Chapter 51
In plain sight
"When!?" The sharp pitch voices of the children woke Shiho from her sleep.
Having spent the night shifting through crime files and documents, she realized she was curled up on her bed, like a cat, rather comfortably.
"Conan-kun!" Mitsuhiko whined. Shiho rubbed her tired eyes before getting up, still confused. Only to discover that arms were wrapped around her midriff. After a brief pause, she cursed. Ayumi and Genta, standing beside the freckled-faced boy, were shocked.
"Ai-chan!?" Ayumi exclaimed.
"What's happening?" Genta boomed.
The chubby boy's voice echoed through the living room, waking the culprit hugging her. He stirred in his sleep, yawning loudly, groaning from the all-nighter they pulled.
"Shih—" he began, and she slapped her hand over his mouth. In annoyance, he protested, and she forced him to turn his head by pressing a finger against his cheek. Observing the children, Shinichi slowly turns his attention to their unfortunate situation.
Her last memory was falling asleep on the couch with Shinichi, still studying the documents. During his sleepy state, he must have carried her to her bed and snuggled up, unconsciously, next to her.
An occurrence, she must admit—that had developed into a daily habit.
"I'd rather sleep on the floor," Shiho had expressed to him after the cruise incident.
It was a quiet early summer night. Snoring loudly, the professor was deep in sleep. At the Kudou Mansion, the shrunken detective is out on late errands, making plans with Akai and the FBI. Suffering another bout of nightmares, Shiho sought refuge on the roof. There had been a chill in the air. The sharp ache in her chest was not alleviated by the night breeze whistling by. Her knees pressed against her chest, she stared into the darkness, haunted by Rum and the Takizakis.
"We'll get them, Shiho," Akai said. In the days following their arrest, the FBI had confined the Takizakis to extract information from them. While Junichiro exercised his right to be silent, Satoru spoke in riddles. Following their captivity, the remaining Takizakis were swiftly apprehended and questioned. After learning of their crimes, the media had a field day with the information they had obtained. Although some details of their criminal activities were suppressed by the FBI, the damage had already been done, and the Takizakis' fall from grace was precipitous. The allegations appalled the nation.
"It doesn't involve you," Jodie-sensei insists whenever she questions. "Don't stress over it."
They had not told her the truth. Despite the FBI agents' efforts to console her, the fact remained. Rum was involved, and her creation—the silver bullet, was still being used. Records and documents retrieved from Takizaki's own databases confirm this. Exiting the black organization did not stop the live experiments. They utilized vulnerable people who were invisible to society. Trapping them in his web, Rum, the Takizakis, and their secret organization, coincidentally enemies of the Kaitou Kid had continued the test runs.
Even Shinichi could not comprehend the death count. Machines were found in a factory confiscated at Kamo river's ports. Cylindrical containers that look like oversized pressure cookers.
Shiho understood the process. A liquidation that was described in some scientific papers. Bodies are boiled in lye—pressurized and dissolved into biologically safe components to be flushed out. Coffee-colored sludge, carboxylic acid…glycerol, and…calcium phosphate byproducts of the decomposition process. The more she learned, the worse her nightmares became. Shiho slowly realizes what happened, and she sinks into contemplative guilt.
The experimental trials done—
Was her legacy.
Eventually, she retreated from the roofs and descended the stairs, only to find her once empty bed occupied by a smug-faced detective that had just returned from the Kudou Mansion.
"Why sleep on the floor?" he answered, "When you have a bed?"
In response, she snorted, her cheeks growing slightly warm. The situation was reminiscent of the first time he'd slept over. "Get out of my bed," she snapped, and he laughed.
"Ara," he mimicked, using her words, "Is that, isn't it?"
Folding her arms, she eyed him with a pointed glare.
"Is the great scientist scared to sleep next to a man?"
"Kudou, I hate to burst your bubble, but you're hardly one."
Pouting at her insinuations, he paused. Before she could react, he grabbed her and pulled her forward. She struggles but is pinned. He pressed gently against her shoulders as she lay there, the boy effectively trapping her.
"Pervert," she whispered.
"Don't worry," he settled beside her. "I won't do anything."
A mischievous smirk emerges.
"Well, not yet," he whispered into her ears, and she eyed him with disdain.
"What are you doing back so early, anyway?"
"Well, I can't scheme all night, can I?" he frowned, "Detectives, unlike scientists, need their beauty sleep, you know."
"Beauty sleep?" Shiho snorts, "I still don't see the glow up…"
"Oh really," he leaned closer. His breath caresses the tips of her ears, "After that kiss? No?"
This cunning…
"Shut u—"
"Where were you," the shrunken detective interrupts. "Shiho?"
Azure pools peered into green, and she went still.
"What are you talking about?" she muttered, "I'm fine, now get lost," trying to push him away, but he held her.
"Shiho, you left them."
This idiot. He was—
"You never wanted this."
Again, reading her mind.
"We'll stop them," he continues, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and holding her head against his chest. "I won't let it happen again."
"And," he chuckles, "We'll gain the upper hand this time."
A partnership formed with a moonlight thief was part of an operation that Shiho could not comprehend.
"Sure," she snorted.
"We will, Shiho," smiling confidently, ignoring her skepticism, firm in his stance.
As per usual...Shiho leaned against him, the rhythms of his heart soothing the throbbing, festering ache coursing through her chest. The corpse magnet…was something else.
After that night, a routine was established. The shrunken detective and scientist find themselves working more together. The new status of their relationship brings them closer. Shiho fetched him coffee as he slaved over the files—deriving information that would assist. Shinichi did the same, providing company as she labored over an antidote.
The professor, who noticed, could only shake his head in glee and fatherly protectiveness. The old man teased them as they went about their everyday routine. Ran joined in during her visits. And though Shiho was annoyed by Shinichi's increasing boldness, she realized—that she didn't mind.
Nevertheless, it would result in carelessness and the unfortunate...high-pitched shrieks of the children.
"Why were you hugging?" Genta demanded.
As if they were police interrogating criminals, the children stood over them. Having been forced to kneel on the ground, they had dragged them as soon as Shinichi woke up. The professor that traitor whistled away as he prepped breakfast.
"Look—" Shinichi tried but was shut down when Mitsuhiko grabbed him by the shoulder, shaking him vigorously.
"Are you," the freckle-faced boy shrieks, "And Haibara-san, going out with each other!?"
Ayumi joined the fray, "Ai-chan," the little girl towered over her with watery bugged-eyed blue pools. With brows twitching, Shiho pursed her lips while facing Shinichi, who was still being manhandled by the two boys.
"This is why I warned you not to hold me," she mouthed.
"How dare you pin it all on me? You were doing it too!" He defended.
"I told you to stay in your own bed!"
"Since when!?"
"Haibara-san!"
"Conan-kun!"
"Ai-chan!?"
"Oh, for the love of god!" Shinichi boomed, pushing away the boys and standing. Jabbing his finger at the hysterical children, he glares at them."No, ok, nothing happened!"
"But!? You guys were snuggling! Hugging each other!" Genta protested, skeptical of his claims.
"Ai-chan!"
"Haibara-san?"
"Is that true?"
"Well," A mischievous smirk graced her lips, and he cast her a warning glance. "That's a mystery," she continued as an exasperated groan emerged from his lips. "For the detective boys, isn't it?"
"Ayeeeeeeee!?" Another outburst erupted as Shiho took advantage of the opportunity to flee as the children pounced on Shinichi, grabbing him as she hurried to the basement.
"Oi, Haibara!" he cried in protest, struggling against their grasp.
"Apologies Edogawa-kun," she gave him a little wave, "But duty calls."
"Hey!" panic filled the air as he was bombarded by the children, "Haibara, you traitor!"
She couldn't help but chuckle as she descended, shutting herself in the room as she relished in the silence.
"That was mean, Ai-kun," the professor entered hours later, holding a bowl of Oyako-don. She could still hear children clambering above, interacting with a game the professor had created months ago. To help the exhausted detective, the old man is doing what he can.
"I have a lot to do, Hakase," she replied. "With the nights I have spent helping him, I haven't been able to work on the antidote."
"Helping," the professor grinned, coming closer to inspect her bubbling concoction on the table, "Or snuggling?"
Shiho almost dropped the tube she was holding before scowling at the old man who was breaking out, rather childishly, she might add.
"Assisting, Hakase," Shiho emphasized, waving the professor away as he hovered, "I was ass-is-ting."
"Mah, mah," hands over her shoulder, he squeezed gently. "I'm happy for you."
Shiho hesitated, unsure of how to react. It was new to her, and she found herself scoffing softly, unable to hide the faint pink hue spreading across her cheeks. In response, she turned back to her bubbling concoction in an attempt to keep her composure. The professor settled beside her, tinkering with his inventions, humming a tune that lingered in the air.
A longing hits her for a moment. She begins to remember her father, recalls photos Akemi had shown, and a wry smile develops. Again, the ache manifests, but she ignores it, focusing instead on the formulae.
It was evening when she prepared dinner. The bubbling pot of sweet curry, Genta's favorite. As the rice steamed in the cooker, the boy danced around it. At a corner, Ayumi and Mitsuhiko were engrossed in an insect encyclopedia. While Shiho cuts the carrots and potatoes, Shinichi slumps against the kitchen counter.
His hair a mess, glasses awry, he regarded her with a bitter pout.
"You left me alone with three monsters, Shiho!" he seethes softly.
"An easy feat, I guess," she shrugged, "For the great detective."
"It took me four hours to calm them down!"
"And?"
"I said we were sleepwalking. They believed it. But still…you traitor!"
"It wouldn't be the first time," she smirked.
"Now, that isn't playing fair."
"Like I said," as she rolled the cut vegetables into the pot, "Stop stealing my bed."
"First of all," he reminded her, "you consented. And secondly," he eyed her, "It is perfectly acceptable for me to want intimacy...with my girlfriend."
Almost chopping her fingers off, Shiho's lips parted slightly.
That…idiot.
After the kiss they shared, something had changed. And though Shiho could not confirm the status of their relationship, it seems that Shinichi had.
"Girlfriend, huh," she stirred the curry while Shinichi frowned.
"I was under the assumption, yes," Shinichi frowned, "Or would you rather dungeon dwelling goblin, evil-eyed yawny girl…mad scientist?"
"As flattering as that would be, pint-sized pervert," he folded his arms at the new moniker, "I would prefer the term…partner."
Shinichi paused, the realization hit, and a teasing glint formed in his eyes. "Why…Shiho?" he leans in, thinking he had the upper hand, "Is dear Watson," he smirks like a fox, "Uncomfortable?"
He was—
Playing with fire.
Switching off the stove, Shiho pointedly ignores him as he sniggers like a pig. Having set up the dining table, she proceeded to serve the curry. They gathered, Genta salivating like a dog as the aroma wafted through the kitchen.
"Ai-chan, this looks delicious!" Ayumi chimed as Shiho served rice.
"Yes," the professor hummed happily.
"It's good!" Genta exclaimed.
"A most ex…exqui…exquisite meal," Mitsuhiko, struggling to use the sophisticated word, exclaims.
"Don't you think so, Conan-kun?" Ayumi chimes in as Shinichi sits with an empty bowl.
"Oh, where's your food, Conan?" Genta noticed, and the detective scoffed.
"Haibara, how childish can you get?"
"Ara," Shiho called as she walked over with his plate of rice and curry. "I just wanted to make sure," flashing him her sweetest smile, "that my boyfriend got the biggest portion."
Silence descended. Shinichi's lips formed a horrified "O," and she shot an evil grin. "Right?" she emphasized. "Boy-friend."
Pulling off her apron, she grabbed her plate before descending to the basement. Once again, locking the doors behind her as chaos erupted above.
She emerged from her dungeon several hours later, under cover of darkness. Walking up the stairs with an empty plate, she heard snoring children. Clearly exhausted from the day's events, Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko were fast asleep in her bed. The professor was also snoring loudly beside them. The sleeping faces of the innocent children were, in a way, comforting. She smiles softly as she sets the plate down, only to be confronted by Shinichi.
"Thanks a lot," he muttered, and she held a hand over her lips, trying to keep her laughter at bay. It would seem the children had worked their magic. Shinichi's cheeks were littered with the scrawls and drawings of whiteboard markers. Phrases like—"liar," "Conan-kun, you idiot," and "Don't you dare play with Haibara-san's feelings" were joined with drawings of spiral-shaped poop and flowers.
"Looking," she rubs a finger down his cheeks, "Good."
"I hate you."
Minutes later, they found themselves on the roof. Shiho wipes his face to remove the sketches. She erases them gently, leaving behind smudge marks while they engage in their typical banter.
As she finished, they sat with fingers intertwined, gazing up at the stars. It was clear, cloudless, and pleasant outside. A breeze waffled by as Shiho remembered the playful antics of the children.
A strange peace enveloped her, spreading through her chest, leaving her all warm and fuzzy. Contentment she'd never felt before.
It was a hectic day, but nevertheless—it had been…
"Shiho?" Shinichi prodded, noticing her silence.
"This," she admitted, "Today was good."
He paused before cracking a smile.
"For you, that is."
Shiho smiled before looking out to the expanse.
Something as good as this—was nothing but a dream. It couldn't be real. This peaceful lull of gentle days. Shiho had used up her allotment of happiness. It will end. It always did.
Suddenly, fear takes over.
"Shinichi?" she whispered.
Shiho turns away, peering into the darkness. Once again, she finds herself unable to believe. Flinching at memories of a silver-haired beast.
"Will this ever la—"
"Tomorrow," he understands, tightening his hold, " and the day after, and many more after. That," he grins, "Is a promise."
How…does he…
She holds back a smile, instead scoffing as he chuckles.
"Idiot."
They talked through the night. Banters, coupled with the future, dissolved into light jokes and idle chatter. At some point, the topics, like always, turned serious, and discussions of an upcoming mission ensued.
"I could go alone if—"
"Not a question, Shinichi," she snapped, and he sighed.
"Shiho, there's no need to force yourself."
"Likewise."
"Why are you so—"
"Stubborn?"
"I was going to say irritating, but hey, that works too."
"You're the last person I want to hear that from."
The conversation devolved into insults, and they eventually ceased. Shinichi's gaze hardened as he recalled the one-eyed beast. There is a plot brewing in their midst—too sinister to consider. The Takizakis—a part of the bigger picture. Answers they seek, lying with...a turtle tooth female detective.
"You ready, Shiho?"
The realities could not be escaped. There has been an arrangement made, and a meeting will be held. It was the reason why Shiho was swamped with work.
Taking a deep breath, she faced him. "What do you think, corpse magnet?"
"Right," he smirks, "Gunma, it is."
Akai-san, disguised as Okiya Subaru, steers his red Subaru 360 into exit 17 of the highway as rain sloshes against the gravel roads. As the roads split apart, they emerged on an exposed expressway. Red and orange lights from speeding vehicles reflect off the wet surfaces as wind swipers sweep the rolling droplets off a misted windshield.
Despite the humid weather, Shiho, clad in thick hoodies, stared wearily at Sera Masumi while hiding behind Shinichi. Seated in the passenger seat, the tomboyish girl looked at Subaru with the same disdain she showed when they met months ago.
Arriving hours earlier, revving her motorcycle, and disturbing the neighborhood, Sera bounded into the professor's house like she owned it.
"Good morning," she greeted brightly, peeling off her helmet as she flashed a toothy smile. It was directed at Shiho, who had just emerged. The scientist blindsided by the female detective's sudden arrival could only grimace as she was bombarded.
Sera is relentless in her pursuit, questioning the scientist about the bubbling concoction she has been holding. The lab coat she wore, and the experimental room, she had in the basement. She couldn't be stopped despite the professor's and Shinichi's attempts. It was only after the arrival of their savior that the girl ceased.
Shinichi had wanted to hug Okiya Subaru when he emerged, carrying his usual pot of curry. Wearing a dubious smile, he regarded Sera with repressed amusement, and she glared at him with suspicion.
"Why are you here?" she snapped, and he shrugged, gesturing to the car he had parked outside the professor's house.
"I was under the impression you guys needed a ride."
"Yes," was Shiho's immediate answer, and now they were traveling through the roads.
Uncomfortably shifting in the leather seats, Shiho pressed herself against his back. The gentle warmth of her breath caressed his neck, and Shinichi couldn't help but resist the burning desire to hold her, regardless of how awkward the position was.
Since her wordless confession on the cruise, she's been more forthcoming with her touches. Involuntarily relying on him, she was gentler and more honest. Though Shinichi would not admit it—especially to a pesky childhood friend and an irritating Osaka Detective— he wore it like a badge of honor, positively beaming at the fact that the scientist was laying herself bare to him.
As he suppressed the goofy grin that was forming, he focused instead on Sera, who had grown increasingly restless with Okiya Subaru's cryptic answers.
"What are you exactly?" she asked for the hundredth time, shifting in her seat to catch a glimpse of his face.
Undeterred, Okiya turned the wheel, avoiding an oncoming vehicle. "Just a friendly neighbor that just so happens to be free."
"Who also happens to be part of the FBI…" Sera recalls what Subaru told her earlier.
"Yes."
"And a cook."
"Yes."
"And a university student...living in the Kudou Mansion right now?"
"Don't forget, clown," Shiho muttered under her breath, narrowing her eyes at the supercilious responses Okiya was dishing out.
Shinichi chuckled softly at her reply.
"Are you serious?"
"Positively, young lady," he winked as Sera made her face, looking like she was forced to sniff a skunk.
When Shuichi Akai made a surprising request to join the trip, it wasn't clear what his motive was. However—
He studied the disguised FBI agent and the female detective, who was fuming.
The similarities were startling.
His gaze shifted to Shiho, who wore a hood over her face.
And if I'm right…
Miyano Shiho, Mary Sera, Sera Masumi, and Akai Shuichi might have more in common than he thought.
It was hard to confirm, and Shinichi did not want to drop the bomb on Shiho.
Not when—
Akai had been in a relationship with Miyano Akemi.
As Shinichi shook the thought away, he realized they were heading through a different exit. Driving through a tunnel this time. Dim orange lights fitted at the sides shone into their vehicle, casting deep shadows across.
They emerged into the overcast skies as the rain continued to pelt relentlessly against the rooftops of the red Subaru 360. Tree-covered mountains towered over them, swaying in the violent storm winds.
Sera's mood soured with every interaction, so she turned to Shinichi instead.
"So what is an FBI agent doing driving us to our destination? What is the purpose of your visit with my mother?"
She had worded it carefully, trying to extract information in her own way. Having grown tired of her incessant probing, Shinichi gives her a taste of her own medicine.
"Why not ask Mary Sera," he states, "After the meeting."
Sera folded her arms, dissatisfied. "I was just trying to break the ice," she grumbled.
"Then, shut up," Shiho mumbled, annoyed by the female detective's constant badgering. Shinichi eyed her, and she shrugged before glancing at the passing scenery. Winding roads give way to tall mountain passes. They were now driving through a ravine. After stirring the wheel, Okiya entered another tunnel. Conversations ceased as they emerged from their three hours drive to the town of Maebashi, the capital city of Gunma.
Located at the foot of Mount Akagi, Haruno, and Myogi, it was surrounded by nature. A town steeped in history, Tone and Hirose rivers complemented the town's primary source of income—farms on the Kanto plains.
An urban area with at least a million people was a bustling and lively place. It's hard to imagine that this was the birthplace and home of the notorious leader of the Black Organization—Renya, or in this case, Soma Karasuma.
Earlier, Sera had mentioned that her mother had some things to take care of in town. Shinichi was eager to hear what the former M16 agent had to say. There are secrets buried deep, a rivalry with a poisoned apple, and a missing husband. Mary Sera held a key that could possibly unlock the motives of a one-eyed beast.
Passing down a main highway, they eventually emerged into a cluster of small streets. A few small shophouses were constructed along the road, most two-story tall. There were mainly vegetable and fruit stores, and the occasional cafe, in this quaint little neighborhood. Up ahead, towering above, Shinichi could see, through the ebbing rain—the ridges of Mount Akagi. Against a backdrop of lush emerald foliage, a heavy mist rolled around its edge, cascading down pine trees.
The air was crisp and fresh. Leaving the parked car, they stepped into a narrow lane. There are a few rundown shops here, but they hold a certain charm. They were made of cedar wood and decorated with cracked potted plants containing summer flowers. Lilac lavender and bright yellow Nikko day lilies swayed in the breeze. Cobblestone floors were covered with puddles reminiscent of European cities. A narrow canal was dug through the street in front of the cafe. Streams of clear water flowed through, hosting a variety of Koi fishes as a myriad of moss grows by its side.
Opening the doors of the chosen café, Shinichi was welcomed by the nutty aroma of brewing Sumatra coffee. Carrying the nostalgic quality of home, his stomach and Sera's rumbled.
"As I've said," The girl gave them a sheepish glance. "I haven't eaten breakfast."
It was for this reason that they had taken a detour. Their meeting with Mary Sera was delayed by their appetites.
"Welcome," the waitress leads them to an open counter seat.
The cafe had a homely feel and was furnished with woody furniture and floorboards. A Victorian-themed establishment, Shinichi was enchanted by the oakwood tables and countertops. The walls were covered with paintings of rolling hills and fields. Orange tallow lights flickered in baroque-style lamps.
It was quite empty, probably past its peak. Some customers still lingered, a family seated to the side, followed by a young teenage couple talking near the bar area on high-raised chairs.
After ordering their food, the waitress arrives with their drinks. A pair of elegant jade tea cups were placed between Akai and Shiho. Both had decided to indulge in a cup of coffee. Shinichi noticed that they seemed to have similar reactions to it.
The decision to serve coffee in tea cups was unusual.
After picking up the drink, the FBI agent carefully examined it. Shiho, on the other hand, remained firmly fixed in place. The bitter smile she formed was not lost on him.
"Coffee in a teacup?" Sera beat Shinichi to it, remarking on the oddity. "That's a weird marketing ploy."
"It certainly is...an abomination, isn't it," Akai glances at Shiho, who is still gazing at the cup. It is apparent that the FBI agent and shrunken scientist were experiencing a similar recollection that Shinichi was not a part of.
"It is," Shiho muttered.
"Now, that's just rude," the waitress replies as she serves them plates of sandwiches. The food distracts Shinichi from the odd behavior of Akai and Shiho. Grabbing the sandwich, he devoured it. Sera doing the same.
"Savages," Shiho snorted as the waitress laughed.
"You're not from around these parts, aren't you?" She made small talk as they ate.
"No," Sera replied between chews, spitting out tiny bits of food as she spoke. With her handkerchief, Shiho wipes a stray cabbage away. Shinichi struggles to hold back her wrath.
"We're here just to visit," the female detective continued.
"Oh, where are you from, may I ask?"
"Tokyo," Akai answered, and the waitress gushed. As the conversations carried on, Shinichi couldn't help but be distracted by the two teenagers. They were speaking loudly, their ragged appearance out of place in the cafe's interior. The teenage girl, about 16 years old, wearing a black jacket and red checkered pants covered in holes, similar to those Sera wore, was waving her hands frantically at the boy. As Shinichi studied her face, he noted that her cheeks were stained with tear streaks. He also spots the long gash on her right wrist and the mess in her short black hair.
On the other hand, the teenage boy with a brown crew cut appeared strangely calm. Considering the girl's escalating anxiety, he was handling being screamed at rather well. The boy narrowed his gaze as he tightened the bandana that held back his long bangs. He appeared bored and uninterested in the girl's distress, and the escalating tension didn't sit well with the bartender.
"Hey, boy," Subaru Okiya said, diverting his attention from his observations. Akai holds it between her fingers. Following the casual conversation with the waitress, he placed the badge on the table, drawing Sera's interest.
"I had intended to ask Agase Hakase to fix this issue but haven't had the time...if you could..."
"Sure," Shinichi pipes, about to take the device when Sera snatches it. Grasping at it like a grubby child, the female detective held it to the light. She smiled cheekily, intrigued by what she saw. "Is this it? The toy that brought down the black organization?"
"Have you been taught proper manners?" Shiho quipped when Sera shoved the badge in front of their faces.
"What," Sera pursed her lips, "does that even mean?"
While Shinichi was about to grab the badge back, Sera held it high, preventing him from doing so.
"So it is," she confirms. "Fascinating."
Taking advantage of her height, she peers at them with playfulness.
"What exactly does it do anyway? What are its functions? How did you guys do it?"
The questions started once again.
"Work your magic, Shinichi," Shiho cursed under her breath.
He eyed her with a raised brow. "Do I want to know how?"
"I'm beginning to think your curse," she snorted as Sera continued her tirade, "Is biased."
"Situational, you mean," Shinichi sneered.
"What a," Shiho slaps the female detective's hand away, "useful power."
"That's hardly a compliment, Shiho," he snapped as Subaru Okiya chuckled at their antics.
"I'll leave you, kids, to it," the FBI agent said as he motioned to the washroom. "Be back soon—"
An abrupt scream interrupts him. Shinichi rushed over to the source. The teenager from before was kneeling on the ground and gawking at the red streaming from his midriff. As he screamed, the waitress beside him backed up against the wall.
"What happened?" Sera asked.
"A running joke," Shiho inspects the injury. Shinichi turns around to find the teenage girl brandishing a short dagger.
"Well," he sighed, "Shit."
"Again," was Masumi's initial reaction. She couldn't help but think back on a similar incident in Osaka on a train while watching the teenage boy bleeding from his stomach, of a man stabbed and shrunken teenagers saving the day.
"It's nothing new," said the strawberry blonde, who had already called an ambulance and was working through a kit in her bag. "You'll get used to it."
Shoving Masumi aside, the scientist began applying bandages to the bleeding wound. The victim cried out in horror as an Edogawa Conan tried his best to calm him down. The culprit, a shivering teenage girl, stood frozen in place. As her lips quivered, the girl began whimpering, backing away.
"No...no...no...no..." she whispered feverishly, dropping the dagger she held. "This isn't supposed to happen."
Masumi realized she was losing it. Even Okiya Subaru, who had only coerced the waitress to stop screaming, could not restrain her. Before he could stop her, Masumi hurtled out of the Victorian-styled cafe after the teenage girl who had just bolted.
This cowardly fool.
Cursing, Masumi began her pursuit. She should have trusted her gut feeling. When she entered the cafe, she should have raised an issue with the gaunt, rough teenagers holding small plastic packets with poorly concealed powder-like contents.
There are tell-tale signs in the sickly teens' bloodshot eyes and sunken cheeks. Probably peddlers who had gotten in way over their heads, they must have quarreled, which resulted in a situation like this.
"You're jumping the gun, Masumi," she could almost hear her mother nagging. Mary Sera's disapproving gaze weighed heavily on her. "It is too reckless, based on assumptions that might seem logical but are unsupported by any evidence."
Her approach of guilt until proven innocent is a bad habit.
"Just speculations," she could hear her older brother's disdain and winced.
Fine…
Masumi paused, cursing as she had lost sight of her.
"Okay," she huffed, panting from exertion, recalling her mother's words, "Evidence...first."
After spotting the girl running ahead, Masumi calls out to her. "Hey, wait!" she shouted, suppressing her urge to just apprehend the girl forcefully, "I just want to tal—"
Masumi was barely able to move. A sharp pang radiates through a single point. Disoriented and dizzy, she raises her hand to touch the back of her head. Her palms were stained a deep scarlet.
What?
She struggled to stay awake, slumping to her knees. A blurred vision caught sight of two burly men. "We've got her," they say, and it goes black.
Nurses treated the young man in a ragged blue blouse and stained canvas pants as he adjusted the dirty yellow bandana on his forehead. A doctor was inserting an IV bag into his veins, and he was being asked about his wound. As he grunted, the young teenager sat in the pristine beds of Maebashi private hospital.
An hour earlier, Shiho found his wound to be superficial. There was no puncture to any vital organs, and what they thought was a stab wound turned out to be just a deep surface cut. Although it would scar the teenager's stomach, it would not be permanent. He was still very much in pain but was at least conscious enough to speak to the inspector who stood before him.
Inspector Misao Yamamura was a detective Shinichi regarded with total contempt. When the man strolled in, the shrunken detective couldn't hide his disappointment. Known for his sloppiness, Misao Yamamura was a careless individual who took evidence at face value. The result was often wrong conclusions and fights with his suspects, occasionally, if not frequently.
It was therefore fitting that the children nicknamed him "big-baby" detective. Despite his moments of clarity, he was still—
"A pain in the ass," Shinichi mumbled after being kicked out by the Inspector. When Misao Yamamura saw Shinichi, he made a big fuss about it. The duck-faced detective promptly ushered Shinichi out of the hospital room as soon as he'd arrived.
"This is an adult's task, Conan-kun!" he declared, "You can't just listen in."
Adding salt to the irony, Inspector Yamamura shooed Shinichi and a disguised Akai away with a, "Leave it to the professionals."
Shiho watched an irate shrunken detective scowl at the Inspector's tactics with amusement. The victim views the man with an air of mirth and annoyance. It appears that the incompetent inspector will not be able to get anything out of the teenage boy anytime soon.
"He's right, you know," Shiho quipped.
"How?!"
"We're here to meet Sera's mother," she reminded him. "Why are we wasting time on this?"
He frowned. "Shiho, he just got stabbed…in front of us."
"And he, like many others, has nothing to do with us."
"Speaking of which," Akai interrupts, "Where is Sera-san?"
Still wearing his disguise, the man was strangely worried. Despite his reticent demur, the subtle movements of his brows and the way he pressed his lips together gave it away.
"That's why," Shinichi said, "we have to solve this. How else will we meet Mary Sera without Sera-san's help?"
Spotting his blatant motive, Shiho felt the urge to wring her hands around his neck but held herself. Shinichi had a point, and as much as she hated to admit it, something was indeed wrong with the teenage boy.
The outline of the young man's ribs was visible through his torn shirt. His cheeks were sunk in, and he was very pale. Additionally, his pupils were dilated, and his hands were constantly shaking. As Inspector Yamamura continued his fruitless questioning, Shinichi intervened.
"Is Onii-chan ok?" he asks in his highest voice. Taking hold of the protesting Inspector, Akai distracted the man who was blindsided by the two unsuspecting detectives who were ganging up on him.
Shinichi gestured with his hands, and she sighed. Reading his mind, she sneaked behind the teenager who, distracted by Shinichi's constant badgering, did not notice her. He had been carrying a brown sack. It lay worn and old beside his bed, and she reached into it.
Despite the foul odor, she managed to retrieve a tattered leather wallet.
"Go away, kid!" Inspector Yamamura was able to break out of Akai's grip immediately and promptly pushed them out. Locking the ward doors behind, they were forced to loiter in an antiseptic-smelling hospital's corridors.
"So…"
"First, I'd like to discuss my pay," she handed him the wallet she retrieved.
"The FBI may be able to help you," Shinichi suggests, and Akai shrugs.
"We can work something out, but contracts would be involved and…well, the American government."
"At least," Shiho snorts. "Overtime compensation will be provided."
"Overtime?" Shinichi snapped at her insinuations, "Shiho, your personal bias seems to have led you to make the wrong assumptions."
"Assumptions?" she emphasized, "The statistic speaks for itself."
"Well, what can I say? I didn't ask for it. The cases...they come to me," Shinichi quotes from his favorite hero, "I am a brain, Watson. The rest of me is an appendix."
"Appendix, Shinichi?" she scoffs, "Not arse?"
"You—"
"Children," Akai teased, squatting between them with an amused smirk. "May I suggest we stop this pointless argument and move forward?"
Snorting, the shrunken teenagers grumbled before inspecting the contents of the flimsy wallet.
There was hardly any cash in it. An identification card and a few moist, wrinkled notes. An image of the young man with a faraway stare was printed on it. "Eiji Tanaka, 18 years old," Shinichi read, confirming their suspicions.
"Homeless?" Akai speculates.
"Runaway teenagers?" Shiho continued, "A love story gone wrong? Romeo and Juliet? There—case solved. It's a crime of passion."
Shinichi groaned at her groundless speculations.
"Does this," Shinichi pulls from the wallet a small plastic packet from a compartment that had been haphazardly sewn shut. "Look like a crime of passion?"
Shiho and Akai study the packet. It contained what appeared to be a white powder.
"That is—" Shiho was interrupted by a scream.
"Again?" Akai eyed Shinichi with a raised brow.
"I'm glad somebody agrees," Shiho piques.
"Enough," Shinichi retorts. "We get it already."
"A word of advice," Shiho turns her attention to the screams, "Exorcism, Shinichi."
There was a loud bang followed by Inspector Yamamura's cries. Before they could do anything, Eiji Tanaka's ward doors flew open. Looking absolutely terrified, he was frothing at the mouth.
"What happened?" Shinichi shouted at the Inspector, who only shook his head in confusion.
"I don't know!" The man tried his best to hold onto the erratic teenager who seemed to be hallucinating.
"Stay away! Stay away, you monsters!" Eiji screamed, alerting the hospital staff. As nurses rushed over, they were equally confused about the situation.
After freeing himself from Inspector Yamamura's grasp, Eiji easily pushes past Shinichi and Shiho. Trying to stop him, Akai was surprised by the boy's sudden burst of strength. The veteran FBI agent was overcome by Eiji Tanaka, who shoved him to the ground before running down the corridors to the staircase.
"Imai-sensei!" one of the nurses cried for help. "Imai-sensei, we have a patient on the loose."
A bespectacled man appeared from his office quickly. "What?!"
Running down the corridors, nurses and Imai-sensei chased after their runaway patient. Shinichi, Shiho, Akai, and Inspector Yamamura were not far behind.
"Shinichi," Shiho gasped, realizing the direction they were heading in.
"I know," Shinichi burst through the doors leading to the roof. Inspector Yamamura gave a warning cry as the nurses and Imai-sensei stood still in terror.
They watched as their patient, delirious in nature, climbed the roof fence. He was singing loudly into the air, speaking to an unknown entity. Looking like he was in a—
Drug-induced hysteria.
It happened in a matter of seconds. As the boy leaned back, he flashed one last smile. Nobody could stop him, and screams erupted as a loud thump was heard.
"Shinichi," Shiho whispered, and the shrunken detective nodded.
"This is," he declares, "A murder."
References used:
Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter :). Again, I thank you all for the reviews and feedback :). Wishing you guys a good week ahead.
P.S. I know I'm late to this but have you guys watched the latest detective Conan movie 26 trailers?
It was, to quote Watson, "Excellent."