However, Conan certainly wasn't expecting his blissful night of sleep to be broken at fuck all hours in the morning by his phone vibrating loudly in his pocket.

He groaned, lifting his head off the pillow where he had fallen asleep face first onto the futon last night. He reached his arm behind him and rummaged in his pocket, bringing his phone up to his face. He blinked, reading Hattori as the caller ID. He declined, placed the phone on the ground, then squished his face back into the pillow.

A few seconds later, his phone went off again. He ignored it and let it ring through, trying to fall back into his precious slumber and hoping that Hattori would get the point. But, to his dismay, it started to go off again. After the first few rings, his patience grew thin and he snatched up the phone, clicking accept.

"What." He bit out.

"Geez. Why the cold welcome?" Hattori's voice spoke over the phone's speaker. "Can't a guy just wanna talk to his best bud?"

"Hattori, it is" he brought the phone down for a second to check the time, "seven in the morning."

"C'mon it's not that late. Dont'cha usually wake up around this time?"

Conan glared a hole into the wall across from him, stewing in his anger that Hattori wouldn't be able to see. "It's Saturday."

"Eh, same difference." Hattori blew off. "Besides, it's healthy to wake up at the same time everyday y'know!"

Conan knew that, and often tried to do so, but he figured he had a very suitable excuse this time. "Have you even seen the news?"

"The news..?" Hattori repeated. "No, why?"

Conan opened his mouth, ready to angrily tell him off, when his throat suddenly constricted. He felt tears start to prick at his eyes and quickly wiped them away. "N-nevermind..." He quietly choked out.

"Alright then..." Hattori warily said. "Anyways, wanna go to a restaurant's opening party with me tomorrow?"

Conan blinked. "No."

"Hey, I didn't even tell ya anything about it yet!"

"I had plans, Hattori." He grumbled.

Those plans might've just been to take the day off and process how he was a hair's length away from death - and maybe have that breakdown he saved for later (because, apparently, this time was different than all the other times he almost died, for some reason), but they were still plans nonetheless.

"But, there's gonna be all sorts of famous people there!" Hattori whined. "Like, the famous pitcher Mike Norwood, the undefeated boxing champion Ricardo Barreira, and.." he paused dramatically, as if he was about to say something incredible, "the pro soccer player Ray Curtis!"

Conan confusedly paused. "Yeah.. still no."

"Eh!?" Hattori incredulously yelled. "No way, I was sure that'd work!"

"Why..?"

"Your neechan told me ya loved that guy!"

"She.. did..?" He asked slowly. Quite frankly, Conan had never even heard of that Ray Curtis guy before, much less remembered ever telling Ran about him.

"Yeah, she said ya couldn't stop talking about him when ya were kids, and that ya kept trying to imitate his soccer moves and stuff."

When they were kids..?

Conan just paused and stared at the wall in confusion considering nothing that Hattori just said made any sense, until he remembered he was talking to Hattori, who still thought he was Shinichi.

"Oh!" Conan exclaimed, letting out a nervous laugh. "That guy! I just.. grew out of him, is all." He lied.

"Ah, that's a shame. I already got all the spots reserved for ya and your neechan said ya could come..."

"A-actually.." Conan began, "I think I will.. go." He finished with a grimace, already regretting his decision. But, if it was to keep the few shreds of his Shinichi identity intact, then... (Plus, the idea of meeting some celebrities, even if he didn't know or care about them, still sounded kind of cool.)

"Really!? That's great!" Hattori excitedly yelled. "I'll make sure to let them know, then!"

Conan didn't know who 'them' were, but he figured that didn't really matter. "Yeah..."

Before he could get out more response, he heard the dial tone of his phone go off, indicating Hattori hung up. Well, he was planning to do that anyway.

Conan sighed, placing his phone down next to him on the floor. He laid his head on the pillow again, ready to go back to sleep, yet his eyes stayed open.

Damn it.. he was awake now.


"Conan-kun, are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, Ran-neechan, I'm sure." He answered for what felt like the hundredth time.

Ran made a quiet worried noise. "I wouldn't have agreed for you if I had known..." She mumbled, looking down at Conan. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. I'm sure Hattori won't mind."

"I said I was fine, Ran-neechan." He was even starting to convince himself after saying it so much.

"We're already here." Kogoro added, gesturing at the party's building where they had arrived. "It'd be pointless to go back now."

Ran sent a small glare to Kogoro.

"Besides," Conan said trying to sound cheerful, "I wanna meet Ray!" He smiled unconvincingly at Ran.

She did not look convinced. She sighed. "Alright.. if you say so." She conceded. "But if you want to leave at any time just let me know, okay?"

"Okay." He nodded.

Without any more issue, they headed into the building.

Hattori wasn't kidding when he said all sorts of famous people would be there. As soon as they walked into the main room they were bombarded by the sight of rich, famous people in fancy clothing. He didn't exactly recognize.. well, any of them, but most had an air of fame to them. It was kind of exciting.

Kogoro had spotted Okino Yoko and had broken off to go bug her, after they found Hattori and Kazuha. After their first greetings, Conan had drifted off to go people watch or something, not exactly feeling up for talking.

Eventually, he found someone he actually knew, Takayama Minami and her partner. He paused and debated for a moment whether to go say hi, but decided not to. He's only met them once, so he didn't know if that made them friends or just acquaintances. Plus, he didn't feel like dealing with that.

He continued, not paying attention to where he was going, which eventually led him to running into some stranger. He stumbled back and quickly corrected his balance before he could fall. He immediately spewed out, "Ah! Sorr-" before he looked up and realized the person he ran into was no stranger. "Professor!?" He exclaimed. He lowered his gaze. "And Haibara!? What are you guys doing here?"

"Conan-kun!" Agasa startled, equally as surprised. "I- One of my professor friends couldn't come and gave his spots to us." He quickly answered. "Why are you here?"

"I-" Conan said ready to respond, before he remembered exactly who invited them there. "Uh..." He froze. "K-Kogoro was invited." He said, his voice an octave higher than normal.

"Oh, by who?" Haibara casually asked, unknowingly, the worst question.

"Uh..." Conan nervously stuttered. "N-no one in particular..."

Haibara lifted an eyebrow, seemingly ready to ask more, when Hattori suddenly yelled from nearby, "Hey, Kudo!" Conan flinched. Of all the people to show up. "Where are ya? Oh-" He stopped, spotting Conan. "There ya are!" He ran up to him, paying no mind to Conan's increasingly panicked expression. "What're-" He stopped, noticing the other two. "Ah, that Professor and little neechan!" He pointed at them, while they just blankly stared. "Didn't know ya guys would be here! Man, feels like ages since that school play. Good job at that, by the way." He added, looking down at Haibara.

Haibara looked up at Hattori, wearing the most normal expression.

Conan kept looking between Haibara and Hattori with wide, panicked eyes, practically trembling in place, because, if Haibara was going to tell Hattori, it was going to be now. "H-Haibara," he said with a very low and quiet voice, "please, think about this."

Haibara didn't so much as give him a glance, before responding to Hattori, "My, you were really quite insufferable. I'm not sure how Kudo-kun deals with you so often."

Conan blinked.

"Hey!" Hattori yelped. "Don't be like that!"

"Perhaps it would be better if you didn't go around shouting 'Kudo' in public."

"Ah-" Hattori hovered a hand over his mouth, realizing he had been doing just that. "Sorry, it just slips out..." He nervously laughed.

All Conan could do was just stare at Haibara in shock, because.. what?

"Y-you're not gonna tell him..?" He shakily asked Haibara, as Kazuha suddenly ran up and dragged Hattori off somewhere.

Haibara turned her head towards him and lifted an eyebrow. "What? Did you want me too..?"

"No, no!" He quickly said, shaking his head. "It's just.. I didn't think you'd, uh..." He trailed off.

Haibara let out a small sigh. "Don't get me wrong, I still think you should tell him, but.. I don't believe this is the best time... I realize the fallout would be.. unideal." Conan grimaced, thinking of Hattori's probable reaction. He'd like to keep that friendship, please and thank you. "Besides," she continued, "I'd rather you be the one to tell him, not me. But, I won't force you."

"Ah..." Conan nervously chuckled in response. "Thanks..."

"Conan-kun!?" A worried shout rang out above the crowd. Conan immediately looked over, glad to get out of that line of conversation, and managed to spot Ran in between all the people. Oh.. that's right.. he did kind of just, leave, without any warning "Where are you!?" She called out, a hand cupped by her mouth.

"Ran-neechan!" He shouted, waving a hand to catch her attention.

Ran quickly found him and rushed over. "Geez," she bent down towards him, "don't run off like that!"

"Ah, sorry..." He said. "But look who I found." He pointed behind him at Agasa and Haibara.

Ran let out a small gasp, standing up. "Professor!" She glanced down at Haibara. "And Ai-chan! You're here too!" She said happily. Haibara ducked behind Agasa like the scared child that she was.. not, actually.

Agasa chuckled. "Yes, we were invited."

And then Kogoro decided to make his entrance, yelling, "Oi, Ran!" He walked up to her holding two wine glasses with.. probably wine in them, a slight flush on his face as if he were drunk? ..already? "They have free Merlot and Chardonnay here! Can you believe it?" He swished his glasses around.

Next to him, Conan noticed Haibara tense up, her eyes widening oddly. She didn't look scared, per say. She kind of looked like when Conan had figured out a murder, except the smug smirk never followed.

Kogoro's shouting had drawn a couple stares, causing Ran to blush, looking both embarrassed and angry. "I gotta go." She apologetically said to them, before turning around, harshly grabbing Kogoro by the arm, and dragging him away.

Conan looked back at Haibara. She still had that odd expression on her face. "Hey." He said.

Haibara blinked, returning back to the present. Her eyes regained focus as she looked over at him. "Huh?"

"What was that about?" He asked.

"Oh." She became tense again, and began quickly glancing around. "Not here..." She quietly said. Conan raises an eyebrow, even more confused. Haibara paused, seeming to consider something. "Do you.. care about any of those athletes?" She asked him.

"No..?"

"I'll tell you then, during their introductions." She looked away, signifying that discussion was over.

She still seemed tense, though not as.. surprised, as before. But at least she didn't look deathly afraid, like during any of their run-ins with a Black Organization member, which was definitely comforting. Didn't make it any less confusing though.

"Alright..." He said, skeptical, turning away.


They were stood in a far end of a corridor outside the main room where the party was being held. Even the lobby had been pretty desolate, so, needless to say, there wasn't a single person in sight. The only commotion that could be heard was from the main room where all those athletes were talking, faintly sounding through the walls.

"So..." Conan nervously began. "What was that?" He asked.

Haibara nervously glanced around, not nervous in the way that they were going to die but.. different. She also apparently couldn't look him in the eye, looking anywhere that wasn't him.

"I remember, a while back.." she finally began, "my sister told me about this member of the organization. Her codename was Chardonnay."

Conan let out a quiet, "Ah." Realizing why she was like that after Kogoro's arrival.

"I don't remember too well.." Haibara continued, "but, I believe Akemi told me she had some important information.. I'm not sure what. However, she was killed in a fire and all of it was lost. I don't know who killed her - another organization, or even another member - but, it was a huge loss."

"Hm." Conan hummed. He guessed he was glad she decided to tell him - it meant she trusted him despite everything - but he could tell there was something more she had yet to say. Haibara still had that odd nervous look to her, and this story didn't seem important enough to require this much.. secrecy.

Conan just continued to look at her, hoping that would get her to continue.

Haibara never returned the look, but it worked. "I didn't remember- didn't realize before, but my sister told me her real name, her surname." Haibara paused, looking almost.. uncomfortable? She sent a very quick glance at him, before immediately looking away. She took a breath. "It was.. Takayama..."


Anyways, so Ray Curtis murdered a guy.

The murder was unsurprising, yet not unwelcome. Conan, admittedly, felt a little bad he was glad someone died, but.. he would take anything to get his mind off- off.. that.

Hattori ended up solving it first, which he couldn't bring himself to care - it didn't help that he couldn't focus. But, what was surprising, is that Hattori didn't brag, at all. Hattori proving that he was a better detective than him - or Shinichi - was kind of one of his main goals, so he expected, at least, a bit of teasing, but nothing? Instead, Hattori had led him around to the truth, like Conan usually does, except less.. obnoxious.

Or, well, it didn't make sense until he figured out who the murderer was. Shinichi was supposedly a huge fan of Ray, and so Conan should be as well. At least, it was a good excuse for why he was acting like.. that.

Hattori had insisted Conan do the deduction, which made sense, but he didn't exactly want to. It went.. alright. He managed to get Ray to confess and turn himself in, at least. Besides, it was pitiful that this famous soccer player could barely block a kick from a seven year child who was pretty bad at soccer.

But, now that the murder was solved, there was nothing to occupy his mind. No conveniently timed murder or Kaitou KID appearance. It seemed all there was to think about was how his dear old mom and dad were a part of the very same organization he's fought to destroy for the last six months.

(Well, technically he didn't know if his dad was involved or not, but he must've at least known.)

His parents were the same kind of people that he just got arrested a few hours ago: murderers.. probably. Technically he didn't know, or what they even did in the first place, but the odds that they killed people, a lot of people, were much higher than not, considering the Black Organization's tendencies.

He would reminisce of his parents, of how much fun they had during the few years he remembered, of how nice they were. But, he could never imagine them like, that.

But, at the same time it was so obvious. No normal family teaches their son how to shoot a gun. No normal family gets professionally murdered. It made so much sense. He didn't know how he's never considered it before, or at least something similar.

Honestly, he didn't know how to feel, or how he even felt in the first place. His mind was simultaneously empty and filled to the brim, as if there was so much it just turned to static. It was just-

A sudden force slammed into Conan's head.

He let out a startled yelp and immediately brought his hand up to the area. He looked over at the offending object, watching the soccer ball roll across the ground. Hattori was also there, standing just a bit away, and rested his foot atop the ball as it stopped in front of him.

"Man, I dunno what you like about this." Hattori said as he kicked the ball up and began bouncing it on his knee. "All ya do is kick a ball around."

Conan would've loved to agree, but unfortunately his 'Conan' persona was also supposed to like soccer. So instead, he just despondently glared at Hattori.

Hattori bounced the ball a couple more times, before he slipped up and the ball bounced away. Hattori sighed and stepped over to the ball, which happened to be in front of Conan.

"I suck." Hattori lamented. He bent down to Conan's level, giving him an odd look. "It'd be great if someone uh, better than me, could show me how it's done." He smiled pointedly at Conan.

Conan just glared at him again. "You do know I'm pretending to be bad at soccer for my cover.. right?"

Hattori blinked. "You are..?" Conan nodded. "Well, why didn't you tell me?"

"It never came up..."

Hattori sighed again, ruffling his hair in irritation. "C'mon man." He drawled. "It's not like anyone's watching. Just.. humor me?" He said with a shrug.

"...Have you looked behind you?"

Hattori paused for a second at his question, then glanced over his shoulder. Hattori's sheepish expression told Conan he noticed Ran, Kazuha, and Kogoro not so subtly peeking out at them.

"Oh..." Hattori realized, turning back. He let out another over dramatic sigh, then wordlessly plopped down next to Conan, placing his head in his hands, just like Conan was. A silence passed over them as the two just sat there.

"Ya know.." Hattori began, "I thought ya said ya grew outta that guy."

Conan pursed his lips and looked down at the wooden stairs beneath him. "I still care." Hattori didn't say anything, and Conan didn't know if he made any sort of expression or anything because he didn't look. "I thought- I thought they were better than that..." He mumbled.

A long beat of silence passed. "I get that..." Hattori quietly said. "Remember officer Sakata.. the, uh, guy who shot me..?" He asked. Conan looked over at him and lifted an eyebrow, unsure what he was getting at. Hattori seemed to take that as his sign to continue. "I didn't really know him too well, but he was a subordinate of dad's so I kinda grew up with him. I thought he was a pretty nice guy..." Hattori paused, looking down at the ground. "So, it messed me up pretty bad too." He blinked. "Err, I don't mean the gun wound." He added sheepishly. After a moment he sat up. "So- I mean.. what I'm trying to say is.. uh- it'll get better..." He placed a hand on the back of his neck, looking to the side nervously. "I- I mean, I know that isn't.." he sighed, "just- I get ya..." He looked down, shook his head, and mumbled, "I'm bad at this."

"Yeah, you kinda are." Conan said.

"Hey, you're not supposed to agree."

Well, he was trying.

A light smile dusted Conan's face. "Thanks though..."


"Y'know, ya should really call her."

"You've said." Conan responded without even looking up at Hattori.

"But I mean it though!" Hattori slightly leaned down to him as they waited on the platform for the train to arrive. "Ya weren't there but your neechan got ya Ray's autograph and a ticket to his next game-" Hattori suddenly stopped, freezing up as he realized who he was talking about. "Er- uh.." he sputtered for a moment, "I mean- I guess ya wouldn't.. but ya should still call her!" He finished with.

Agasa and Haibara were standing next to them both looking vaguely uncomfortable (Haibara less so than Agasa, probably because Agasa seemed to be not telling Hattori he wasn't Shinichi just because Haibara wasn't either). He understood, really. Talking to Hattori as Shinichi was now kind of odd to him when Agasa and Haibara know he's not, and they looked like they didn't want Conan to call Ran as Shinichi as much as Conan didn't either.

Conan let out a small sigh. "Ok, ok, I will." He half-heartedly said, just to get Hattori off his back.

Hattori seemed appeased as he leaned up, looking back out at the platform. He paused for a second, before he started sending some obvious glances to Conan, looking expectant. "So.." he eventually began, "what's the hold up?"

Conan just blinked at him confusedly. "You mean.. now?" He questioned.

"Yeah, why not!"

Conan paused to stare at him. "You mean.. in the middle of this crowded train station where many people could overhear?" He questioned again.

"C'mon!" Hattori said. "No one's even listening."

Conan knew that the average person wasn't listening intently at a train station, so Hattori had a bit of a point, but Conan also knew (very well..) that people sometimes just eavesdropped for fun, so that was still not a very good idea. Even more importantly, there's no way Conan was going to call Ran as Shinichi when he was not Shinichi.

"Hattori I really don't think we should be taking any chances." Conan said worriedly (just not about the eavesdropping).

"I agree." Haibara curtly spoke. Agasa nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, see?" Conan said. "I'll just call her when I get home."

"But-"

Hattori was stopped by the loud whooshing of the train pulling in along with the announcer's loud speaking over the intercom.

"Oh wow look, the train's here. Gotta go!" Conan sheepishly said as the train slowed to a stop.

Hattori sighed, slumping over in defeat. "Fine..." He grumbled. Conan walked into the carriage as the doors opened, Agasa and Haibara following after him. "Just promise me you'll do it!" Hattori called after him.

"I will!" Conan called back. A second later, he muttered, "not.." and chuckled.

The three found their seats as Ran and Kogoro entered the train a moment later. Turns out they coincidentally booked their seats right next to each other.. although, after Ran and Kogoro sat down in theirs, it became known that they weren't facing each other.

Conan decided to sit with Agasa and Haibara instead, in case they needed to talk about any classified topics. He silently waited in his seat, staring out at nothing, with not much else to think about other than his hellish past few days. While he was glad Haibara told him that as soon as possible, he kind of wished she would've told him after he was done reeling over his near death experience just a couple days ago. It was kind of a lot on his plate. And not to mention Jodie, he remembered - not sure how he forgot in the first place (actually he was sure, with all that was going on). She was still as big a threat as...

A pit of dread started to pool in his stomach.

He had a slight suspicion his parents were involved with the organization before, but he knew now. Now Jodie had a reason to be acting like that.

"Hey Haibara." He turned his head over to her, his voice not portraying his fear accurately. "Does there happen to be any blonde foreign women in the Black Organization?"

Haibara sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes immediately shooting open twice as wide as before. "Wh-why..?" She choked out.

That was enough confirmation for him. "Oh no..." He muttered.

"Wh-what-!?" She exclaimed, somehow keeping her voice to a low, yet panicked, whisper. "What do you-?"

"Uh, you know that English teacher I was telling you about..?" He slowly said, scratching at his cheek. Haibara somehow looked even more shocked. "She might've been blonde.. and foreign..."

Haibara tightly clenched her hands in her lap, enough that they started to tremble. She stared down at them, looking absolutely terrified and about a hair's width away from a full blown panic attack. She unclenched one of her hands and brought it up to her mouth, biting at her nails.

Okay, now Conan was starting to get scared. She didn't seem to have any intention of elaborating, so he nervously asked, "Is it bad..?"

Haibara's eyes quickly shot towards him. "I- I wish I could say it isn't, but..."

Conan grit his teeth, nervously staring down at the ground.

"It's- her codename is.. Vermouth..." She whispered, almost too quietly that he couldn't hear. "She's very.. unpredictable. She does whatever she pleases, and.. if she's.." she trailed off, glancing at Conan, "who knows she's up to."

"Oh god..." He mumbled. "I'm dead.. aren't I..."

"I.." Haibara began, looking to the side nervously. "Maybe not..?" She said, trying to sound hopeful, although it didn't seem to be working too well.

"Ah, Takagi!" Kogoro suddenly shouted, startling the two out of their quiet conversation.

Conan looked behind him around the seat's edge. Takagi was, in fact, there, looking fairly surprised, similarly to Kogoro.

"Mouri-san!" Takagi exclaimed. His eyes traveled over to Ran, then over the seat and to Conan. "And Ku-" he suddenly stopped himself, "Conan-kun!" He hastily corrected.

"What are you doing here?" Kogoro asked. Takagi nervously glanced around, then leaned over to Kogoro and whispered something to him. However, Takagi's efforts to keep that secret were immediately wasted when Kogoro shouted, "You're transporting a suspect!?"

Takagi quickly shushed him, but it still brought a few looks.

Huh, Conan thought Takagi would still be swamped with paperwork and stuff after the whole bomb thing literally two days ago, but he guessed the police never rested or something. (As if he didn't just attend a party yesterday.)

Conan sat back in his seat as Takagi began explaining the situation because he didn't really care, plus he was still dealing with the second huge bombshell of the past couple of days Haibara just dropped on him.

He glanced at her and, for some reason, she no longer looked scared, and instead furious. She was giving him a harsh and honestly terrifying glare.

"Wh-what..?" He nervously asked.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but.." she began with restrained anger, "did Takagi begin to call you.. Kudo?"

Conan froze, then awkwardly looked to the side. "Uh..." He began, planning to deny her or something similar, but all that came out was a pitiful, nervous, "Ahahaha..."

Fuming, Haibara grabbed him by the shoulders. "Why the hell would you do that!?" She whispered, lightly shaking him.

Conan just nervously grimaced, still looking to the side. He didn't answer because the main reason was 'for fun' and 'he was going to die so why not' and he didn't think that would fly too well with Haibara.

Realizing she wouldn't get an answer, Haibara released her grip on him and sat back, crossing her arms. "I should've told Hattori." She angrily grumbled. She looked over at Takagi. "I should tell him now." She placed her hands on the arm rests beside her and pushed herself out of the seat, as if she was actually going to go tell him.

"Hey, hey!" Conan quickly shouted in panic. Haibara looked over and lifted an eyebrow at him in question. Since he didn't actually have any retort, Conan just clasped his hands together in a prayer-like formation and asked her with the most innocent voice he could muster, "Pretty please..?"

Haibara just gave him another one of her signature unimpressed looks, and it really hit. Conan quietly groaned and just leaned back into his seat in defeat. He wasn't exactly expecting Takagi to be told so soon, although Haibara's reaction certainly made sense. At least it shouldn't be too bad since he's only known for a couple days.

With one last bout of defiance, Conan mumbled, "Well, in my defense I didn't exactly think I'd be alive to face the consequences..."

It took Conan a few seconds to realize that Haibara had stopped moving. He confusedly looked over at her. Her expression was no longer angry and instead a strange mix of surprised, thoughtful, and sad. She glanced at him, her eyes full of pity.

Admittedly, it took Conan a good few seconds of confused blinking to realize that Haibara had been acting much more considerate than normal after the bombing incident - because it pretty noticeably messed him up - and that he just accidentally guilt tripped her.

He nervously looked at her, now feeling a bit guilty. "Are you..?" He asked, just to make sure.

Haibara lightly sighed. "You could've done a lot worse..." She plopped back down in her seat. "I admit it would be nice to have a police officer on our side."

Conan just awkwardly smiled at her, unsure what else to do. "Thanks..?"


So, Conan probably should've been listening to Takagi's explanation because the criminal they were transporting just died. At least, based on the context clues of what they were saying, he could infer that the guy was a drug dealer, and had supposedly committed suicide in the train's bathroom with a knife that he got out of nowhere. Although, after sneaking a quick look at the crime scene, Conan was pretty sure it was a murder.

Standing next to Haibara by the crime scene, Conan was trying to think of what childish antics he was going to use to tell everyone that this time, when Takagi suddenly crouched down beside him. "So, what do you think, Kudo?" He asked.

Conan blinked himself out of his thoughts and looked over at the man for a second. His eyes lit up and he excitedly turned to Haibara. "Look, he's asking for my opinion! Isn't this great?"

Haibara no longer looked pitiful. "So you've told him about me as well, it seems." She said disappointedly.

Any excitement he had immediately left. He just nervously looked to the ground, mumbling, "Sorry..."

"Hey, don't be so hard on him." Takagi sheepishly said. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

Haibara just lifted a disappointed eyebrow at him. "Maybe you should start by not calling him Kudo in public." She said again. It seemed everyone he tells has a tendency to do that...

Takagi bashfully looked to the side, remembering this earlier blunder.

"Well, at least you're better than Hattori." Conan patted him a couple times on the back.

"Hattori knows too..." Takagi muttered.

"Yeah, he found out on his own." Conan quickly explained. "Anyways I'm pretty sure this was murder."

Takagi took a second to process his words, before exclaiming, "Eh!?"


Conan probably could've just told Takagi who the murderer was and have him do the deduction, but he tranquilized Kogoro on instinct when he figured it out.. and he kind of forgot Takagi knew in the first place. Hey, this is still a pretty new thing.

At least the deduction was going as planned. He had just said who the culprit was - they were denying it of course, but he had his evidence. Plus, now Conan could have Takagi stand in front of where he was hidden to act as a guard almost, like during the arcade case, except intentionally this time.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught some frantic movement in Takagi's direction. He looked over and saw Takagi staring at him with wide panicked eyes and waving his hands around trying to catch his attention. Curiously, Conan looked at where Kogoro was passed out, and immediately got his explanation, seeing Sato messing with Kogoro and stretching his mouth open.

Conan quickly pulled at one side of his mouth and slurred into the bowtie, "Hey, whaa-re yoo doing?"

Sato let go of Kogoro. "Ah, sorry!" She said, not sounding very sorry at all. "You looked like you were actually sleeping there! This is my first time seeing the Sleeping Kogoro in action!"

Conan (and Takagi) let out a breath of relief.


"Th-thanks for coming for questioning..." Takagi sullenly said, his head hung low, after the news of his salary cut.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get back up soon." Kogoro said in an attempt to cheer him up. It didn't work.

Suddenly, Sato came up and slapped Takagi in the back. "Straighten up, Takagi!" She looked oddly cheerful, despite having the same salary cut as Takagi. "We have a case on fourth block!" She grabbed Takagi's hand and dragged him towards the car. She stopped a few steps away and turned around. "Oh, and Conan-kun?"

"Hm?" He raised an eyebrow, and confusedly scampered over to her.

She bent down and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for the help." She winked at him. Conan was just even more confused. "Kudo." She quietly added.

An expression of dawning horror slowly made its way into Conan's face. He looked over at Takagi, who had stopped just a bit away, trying to pretend as if he wasn't a part of the situation. "Takagi..?"

He slowly turned around, looking nervous. "Y-yes..?"

"I thought you said you wouldn't tell anyone!" He whined, hushed yet panicked.

"I'm sorry!" Takagi yelped, slightly bowing. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to. She noticed I was acting weird and demanded me to tell her." He quickly said.

"Why didn't you just lie!?"

"I can't lie to Sato-san!"

"Well, don't worry." Sato said reassuringly to Conan, although it wasn't very reassuring. "I can keep a secret."

Conan just buried his head in his hands and groaned.

Since Haibara somehow didn't kill him before, she certainly was now.