One person ate, one person fiddled with their phone.
About five minutes later, Haibara Ai finished her meal, took the cold medicine, and went into the room to change.
On Chi Feichi's side, the information for the three bounty missions had finished downloading to his phone. He cleared the traces left on the computer, shut it down, and draped a jacket over Kitagawa Adachi. Once Haibara Ai came out, he packed up the pajamas she had changed out of and the other set of new clothes to take along.
Haibara Ai silently accepted Chi Feichi's actions. After stepping out the door, she pulled up the hood of her red jacket. "What about him?"
"He'll go back on his own when he wakes up." Chi Feichi closed the door. "What is the specific address? I'll drive you there."
"21, 2-Chome, Beika Town."
An hour later, a car pulled up to the front gate of the Kudo residence.
Haibara Ai looked at the dark and silent house and coughed lightly. "It seems everyone is out. You can go back first; I'll wait outside for a while."
Previously, she had been single-mindedly focused on finding Kudo Shinichi, who had also shrunk. Whether as a "fellow shrunken victim" or someone who knew about the Organization and had a grudge against them, teaming up with him to find a solution seemed like a good choice. But she had almost forgotten that Kudo Shinichi wouldn't be living here after shrinking...
"I'll wait with you for a bit." Chi Feichi got straight out of the car.
"No need!"
Haibara Ai followed him out, putting on the act of a little girl, her expression wary. "I've heard that some perverts like to target very young girls. Are you trying to confirm who's in my house so you can make a plan to kidnap me?"
Chi Feichi froze for a moment...
"Pfft!"
He... he laughed?
Haibara Ai stared blankly at Chi Feichi. The smile on the older boy's face wasn't deep, but when his pale purple eyes smiled, they looked like melting clouds—warm and indulgent.
This guy...
She snapped back to reality. Cold face +1.
"You... what are you laughing at? What's so funny!"
Chi Feichi rubbed his face. This body seemed not to have laughed in a long time; the facial muscles were stiff, and suddenly smiling actually hurt a little. "You suddenly acting like a bratty, arrogant, difficult little kid is pretty funny."
Just a moment ago she was fine, then suddenly her face changed, as if to say—'I've always suspected you were a bad guy. Now that I'm home, I have no fear. I'm going to expose you!'
Others might think that, but unfortunately...
He knew Haibara Ai wasn't really a little girl and wouldn't genuinely have such a childish reaction.
Was she worried about running into Organization members here? Or was she afraid he would get dragged into it and was deliberately creating distance?
Haibara Ai remembered the pile of books she had seen on the living room table earlier and realized: This guy studies psychology, doesn't he? Fine, there's no point in keeping up the act. "I was joking."
Chi Feichi nodded. "Mm."
Haibara Ai gave Chi Feichi a strange look. This guy, who seemed not to overthink anything and was silent and quiet to the point of seeming autistic—was he really studying psychology properly? "Are you always like this?"
Chi Feichi looked at Haibara Ai in confusion.
"No curiosity, unsmiling, poor approachability, acting like a cold, aloof, and difficult person..." Haibara Ai leisurely returned the compliment, echoing his earlier comment about her being 'bratty, arrogant, and difficult.'
Chi Feichi thought for a moment. "Do I look like someone difficult to get along with?"
"On the surface, yes." Haibara Ai looked at Chi Feichi's calm face.
Subtext: But deep down, no.
But asking her to comfort a man and tell him not to overthink it... that felt a bit too much like a girlish gesture. Just thinking about it made her uncomfortable...
Anyway, he should understand what she meant.
Although this guy spoke very little, he had nothing to do with being 'aloof.' At least, being around him was relaxing, and he was probably a gentle person inside.
Taking her back could be out of pity or ulterior motives. Buying her clothes could be because he had money to burn and didn't care about the cost. But this guy had also bought slippers, panties... that doesn't count!
Plus, when she was eating, she saw the empty bento box on the table, meaning he had specifically bought two portions, remembering to get one for her...
Her hair still carried the faint scent of shampoo, but the pillow showed no signs of dampness, meaning he had helped wash her hair and carefully dried it.
The pajamas and slippers were the softest kind; he had at least considered the fabric and chosen carefully. He bought two sets of clothes in different colors, not forgetting to buy two jackets suitable for the recent low nighttime temperatures.
Furthermore, there was food as soon as she woke up, and when it was time to take medicine, the boiled water at hand had cooled to just the right drinking temperature.
And from start to finish, this guy never specifically mentioned what he had done, as if it were only natural.
Ignoring his personality, ignoring the money, these small details were touching.
Haibara Ai couldn't help but turn her head to look at Chi Feichi, who was standing beside her looking down at his phone. He just likes to keep a cold face and act uninterested in everything. He completely lacks the ability to express himself...
"Um..."
Next door, Agasa Hiroshi opened the gate, looking confusedly at the two people standing in the cold wind. "Are you looking for the Kudo family?"
"I'm a distant relative of the Kudos. My parents planned to visit, but unfortunately, I got separated from them," Haibara Ai glanced at Chi Feichi, who was putting away his phone. "He's a kind person who dropped me off on his way. I have very important business with Kudo Shinichi."
Chi Feichi, having just been issued a 'Good Person Card': "..."
"Looking for Shinichi? He hasn't been back lately..." Dr. Agasa looked a bit troubled.
Having been neighbors for so many years, he hadn't heard Kudo Shinichi mention such a distant relative.
But it was normal for distant relatives not to be in touch. Leaving someone to wait outside seemed inappropriate...
"You..." Haibara Ai looked at Dr. Agasa, a mysterious smile appearing on her face. "Do you know about the drug he took?"
Dr. Agasa's expression stiffened. Speaking of the drug...
"I don't think you'd mind if I sit at your place for a while and let the unrelated person go about his business. After all, you and I are somewhat related too, so you should be happy to chat with me, right?" Haibara Ai's tone was leisurely, but to Dr. Agasa's ears, it was a naked threat!
"Ah, of course!" Dr. Agasa wiped the solemnity from his face, forced a smile, and looked hesitantly at Chi Feichi.
Is this the 'unrelated' 'kind person'...?
Haibara Ai turned back to Chi Feichi. "Thank you for bringing me here. I'll wait at his house. You can go back now."
Chi Feichi was a bit curious about how Haibara Ai and Dr. Agasa would communicate after his intervention, but Haibara Ai clearly didn't want him involved. He nodded, got into the car, turned off his phone, and drove away.
Knocking out Kitagawa Adachi and lying to delay his return to the hospital were already facts.
Even if he went back voluntarily now, a "combo meal" of intensive observation and "chicken soup for the soul" would be unavoidable.
In that case, he might as well be decisive. Let them think what they want; he wasn't playing along anymore.
This was the perfect opportunity to go to Osaka and apprehend Numabuchi Kiichiro!
The next day.
Osaka, Tsutenkaku Tower.
On the observation deck, a dark-skinned young man was introducing the sights to the people beside him. "Over there... is Tennoji Zoo, and that way is the Osaka Arena..."
Hattori Heiji, huh...
Chi Feichi observed from a distance, then withdrew his gaze and continued asking people which forest in Osaka had a waterfall and a small wooden cabin.
Fortunately, he had driven to Osaka overnight and found a hotel to rest, otherwise, the bounty target might have been intercepted by the Reaper Elementary School Student.
He didn't remember the name of the place where Numabuchi Kiichiro was found, so he could only pretend to be a tourist and ask around.
Conveniently, Tsutenkaku was a famous scenic spot in Osaka, and many tour guides gathered here. They should have an impression of the local scenery...
"You must be talking about Minoh Waterfall on Mount Minoh? If we're talking about a forest with a waterfall and a wooden cabin, that should be the place. Although, I haven't been there in years. I don't know if the cabin has been demolished," the middle-aged tour guide said with a sigh. "Actually, in the early years, Minoh Waterfall was very famous. It's a beautiful waterfall that plunges straight down from a high cliff. It's a pity it wasn't developed further. Since it's a bit far from the city, it slowly became desolate..."
Chi Feichi fished out a map of Osaka from his newly bought backpack and found the location of Mount Minoh. "Minoh Waterfall doesn't seem to be marked on the map."
"Let me mark it for you," the guide took out his ballpoint pen and leaned in to mark it for Chi Feichi. "I might as well mark the route into the mountain for you too. This road is drivable, very convenient. But what are you going there for? If you want forest bathing, there are actually better choices, for example..."
Chi Feichi listened to the guide ramble for a while. "Thank you, but friends invited me to meet there. If I have time, I'll go check out those other places with them."
"Is that so? Then you can hire me as a guide when the time comes. I know Osaka's attractions like the back of my hand; you won't find many in all of Osaka who can compare to me!" The guide gave himself a sales pitch. "Just go to Yamashima Travel Agency and tell them you're looking for Hirakawa Tadashi!"
"I'll go if I have time," Chi Feichi replied, taking the map and turning to leave, glancing over at Conan's group on the way.
Those few were still looking at the scenery and chatting.
He still had to go rent a car. I envy those who can take a police car with the police to catch criminals...
In front of the observation window, Hattori Heiji was still explaining to Conan, "I dreamed that just as I was about to catch the criminal, he turned around and stabbed me... and then you died~"
Conan stumbled, sweating as he joked, "What the heck? Please, don't just kill people off randomly, okay? Hmm?"
Seeing Conan suddenly turn his head to look behind them, Hattori Heiji followed his gaze. "What's wrong?"
"It felt like someone was watching us just now..." Conan looked at the passing crowd, his gaze subconsciously pausing on a figure dressed entirely in black from behind.
"There are so many people here; it's normal for someone passing by to glance at us, right?" Hattori Heiji said speechlessly. "Even if they looked twice, they might have been looking out the window. The window! We're standing right in front of it, after all..."
"True." Conan withdrew his gaze. Maybe it was an illusion...