That was it. He was officially going to get a tape recorded of Ran reprimanding him for being stupid, ducktape it to his head, and play it back whenever he thought of doing something stupid or speaking before he thought.
And then leave sticky notes all over his office. All saying "Stop your mouth from moving while you talk, idiot!" In bright, annoyingly cheerful yellow.
Staring down into the opening of the can of beer he held, he tried his best to tune out Ran's voice as she scolded him for drinking, making a mess, and chasing off Eri again all in the span of two hours. He really didn't need a list of his faults, he was quite aware of them all.
The brat was quiet - he always was when Eri came into the picture. Kogorou suspected it was half because the boy felt he shouldn't intrude - heaven knows why, he stuck his nose into everything else - and half because he always seemed terrified out of his wits by Eri.
Smart kid.
Finally growling something like an illegible apology at Ran to get her to just stop telling him what he already knew, he swivelled his chair around and stared broodingly out the window, can of beer forgotten in his hand.
His thoughts drifted as he watched the reflections in the glass, focusing on Conan as the boy stared at his chair back. To be honest, Kogorou resented the brat less than he acted like. The mysterious checks in the mail covered all of Conan's expenses and far more, enough to put aside for his college even. Kogorou had a niggling doubt that it was neccessary - the boy didn't seem in any hurry to go home, and his parents seemed to feel the same way. For all Kogorou knew, he should just adopt the brat already.
But he lightened things up in the Mouri household, that was for sure. His cheerful attitude, bright intelligence, and habit for trouble kept Ran busy and happy, out of trouble and not moping as much as she would be over that missing detective brat. Eri liked the boy, as well - though he seemed terrified of her - and had even said she wouldn't mind the boy as a permanent living additon, should she ever decide to return. Kogorou pretended to this day he hadn't overheard that conversation.
And he'd become a famous detective soon after the boy came. He was like a real good-luck charm.
Not that he helped Kogorou with himself, of course. He certainly wasn't grabbing Kogorou's foot before it stuck in his mouth, or coaxing Eri back to the detective agency with all his power like Ran. Kogorou's problems were Kogorou's own fault.
He knew that very well.
Sighing, he glanced at his can of beer, debating on drinking more or lighting up a cigarette. He decided against the cigarrete - Conan got colds easily, and Ran had been frowning on his smoking in the boy's presence lately, jabbering on about things like cancer and asthma in a seven-year-old. She doted on that boy more than anyone else, really.
Looking at his can still, Kogorou sighed as he realised he wasn't in the mood to drink for once. Tossing the beer into the trash - earning a surprised glance from the other two occupants of the room - Kogorou merely grumbled and buried his nose in the racing newspaper.
Maybe next time he'd listen to his common sense and do the right thing when it came to Eri, too.
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