admitted. "At least reading actual books in the library should…"

"Here you go, Saihara-kun, your books on investigation techniques."

"Ah, thanks, Keebo."

Makoto and Kyoko stared curiously from afar as Shuichi took the books from Keebo and walked away to a nearby table.

Kiki? They wondered as their eldest daughter waved Shuichi over.

"It looks like they're having a study date…" Makoto muttered.

"It would appear so…" Kyoko kept her voice down as they watched, listening intently to Kiki and Shuichi's conversation.

"You know, Saihara-kun…" Kiki began. "If you really want to learn more about detective stuff, why don't you just ask my mom?"

"Oh…I don't want to bother your parents…"

"Nonsense, if you want to be a detective, she'd be the best teacher!" Kyoko smiled at the praise from her daughter as Kiki continued to speak proudly of the ex-detective. "She was the Ultimate Detective, after all. If I wanted to be a detective, I'd wanna learn straight from my mom!"

Kyoko's touched smile tugged into a frown as Makoto elbowed her teasingly. "Maybe Kiki wants to follow in her mother's footsteps."

"…I hope not…"

Makoto frowned before Kyoko shook her head and forced a smile. "I'm fine, Makoto. Come on, let's go grab lunch before Kiki and Shuichi realize we're here."

Makoto's brow furrowed in concern, but nonetheless he followed his wife, letting the matter drop as Kiki and Shuichi continued to talk about detective work, blissfully unaware of her parents' presence.