The Most Important Person In The World To You Is…?

Chapter 8

Uncommon Figure

"Kudo, do you know something you're not telling me, because if you do, it'd be appreciated right about now." Heiji whispered to his detective friend. Shinichi rolled his eyes.

"No, you heard what Hideyoshi-san said. Her nephew committed suicide. That much I believe, and obviously what pushed him, but the question is how Ran ties into his suicide. I would've guessed Hideyoshi Juro-san was the suspect, but since he's in the hospital in a coma, that's impossible."

"So any suggestions on where we go from here? I have a pretty good idea of where if you don't," Heiji said with a smirk. Shinichi returned the gesture, already sharing the same thoughts.

"We'll visit Tokyo University Hospital, where Hideyoshi-san is being kept." Shinichi finished. Heiji's eyebrow perked up.

"How do you know where he is?"

"I stole the article and read it before it was returned to police files. Megure has a pretty blind eye when it comes to in headquarters, especially when I'm involved." Shinichi said.

"Man, you really are a stuck-up detective…" Heiji mumbled. Shinichi elbowed his friend, a laugh erupting from Heiji.

Shinichi and Heiji caught a bus to Tokyo University Hospital after they were dismissed along with Kogoro. Megure needed them to 'research' on their own private time, which didn't seem to bother them at all. Kazuha followed behind Heiji and Shinichi lazily, staring at her feet as she walked. Heiji finally stopped and turned around, waiting for her to nearly bump into him.

"Kazuha, if you're not going to help or listen to anything, you might as well just go back to Oji-san's agency and wait for us there. Or better yet, go home."

Kazuha licked her lips, shutting her eyes. She took a deep breath, then straightened up.

"No. I won't leave Ran-chan. I'm sorry…I'm just worried. I consider her…one of my best friends." Kazuha admitted, bringing tears to her eyes. Shinichi smiled, admiring Heiji's interaction with her as he put his hands on her shoulders.

"We're all worried. You need to stand up to your worry and help us. Think about Mouri-chan. She's in a bad situation. Don't you want to do anything possible to help her? Think about that, and we'll progress. Just think positively." Heiji said softly. Kazuha nodded. Heiji pulled her in for a quick hug, then turned back to Shinichi.

His detective friend wasn't upset and down as he expected him to be, but looked pumped, almost like Shinichi wanted to find Ran faster. They smiled at each other.

"Glad to see that made you feel better," Heiji whispered to Shinichi. Shinichi's smile faded.

"I want to talk to Ran again. I don't know what I was thinking when I wasn't helping…I admitted to anything people asked me, even being in love with Ran, because I figured there was no point in hiding anything or trying hard for her sake. Thanks to you, and Haibara, of course, I've become my old self." Shinichi explained. Heiji's lips curled up into a Cheshire Cat grin, creeping out Shinichi.

"So you admit you love Mouri-chan? Aw, I was waiting for you to say something!" Heiji laughed. Shinichi rolled his eyes.

"From now on, you'll be one of the few people who know. Ran won't know until we're on our death beds!" Shinichi said, his face flushing.

"That's our detective," Heiji said, pulling Shinichi to his side by his shoulder. "He's back!"

Shinichi punched Heiji's arm hard enough for him to flinch and jump back.

"Don't shout it out to the world! Geez!" Shinichi complained. Heiji erupted in laughter, getting weird looks for passer-bys.

When the three entered the Tokyo University Hospital, Heiji and Shinichi approached the main floor secretary desk. After lying about how they were future med students working on a paper, they were led up to the sixth floor. A nurse brought them to Hideyoshi Juro's room, but Kazuha said she'd wait outside. Heiji didn't question her, knowing she was thinking about seeing Ran in a hospital when they found her.

If they found her.

Shinichi and Heiji approached Juro's bed. Shinichi studied the man's features. He was large man, very tall and muscular. He was definitely the man from the family picture in Keiko-san's home. Isao Hideyoshi was the spitting image of his father, with his deep brown eyes, short black hair, and charming, happy smile. Juro, from years ago in the picture, had dimples just like his son. Though Juro-san was well into his golden years by now, he had not a speck of grey hair anywhere; just a few wrinkles and age spots along his face and arms.

"Wow…I don't even know what to say." Heiji said.

"I do…" Shinichi whispered. Heiji leaned his ear to Shinichi.

"I find it very hard to believe that this man was beaten into a coma. Alcohol can lead to aggressive behaviour. When a family is suffering from alcohol abuse, beatings and arguments can occur. It's the same with Hideyoshi-san. The brain's function to feel anxiety in situations dissolves, which is why people like to drink. Hideyoshi-san would probably be able to fight off his attackers because of his aggressive, anxiety-free behaviour. With his large, strong body, he would have no problem protecting himself. That's what I don't understand." Shinichi explained. Heiji stared at the man in the bed, nodding his head.

"I agree…so where did that article come from? How did he end up here? Do you think he's faking his coma?" Heiji asked.

"No. It's probably real. He hasn't moved an inch since we got in here. I haven't taken my eyes off him for a second and nothing has changed. He's showing all the regular symptoms of a comatose patient. I expected him to at least flinch from what I said about the possibly fake incident, but nothing moved."

"Tampering?" Heiji suggested.

"I don't know. I'm not listing Hideyoshi-san as a suspect just yet. I have no proof of him being awake. The nurses and doctors would keep a close eye on him, so it'd be almost impossible for him to leave constantly and never be noticed. A comatose patient's heart rate and brain activity are monitored frequently. I don't think it's possible to fake a coma, but you can induce one." Shinichi said.

"So obviously our comatose old man here isn't a suspect after all. You just proved Megure's point." Heiji said in a huff.

"Not exactly. He could induce one upon himself…just not sure how, especially if he pulled it off, how he'd come and go without being noticed. That's what's keeping me from making him a suspect." Shinichi said, still watching the comatose man.

"Well…maybe we should interview some of the nurses and doctors." Heiji said. Shinichi didn't answer, getting up to exit the room and go find a nurse or doctor. When they found Hideyoshi-san's doctor, he just proved Shinichi's point further. His slow, stable heart rate stayed the same and no brain wave activity. Nothing.

After an hour of asking around, they found nothing, just that when he came in, he didn't have any injuries from an attack, that the woman who found him and brought him over to the hospital said he had a stroke. The woman left right afterwards, claiming only to be a friend, never revealing who she was.

"So all we have is a comatose patient who had a stroke, not a beating, a mystery woman who no one even knows, and no suspects. This is going to take forever!" Heiji complained. Kazuha elbowed him in his side, causing a bickering between them. Shinichi walked on ahead, almost calling it a day at the hospital until he saw someone at the end of the hall. He stopped in his tracks, attempting a better look. He broke out in a full sprint to the end of the hall, Heiji and Kazuha following behind, demanding an explanation.

"Jackie Parker!" Shinichi called out. A nurse turned around, confused.

"Yes? How can I help you?" she asked. Her caramel hair was tied back in a ponytail and her green eyes shone past her red-framed glasses.

"My name is Kudo Shinichi, I'm a friend of Mouri Ran. The girl who Edogawa Conan asked you about?" he said. Jackie thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up.

"Conan-kun! I remember that little boy? How are things going? Have you found the missing girl yet?" she asked. Shinichi shook his head, Jackie's face dropped.

"I'm so sorry…if there's anything I can do to help, please tell me." Jackie said.

"There is actually. That address you gave us? It's fake. A police officer went to visit you and your apartment didn't exist." Shinichi said. Jackie stuttered a bit before answering.

"Oh yes…I'm sorry, I lied about being an editor. I didn't want foreigners knowing I was a medical student. I work here, studying comatose patients."

"Comatose? Have you seen Hideyoshi Juro's case yet? He's been in a coma for over two months."

"Yes, because of a stroke. The newspaper said it was a robbery, but no evidence of that was found. We haven't even seen evidence of a stroke to be quite honest."

"Not a stroke either?"

"It seems like the most logical explanation, but he seems like a pretty healthy man. Healthier than me, and I'm a nurse!" Jackie joked.

"Yeah…would you mind giving us your real address? Not a fake one, we need you because you're the last one to have seen Ran." Shinichi said. Jackie looked around for a piece of paper, then took one from a box of scrap paper in a waiting room. She scribbled numbers and street names, then left with a smile.

"She's the one who last saw Ran-chan?" Kazuha asked. Shinichi nodded, noticing something on the back of the paper. It was actually an old ticket advertisement for a park of some kind. The caption of the advertisement was coloured in a bright red.

"The jester sings a ballad, keeping thee at bay…who will go and who will stay?" Shinichi read aloud. Heiji bit his lip and crossed his arms.

"Uh…how does that have to do with her address?" Heiji asked. Kazuha hit him thinking he was joking, but he groaned in pain and glared at her.

"I was being serious! Is that motto she has plastered on her front door? 'Cause if so, I'm not going anywhere near that place."

Shinichi looked up from the advertisement and watched Jackie until she noticed him staring. She gave a little wave of her fingers, then sneered, disappearing around the corner as fast as she'd found the scrap paper. Shinichi ground his teeth together, knowing where to go next.

"No…this isn't just an advertisement…this is where Ran is!" Shinichi realized. Heiji and Kazuha stared at each other, then their detective friend.

"Huh?" they asked in unison. Shinichi faced them, waving the paper in the air.

"Jester's Neverland is where we're going next." Shinichi said.

"Jester's Neverland? What's that?" Kazuha asked.

"Isn't that the old abandoned amusement park in Ota City? That's only a few miles from here," Heiji said. Shinichi nodded, already feeling fire burn inside him to go find the love of his life.

"Jester's Neverland is an old theme park on the edge of Ota City. It opened up in 1967 but closed down in 1989 from damage. The 'Ayaki earthquake and tsunami' hit Ota City really hard and unfortunately, the theme park too. A lot of the attractions collapsed, though I've heard a few are still standing. The park has been sitting there with no plans of renovation or removal for the past eight years." Shinichi explained.

"Why is it just sitting there? Why don't they tear it down if it's so damaged?" Kazuha asked, following Shinichi and Heiji out of the hospital.

"The owners spent most of their lives creating it and refuse to sell or tear it down," Heiji filled in. "How are you so sure she's there? It could just be an old theme park for all we know."

"Let's just say that…I have a good feeling," Shinichi said, leaving out his suspicion of Jackie Parker.

"What do you mean by Ayaki, Kudo-kun? The earthquake was called 'Kanto' wasn't it?" Kazuha asked. Shinichi smirked.

"It was nicknamed 'Ayaki' because of the tsunami. As in 'uncommon figure'. I think it's a good name for a tsunami…" Shinichi said, turning back around before pushing the hospital doors open.

"This person whose taken Ran away from me…will be an uncommon figure by the time I'm done with them!"