Haibara Ai kept calling her sister's number again and again. Even if all she got was voicemail, at least it was her sister's voice.
She had almost no memory of her parents. It was her sister who had raised her, like both sister and mother. "You won't understand me."
Conan hadn't expected her to say that. He understood her longing for her sister, but it was too dangerous. "I get it, but I can't support what you're doing. If you keep this up, you'll put the professor in danger."
"You'll never understand my feelings. No one will." Haibara Ai had no one to rely on anymore. She was a girl being hunted by a terrifying organization, the weight crushing her was obvious. Every moment was spent in fear. Even though the professor and the Detective Boys cared about her, she was still alone. Protecting herself was also protecting them.
"Haibara…" Conan reached out to pull her back, but Professor Agasa, who had woken up, stopped him.
"Let her calm down. She's not a child."
Friday. Liu A'dou's second day at school.
"Ran, your bento looks so good," Sonoko said in their usual chatter.
"Sonoko, yours looks really fancy too."
"Ran, what are you going to wear for tomorrow's opening party?"
"I don't know. I'll pick something tomorrow."
"I think that crimson jacket you wore last time looked great," Sonoko suggested.
"Then I'll wear that one tomorrow." Ran didn't mind. If Sonoko, a rich heiress, thought it looked good, then it was fine.
"What about you, Sonoko? What are you going to wear?"
"I haven't decided yet. But I'll definitely give you a surprise. Tomorrow, wait for me when it's time to leave. I'll go with you guys."
"No problem. This party has lots of people attending. My dad already rented a business van big enough for all of us," Ran said.
"A party? You're going to a party tomorrow?" Liu A'dou walked over.
"Yeah, the opening ceremony of the Twin Towers in Nishitama City. Ran's dad is a senior of the Tokiwa Group president. I'm going to eat until I burst," Sonoko said.
Sonoko's cheerfulness made Ran a little embarrassed. But her dad was the same kind of person, so she was used to it.
"What a coincidence. I'm also going to a party tomorrow. Only, they might not welcome me," Liu A'dou said.
"How could they not? You're so handsome, Liu A'dou," Sonoko replied.
"Because I'll be performing a magic trick. Maybe people won't like it."
"It's fine. Even if it's not perfect, your friends won't mind," Ran said. She thought he meant a friends' gathering where he'd perform some amateur magic.
"Thanks for the encouragement. I feel more confident now," Liu A'dou said with a smile. "I also hope you both have fun tomorrow, and eat well."
"Of course! I'm going to eat to my heart's content tomorrow," Suzuki Sonoko declared. Since she wasn't attending as the Suzuki heiress, she didn't need to hold back—she could be herself.
"By the way, Liu A'dou, aren't you eating lunch? You don't have a bento on your desk," Ran noticed.
"I don't like cold food, so I only brought hot soup," Liu A'dou said. Japanese schools didn't have microwaves for reheating lunches, and by noon, a bento made in the morning was already cold.
"Won't you get hungry then?"
"It's fine. I ate a double breakfast," Liu A'dou lied smoothly. "Don't let me bother your meal. I'll go take a walk outside."
Watching A'dou leave the classroom, Sonoko muttered, "What a strange guy." She had thought he was just a handsome face, but after talking to him, she realized good looks were only skin-deep. Could eating a double breakfast really replace lunch? She doubted it.
"I don't know." Ran also found Liu A'dou strange, with a feeling she couldn't quite explain.
At Teitan Elementary, Haibara Ai apologized to Conan for her outburst the night before.
Conan sighed. He understood her longing for her sister and even her actions, but it was just too dangerous. "Haibara…"
"When I'm afraid of being alone, I unconsciously pick up the phone, just to hear my sister's voice. I know it's dangerous. Sometimes I think being alone is better. Maybe quietly dying by myself would be the best ending for me." Haibara's whole being seemed to turn gray. That feeling of helplessness at the edge of despair left Conan speechless.
He couldn't find words to comfort her. All he could do was strengthen his resolve to destroy the Black Organization. If it weren't for them, so many tragedies wouldn't exist.
"In such a big world, but there's no place for me, no spot that belongs to me," Haibara said.
"Haibara, what are you talking about? Isn't your place right here?" Ayumi asked curiously.
"Yeah, you can't forget your own place, Haibara. Otherwise, you'll be as forgetful as Genta," Mitsuhiko added, trying to lighten the mood.
"I'm not forgetful! I remember yesterday my mom made me eel rice," Genta chimed in, the little clown as always.
"You're not alone, Haibara," Conan said firmly.
"Everyone, let's find our places!" At Ayumi's call, the kids all sat in their seats around Haibara, surrounding her. This was her little world, giving her warmth and light, melting away all her gray.
It was time to stop making those phone calls, Haibara thought.
"Ah, isn't that the onii-san who treated us yesterday?" Genta spotted someone outside the window.
Everyone turned and saw a figure peeking in. It was Liu A'dou, who had been out walking and had somehow wandered over to Teitan Elementary.
In fact, Teitan Elementary, Teitan Middle, and Teitan High were all on the same street. But no one out for a walk would just cut through the school zone.
How did he end up here? Suspicion immediately flared in Conan's mind.
"So it's the kids from yesterday? So this is where you have class."
"We're the Detective Boys!" Genta said proudly. "But onii-san, why aren't you in class?"
"It's lunch break. I came out to walk around and get to know the area."
"Are you a total lost cause with directions? Did you get lost?"
"No way. I just wanted to see what the elementary school looks like." Liu A'dou smiled. In truth, he had come to check on the protagonists.
This guy… Conan felt more and more that Liu A'dou was suspicious. Who would just wander around aimlessly like this? Was it because he was an exchange student and didn't understand Japanese manners?
But Genta and the others started chatting happily with Liu A'dou. He found out they were also going to tomorrow's party. "Then have fun. I need to head back to the high school. Bye-bye."
"Bye-bye, see you!"
Haibara Ai frowned. "Such a strange person." It seemed many people today thought the same.
Conan, however, immediately put Liu A'dou at the top of his suspect list. If something happened at school, Liu A'dou would definitely be the first one suspected.