Chapter 20: Actually, You're Pretty Cute Too
"I know, right—she's incredibly cute."
"If I were a guy, I'd fall for Ran myself."
Sonoko gave a wry smile.
Growing up, every time she was with Ran.
Whether shopping at the mall or vacationing at the beach.
Every guy—good or bad, handsome or plain—would always notice Ran first, go for Ran first, and never once pay attention to Sonoko, the wallflower standing right there.
Even the guy in front of her now had, without exception, chosen Ran.
"Don't move."
Suddenly, Makoto cupped her face in both hands.
"Y-y-you…"
"What are you doing?"
Sonoko blinked, then flushed crimson in an instant.
Her eyes darted away, unwilling to meet his, and her body stiffened with the urge to pull free.
Without a word, Makoto gently lifted her hairband away.
Her bangs tumbled loose.
In an instant, ordinary-girl Sonoko became a strikingly lovely short-haired beauty.
With even a slight curl, she'd be approaching Miyano Shiho's level of looks.
"What about now?"
Makoto held out his phone with the front camera on, right in front of her eyes.
"This—this is…"
Sonoko looked at herself on the screen and went completely still.
She's so cute.
Is this really me?
"Actually, you're pretty cute too."
Makoto said softly.
"I—I'm pretty cute too?"
"Really?"
Sonoko's expression went dazed, but inside, warmth came rushing in.
"Of course it's true."
"Whatever anyone else thinks, in my eyes you're cute—not one bit less than Ran."
Makoto said it with complete sincerity.
"Thank you—thank you so much!"
"Though…"
"I think I prefer this version of myself—this is more like Suzuki Sonoko."
Sonoko bit her lip and put the hairband back on.
In an instant, she was the ordinary short-haired girl again.
"But!"
"If you like the way I looked just now, I—I could…"
Sonoko pressed her lips together, worked up her courage, and looked him in the eye.
"Wear it down sometimes."
"Just when it's only you."
"Tap tap tap tap…"
With that, the seemingly ordinary short-haired girl bolted, face bright red, breaking into a jog as she fled.
"Those two really are best friends."
Makoto smiled.
As expected—with the playboy skills he'd honed in his past life, handling these pure-hearted girls was almost too easy.
Ran was a done deal; Sonoko was one step away.
As the Conan-verse's premier conglomerate, the Suzuki Group had no one besides Suzuki Sonoko and Suzuki Ayako—both girls, and both beauties.
If he could win over the Suzuki sisters and inherit the Suzuki Group, it would be like opening a money press in the Conan-verse—nearly unlimited financial power.
"Work hard—strive—"
"Mooch off a rich wife!"
Makoto clenched his fist and locked in a grand ambition.
But first, he needed to get his body in shape.
He packed up, shouldered his bag, and headed toward Teitan High School's Karate Club.
The kidnapping incident had driven home one hard truth—reasoning alone cannot save Japan.
Without superhuman combat ability, even if you figured out who the culprit was, it was completely useless.
After all, the world was full of people with cheats enabled.
Not to mention the Black Organization waiting down the line, going around sniping people with Barretts every other day.
Gin even had the nerve to strafe Tokyo Tower in an armed helicopter.
Without at least the ability to catch bullets bare-handed or kick satellites with a soccer ball, how would you survive in the Conan-verse?
◇◇◇
Teitan High School, Karate Club.
"One, two, three, four…"
A group of boys in gis were holding stances, punching in place.
From the look of it, they were all still beginners.
On the other side, Mouri Ran—also in a gi—had a conspicuous black belt tied around her waist.
Even the long hair she usually wore down was tied up in a sharp, high ponytail.
"Come at me!"
Ran put both fists up, slid her right foot half a step back, and settled into her stance.
"Ready, senpai!"
One of the boys gripped a stack of boards and raised them overhead.
Face-to-face with the gorgeous girl in front of him, he was visibly flustered, a faint flush creeping up his face.
"Hei!"
Ran let out a sharp shout, raised her leg, and drove in a heavy, precise side kick.
"Crack!"
All five boards snapped in an instant.
The boy holding them was shoved back by the force, nearly stumbling to the floor.
"S-so strong!"
"This is the Karate Club's ace for you!"
"She's so cute—how is she this powerful?!"
"I'm definitely giving up on confessing."
◇◇◇
The group of boys who'd joined the club with Ran in mind were all stunned at once.
However cute she was, however attractive—she was completely out of their league.
"Mouri-senpai, incredible!"
The boy looked at the five boards split cleanly in two and let out a long breath of relief.
Good thing she didn't kick the wrong way—otherwise…
He didn't even want to imagine.
"Breaking five boards is only tea-belt level in karate."
"To become a true karate black belt, you need to break at least ten."
"Thud!"
As she spoke, Ran set a thick stack of boards down in front of the boy.
"Again!"
Ten boards.
Even if these were pine boards—not the hardest or strongest material—they were still very much real boards.
And there were ten of them, stacked in a pile.
If she could snap all of them with a single kick…
The boy felt something go cold below the waist, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"Come on then!"
Ran urged.
"Y-yes, senpai!"
The boy took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and raised the ten boards.
…
…
Higashino Makoto — Protagonist. Transmigrated.
Mouri Ran — Shinichi's childhood sweetheart. Series: Detective Conan.
Suzuki Sonoko — Ran's childhood friend. Series: Detective Conan.
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Translated by CheapBiscuit.
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