Chapter 12: The Girl With An Evil-Glare Joins My Class
At an undisclosed location, two men were dealing with the aftermath of their prisoner's escape.
"Gin-Aniki, where do you think she could've gone?" Vodka asked his superior. But there was no immediate response from the other man.
Gin had meticulously inspected the room Sherry was held in multiple times, yet the handcuffs remained securely fastened to the railing, and there were no signs of tampering on either the door lock or the cuffs themselves. The most plausible explanation was that someone from within their ranks had helped her escape. But who'd dare to take away Gin's prey like that?
He had ruthlessly dealt with any of the research assistants who dared to show pity towards her. Furthermore, the agents stationed outside the lab had been vigilant, ensuring that no one could access the room. It was as if she had simply vanished from their heavily guarded confinement.
"With the expression you're wearing, Gin, I'd wager she ran off just to get under your skin," a new woman had opened the door and entered the conversation.
"How nice of you to join us, Vermouth." He said, brushing off her taunt. "I could ask you the same. Who was the one who traveled halfway across the world to chase after a single runaway girl?" Away from her shooting to take part in a different kind of shooting.
"I just came here on boss's orders to assist you in handling the situation, since you, oh so easily, let her escape." Vermouth retorted, revealing her purpose for coming to Japan.
Gin's cold gaze remained unyielding. "She was acting rather docile near the end. Who'd have guessed that she still had the guts to escape?"
"Nonetheless, it shouldn't take long to find her. Where would a mere stray even go?"
Fully prepared and resolute, they were ready to launch an unrelenting search. They couldn't afford to let anyone with knowledge of their organization's existence roam freely, especially someone who possessed potentially damning information.
Little did they know, the person they were looking for had now turned little herself.
The following week arrived, and Conan headed to Professor Agasa's house to ensure that the shrunken scientist wouldn't miss her first day of school. Upon entering her room, however, he was surprised to find it empty.
"Did she run away?!" He exclaimed in disbelief. However, where could she have even gone? He combed through the house, searching for any clues that might explain her sudden disappearance.
Instead, he discovered a letter from his mother, informing that she had decided to accompany that scientist to school because someone had been mean towards the girl for the past week.
He sighed in exasperation. "Couldn't she have said something earlier, then? Honestly, Kaa-chan could be ridiculous sometimes." Muttering his thoughts out loud.
But his mother did have a point. He couldn't deny that his interactions with the girl had been strained since their prior case. No matter how hard he tried to engage her in conversation, he was met with silence. Granted, his questions revolved around everything else she knew about the organization's experiments. But it was like talking to a brick wall. Scratch that, at least a brick wall didn't glare back at him. It was beyond infuriating; as if she were entirely content with the current status quo.
As he grappled with these emotions, he couldn't escape the harsh reality that their latest lead, the Shizuoka police's return of the Aptx-4869 data disk had failed too. It turned out to be infected with a virus that wiped its contents clean and crashed the professor's computer. Their leads had evaporated and they were back to square one in their quest for the vaccine.
Sighing deeply, he admitted to himself, "I guess I'm back to walking this path alone, just like always." Despite his reluctance to admit it, he couldn't deny that he felt lonely being the only adult in a child's body for the longest time. It certainly felt like he had gained a new companion who could understand him. Now, if only she could play nice…
"Good Morning, Conan-kun!" Ayumi greeted him with the same old cheerful smile, as he entered the classroom.
"Ah, Ayumi-chan! Morning!" He returned the greeting with a friendly nod. Rumors of a new transfer student had already been circulating among the kids, and they couldn't help but speculate about the newcomer. Conan did wonder whether they had a similar discussion when he transferred in as well.
"Some say she's really cute!"
"What if it's a boy?"
"Well, at least they won't have a name as weird as Conan's."
"Oi, oi." Said little detective responded to Genta's comment.
Their teacher entered the class, with the new student standing behind her.
"Quiet down, kids! I'd like to introduce a new student joining us today."
"Class, welcome Haibara Ai-chan!"
"She's cute!" The boys and girls unanimously agreed as she made her way into the classroom.
Turning the floor over to the new student, Kobayashi-sensei gently prompted, "Would you like to introduce yourself?"
"Haibara Ai."
A brief pause followed before the teacher's voice broke the silence again.
"Uh…anything else you'd like to share?"
"No."
The curt response from that scientist was to be expected, but Conan couldn't help but worry about her distant demeanor. He had hoped she might play along and act like a child to fit in, but he couldn't really force her to do it either.
"Ah, alright. You can take any one of the empty seats." Kobayashi-sensei wasn't sure what to think of the new student. Maybe the girl was just shy or had a reserved nature? She decided to give her some time to get used to her classmates, and hopefully she'd open up soon.
As Haibara moved towards her destination, Genta pulled out the chair next to him, assuming she'd sit there. However, she went right past him and took the seat next to Conan.
Conan simply stared at her as if she had just shot someone.
"What?" She shot back without so much as a glance in his direction.
"You can't monitor my every move if I'm not right next to you, now can you?" Her attention was focused on arranging her books under the desk.
"Uh…Right," Conan stammered in response, still trying to wrap his head around her peculiar logic.
"Oh! You moved into…eh? Conan-kun's house?" Kobayashi-sensei was puzzled because the two kids had apparently provided the same residential address.
"Ah, crap!" A sinking realization hit Conan as he mentally berated himself. He hadn't actually informed the school about his change of residence, namely that he had moved back to his own mansion.
"No! My parents picked me up and we're living next door to her, and she moved in where I was living before. We're neighbors now! That's how we know each other!" He hastily tried to explain the situation, attempting to clarify the confusion.
"Oh, I see!" Miss Kobayashi accepted the excuse.
Relief washed over him like a cooling breeze on a hot day, as he relaxed his tense shoulders. "Thank goodness," he thought, grateful that the situation had been clarified.
A mischievous glint danced in Haibara's eyes as she directed her question to him, "You're rather quick at coming up with excuses, aren't you?"
Witnessing his lips silently form the words "Shut up!" only added to her amusement. A subtle, victorious smirk adorned her face, much to his chagrin.
...
The bell rang and their teacher set everything up for the day's lecture.
"Well class, let's begin then!"
As the class settled down, and their teacher faced the blackboard, Conan discreetly tried calling out to his new seatmate.
"Oi, Haibara." He whispered, his voice barely audible in the silent classroom.
"Hey, are you listening?" He asked a bit louder this time. He really wanted to tell her to be a bit more natural in acting like a kid, but she was being too stubborn.
He tried to grab her attention a few more times, but instead of Haibara, their teacher was the one to respond.
"Conan-kun, I know she's your friend, but could you stop bothering her in the middle of the lesson? I know you can get by in class without paying attention, but please don't disturb the other students…" in a gentle, yet mildly scolding tone. The little giggles from his classmates were rather embarrassing.
"Ah, I'm sorry!" Conan quickly apologized, feeling a bit self-conscious about how obvious his lack of focus had become. Haibara's subtle chuckle, barely concealed behind her hand, only served to further annoy him.
"This girl, really." He glared at her. "Can't she at least respond when she hears me." She somehow knew exactly how to rile him up.
After class, Haibara found herself on the receiving end of an invitation from the other members of the Detective Boys club. They seemed eager to have her join their group, especially since she apparently knew Conan.
"Sorry, but I'm not really interested in things like that," she politely declined their offer. The idea of joining a bunch of kids in their little detective games held no appeal to her.
Ever since she realized that the detective sitting next to her had failed to save her sister, she had awakened from her dream. Now, she had a singular goal – to create the antidote and vanish from everything.
"We're really popular! Even students from upper divisions ask us for help!" The three kids didn't give up though and tried to entice her with something they felt would be an incentive to any child: acknowledgement from their elders!
She inquired instead, "Well, is Edogawa-kun a member as well?" focusing on the boy in question.
"Yes, he's my assistant!" Genta declared with pride, patting Conan's head, as if he were the group's leader.
"Hahaha. Yeah, right."
"Genta-kun's locker is the mailbox where clients submit their requests." The other kids explained, But their enthusiasm turned to disappointment as Genta opened the door to reveal the locker filled with nothing but his shoes.
"It's usually jam-packed," Genta commented, trying to save face after the lie was exposed.
"Hahaha. Yeah, right." Conan repeated his previous statement.
But just as they were about to leave to play football instead, Genta noticed a note inside his shoes when he removed them from the locker.
"A job request…We've got a request!" He exclaimed with joy.
His loud proclamation might have given away their secret mailbox…if their teachers weren't already aware of its existence. The note requested a meeting after school, so they proceeded to the student's classroom 1A, as instructed.
As the 4 young detectives ventured towards their next case, Haibara joined them as well. Just as she had awakened from her dream, it was time for Conan to receive a wake-up call of his own.
Yukiko Kudo had requested the girl to look after her son when she dropped her to school. Both women knew he could be reckless at times, often acting without considering the consequences.
And, for Haibara, what better way to keep him safe than to make him realize his folly at chasing after hardened criminals in his current size and predicament.
...
"Oh, how the mighty have fallen"…Though she didn't mind making fun of him first.
"Shut up."
As if she didn't hear his harsh remark, she continued, "Delegated from the role of a famous detective to a child's assistant."
"Shut up!" He was more visibly annoyed than before. Satisfied, she let him be. For now.
…
The first-grader's plea for help was in response to the disappearance of his brother—an ordeal that had persisted for a week despite the police's involvement.
While the other three saw this as their first big case in a long time, Conan did not share their enthusiasm.
Finding lost pets was one thing, but a missing person was a far more serious matter. He advised his young companions to retreat, and let the authorities handle the situation. Secretly, however, he had every intention of launching his own investigation to locate the missing college student.
Of course, by this point, the kids knew exactly how he operated.
Ever since the bombing incident a few weeks ago, they had realized that their classmate often took matters into his own hands, investigating alone to help Professor Agasa solve the cases.
He'd routinely push them away, insisting they were too young to handle the dangers involved, only to emerge later as the hero who aided the police in resolving the case. It felt incredibly unfair to them; they were eager to be a part of solving crimes too!
So they followed him, their youthful enthusiasm unfazed.
...
As Conan tried to figure out the potential location of the kidnappers, he noticed them on his trail.
"Haibara!" He exclaimed, casting blame on her for their presence. "Why did you bring them here! Don't you realize how dangerous it can be?!"
"Stop it Conan-kun! Don't get mad at Haibara-san!" Ayumi came to Haibara's defense.
"Yeah, why should you always get the glory of solving the cases?" Mitsuhiko questioned him, a touch of envy in his tone.
"We can help as well!" Genta declared, the unshakeable spirit of young detectives burning bright.
The three wannabe detectives chimed in, determined to prove their worth.
Conan's patience wore thin as he warned them of the peril they faced. "Dammit! Give it a rest! What can you kids do in front of real criminals! The kidnappers won't care if you're children! You'll just get yourselves in danger!" He spoke out of genuine concern for their safety, rather than the glory they expected him to pursue.
"But…But you're a kid too!" Ayumi pointed out, seemingly surprised by his outburst.
"Yeah!" The other two boys echoed her sentiment.
Conan found himself at a loss for words. They would've been right…if he weren't, in fact, an adult on the inside. He certainly had been reckless as a child as well, but him openly investigating the case would seem strange from their point of view. Since he obviously couldn't tell them the truth, he was left speechless.
…
"You see, it's not my fault. You're the one who turned them into this." Haibara murmured, her voice carrying only to Conan's ears.
"If you keep solving all of these cases; acting so arrogantly in front of the criminals and the police, of course they're going to think they can handle anything, even murderers and kidnappers alike," she pointed out, her gaze shifting towards the other three children.
Kids are impressionable, Kudo-kun," she continued, emphasizing the weight of her words. "If they don't see you being afraid of criminals, they'll start losing their fear of them too." Her gaze bore into him, reminding him of the weight of responsibility he bore for shaping the kids' perspectives.
But you and I are adults," she reminded him, maintaining her unwavering tone. "We know just how rotten people can be. Many wouldn't even hesitate to harm children." Her words conveyed the potential disastrous consequences of his actions.
"That's why, you should just stop this." She glanced at the sidewalk instead of meeting his eyes. It's not that she felt guilty saying all this, no. But she knew her tone would end up being unreasonably harsh, thanks to her background.
"Playing detective like this…and trying to catch all the bad guys in the world." she clarified what she meant by 'this.'
"You can't do everything on your own."
"Just who do you think you are?" Grimacing at her own words.
"The only thing you'll end up doing is putting the people around you in danger. And you can't protect everybody." It hurt her to say this as well, but she thought he needed to hear it. "Just like how you failed my sister." She added this part even softer, not wanting to remind either of them of that unresolved case.
"So, give your hero complex a rest. And let the professionals handle the cases from now on."
"I won't say anything once they've been taken care of, but as for now, what you're doing is extremely risky," assuring him that she'd let him be once the Black Organization was eradicated.
…
Listening to her in stark silence, Conan had to admit she made a lot of good points. She also knew exactly where to strike him to make it hurt the most.
But her words had ended up giving him a hint to solve the case. And now that he had cracked the case, he couldn't exactly stop midway. As long as there were innocent people in danger, he had to keep trying.
Grinning widely, he turned to face her. "Thank you, Haibara!"
"What are you thanking me for?!" She yelled, annoyed at him for ignoring everything she had just said.
His response was filled with genuine enthusiasm. "For helping me figure out this case." He couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment, even if it meant frustrating her further.
...
"These people weren't professional kidnappers at all; no, they were professional counterfeiters. That's why this case didn't feel anything like a typical kidnapping. They were seeking to exploit the missing brother's artistic talents to forge convincing counterfeit currency!"
Despite telling the officers investigating the case what he had uncovered, they seemed to disregard his insights. Well, that wasn't unexpected. So he separated from the other kids and contacted Inspector Megure to tell him using the Professor's voice to investigate the hideout to find the missing student.
But just as he returned to the place he had left the children, they were nowhere to be found. Dammit, where else would they go except their lair he had informed the police to find proof of the criminals' wrongdoings. In hopes that he'd acknowledge them and the police would listen to their words. He did wonder why Haibara had followed them as well, but figured it was just to keep an eye on them. They were in for another scolding once he found them though.
And just as he had imagined, they were in danger.
By the time he entered the hideout, the kids were surrounded by one of the counterfeiters holding a gun. With a series of swift and calculated moves, he tricked them one by one using his tranquilizer wristwatch and his force amplifying shoes.
Haibara had always known he was exceptionally intelligent, but witnessing him outwitting armed adults left her with a new perspective. The experience shed light on another facet of his capabilities.
Being able to solve mysteries was one thing, but being adept at escaping perilous situations required an entirely different set of skills, and he seemed to excel in both realms. While the criminals might not have been the brightest, their possession of weapons made them formidable opponents. Yet Conan acted with precision, knocking the gun from the woman's hand before any of them could react.
Before the group's boss could recover her weapon, Haibara took matters into her own hands. She seized the gun and fired a shot at the window, shattering the glass and creating a loud noise that echoed through the building, shocking everyone.
The gunshot alerted the nearby police officers, who wasted no time in responding to the sound. They swiftly entered the office, apprehending the culprits. Inspector Megure arrived shortly afterward, eager to learn the details of the case. Conan explained that the professor had relayed all the information to him, emphasizing that they were searching for the missing brother of one of their classmates.
Realizing what took place in that room, Inspector Megure's first instinct was to scold Haibara for discharging a firearm. But the moment he raised his voice, tears streamed down her face, stopping him dead in his tracks. He tried to console her instead, but failed miserably.
With that, the police called the kids' parents who came to pick them up. Conan offered to escort the other girl home, as she happened to live next door to him. Seeing that all his attempts to comfort the crying girl had been unsuccessful, Inspector Megure allowed him to leave with her.
As the shrunken pair walked back together, Conan still found her shedding tears.
"Will you give it a rest? I know those aren't real."
"Oh? And here I thought I was a good actress. Couldn't fool you, I suppose." She said, replacing the tears with a smirk.
…
Abruptly stopping in the middle of the road, she asked him fair and square, "Are you really planning on continuing to solve cases?" Seeing the look of worry on her face, he didn't hesitate in his response.
"Yes," he affirmed, his answer laced with determination and accompanied by a playful grin. His audacious smirk seemed to suggest that he welcomed whatever challenges lay ahead, no matter how perilous.
"This cocky brat," she thought to herself, a mix of exasperation and fondness swirling within her.
She hesitated, torn between her concern for his safety and her respect for his unwavering resolve.
On the one hand, he had demonstrated his ability to protect himself and others, but she also knew he wasn't invincible. If his actions were going to put the kids in danger, it felt as though he had entrusted her with the responsibility of safeguarding them.
…
After a moment of contemplation, she came to a decision. "Very well, then," she said, her voice firm yet laced with a hint of challenge.
"Let's see how far you can go," she added, accepting the role he had assigned to her in this newfound partnership.
"Glad you can trust me now." He said, his grin evolving into a genuine smile. His eyes resonated with an enticing allure, adding a touch of charm that was difficult to ignore.
Averting her gaze to hide her blossoming blush, she turned back to the front, "I don't. I just don't want anyone else to get into trouble because of you." Hoping to add some distance between them, she took a step forward.
"That's fine with me as well," his voice sounded closer, as if he had moved nearer as well, and was now standing just inches behind her.
"So, truce?" He proposed, positioning himself squarely in front of her. His intense gaze locked onto her face, compelling her to respond.
"Truce" she accepted, sealing their pact with a nod. "But the deal is off the moment we encounter any members of the Organization," she added, setting her conditions clear.
Their journey home was marked by silence, yet in her mind, she couldn't help but think this boy was going to be the death of her.
She observed his eyes mirroring the same warmth as the smile on his face. His expression remained unwaveringly pleasant, never leaving the corner of her eyes. Haibara was almost taken aback when they arrived at the professor's front gate. She hadn't even realized they had arrived; her preoccupation with him had consumed her completely.
"Goodnight!" He cheerfully waved to her, his boyish enthusiasm shining through as he bid her farewell. With a quick turn, he darted off toward his own house next door, the fading echoes of his footsteps marking his departure.
As she stood there, watching him fade into the distance, she softly uttered, "Goodnight," knowing full well he wouldn't be able to hear her this time.
A/N:
Well, at least they have reached a compromise! But I just can't help but make them seem like…"they're in their own little world" type of pair. Ah! These two!
I'll admit, I actually don't dislike the Shonen tanteidan! But as an adult, I can't help but think what the heck is wrong with you Kudo?! Why do you keep involving them in danger! So I changed the team dynamic to them not having to face much danger until now. At least there's someone actively keeping them away from trouble now, hopefully.
Next chapter will showcase some of the earlier cases from the Haibara arc. After that should be the Réunion with BO and then the official start of the Vermouth arc!
