Night had fallen when Ren and Shiho Miyano returned to the villa, only to be greeted by Akemi Miyano's disappointed expression.
"Akemi-nee," Ren said, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
"Why did you come back? I got happy for nothing," Akemi said, her voice tinged with regret.
"Akemi…" Shiho's face alternated between dark and flushed.
"Have you eaten dinner yet?" Akemi quickly changed the subject.
"We already ate. I'll head to my room," Ren said as he walked into his own room.
Akemi immediately pulled Shiho down onto the sofa. "Shiho, well? How far did you get?"
Shiho thought for a moment. "A hug."
"Just a hug? How long have you two been together?" Akemi asked seriously.
"Three months?"
"So you do remember it's been three months. That's a long time for so little progress. Back when I—"
"Don't mention that man again, sister," Shiho interrupted, irritation in her voice. "A man who used you and then discarded you doesn't deserve to be brought up."
"…Alright, I won't mention him," Akemi said quickly.
"Mm."
The sisters fell silent. What had started as a conversation about Shiho's love life had ended in an awkward atmosphere instead.
Ren and Shiho Miyano had returned to the quiet days at home. Ren worked in his own laboratory, deep in research, and so did Shiho.
Akemi Miyano watched the two of them and sighed. She knew they had feelings for each other, but neither of them was willing to take the first step.
It seemed they preferred a purely platonic relationship.
They needed someone to give them a push. Neither of them was the type to act first, and Akemi wasn't sure if she should just let them develop naturally.
...
Mouri Detective Agency.
"Conan, just now you said it's not okay, right?" Ran looked at Conan with a hint of expectation.
Seeing her expression, Conan felt a pang of pain. He really wanted to tell her that he was Shinichi, but when he thought of the cruelty of the Organization, he could only pretend to be clueless.
"I mean, you shouldn't say things like that to me. That man made Ran-neechan lose trust in Shinichi-niisan. What will happen when Shinichi-nii comes back?"
"Is that so…" Ran's mood sank. She gave a bitter, self-mocking smile. She had actually mistaken Conan for Shinichi. She really must be sick in the head. After all, how could a person possibly turn back into a child?
"Ran, I'm sorry. Once I capture every member of the Organization, I'll come back and apologize to you properly." Conan made this vow in his heart.
"Conan, since you can contact Shinichi, then have him get in touch with me. And you can't leave my side," Ran demanded.
At that moment, even with all his wits, he couldn't think of a way out.
This time Ran wanted to confirm that Shinichi wasn't Conan, so using a stand-in was definitely out of the question. After all, there were too many things only the two of them knew.
Disguising someone as Conan was possible, but there was no suitable candidate. Everything seemed hopeless. Seeing Ran's hopeful expression fade into disappointment, he finally decided to reveal everything to her.
Their conversation lasted a long time. At first, Ran was shocked. Then came anger at the Organization's inhuman cruelty, followed by deep worry for Shinichi.
Conan let out a breath of relief. He had confessed everything, and the weight in his heart was lifted. But another weight rose in its place.
He still refused to drag Ran into this mess, and too many people knowing his identity would only make things worse.
"That man is a member of the Organization, but… why does he know so much about me?" Ran asked with some confusion after hearing Conan's account.
"Damn it." Conan's eyes widened. He had completely forgotten about that. Before, his mind had been filled with worries about Ran. Now that he thought back, Ren's words were far from normal.
The man knew Ran far too well, almost as if he were an invisible shadow by her side. It was as if he had investigated her entire life. Even her phone conversations might have been monitored.
Hennessy from the Organization already suspected him, and after today's confirmation, he must have gotten his answer. Now, Conan needed to gather his defenses.
If the Organization came for him and he wasn't prepared, he would never forgive himself.
Gin, Vodka, Masami Hirota, Hennessy, and his female companion—these were the Organization members he had encountered so far.
Masami Hirota, the only one without a codename, had completely disappeared.
Given the Organization's methods, she was surely dead. But before disappearing, she had revealed something important to him—"FBI."
If she mentioned the FBI, it meant they were investigating the case. He needed to make contact with the Americans who had come to Japan.
Right now, that was his only hope for protection. And since the Organization likely already knew his identity, time was not on his side.
After a brief exchange with Ran, Conan went out to search for foreigners.
They split up to search separately, but in all of Beika, foreigners weren't easy to find. After half a day, Conan still hadn't found anything.
Then, his phone rang.
"Ran-neechan? You found someone?"
"Yes, Shin—Conan. He claims he's here in Japan on vacation, but from his stance and the calluses on his hands, I can tell he's not someone to be underestimated." As a karate expert, Ran had a good eye for these things.
"Alright, Ran-neechan, where are you? I'll come right away." Conan's voice was urgent.
"Near Teitan High School. I met him at an arcade," Ran replied quickly.
"Got it. I'm on my way." Conan immediately rushed toward Teitan High School.
Before long, he arrived at the arcade and spotted the foreigner—a blonde woman, currently absorbed in a game.
He couldn't tell if the other party was skilled, but it was necessary to make contact. At this moment, his identity as a child gave him an advantage.
"Big sister, are you from Country M? What brings you to Japan?" Conan put on the curiosity of a child toward a foreigner.
"Yes, little brother. I'm traveling in Japan right now." Jodie squatted down and smiled.
"Big sister, I like Sherlock Holmes. I like playing detective games. But you don't seem like you're here for tourism. Your actions are completely different from other travelers." Conan continued.
"So you're a little detective, huh? Alright, I'm here in Japan for some business. I'll see you next time, little detective." Jodie ruffled Conan's hair.
Conan knew he couldn't get any useful information from her just yet, but as she was about to stand up, he whispered, "That organization's members… they use alcohol names as their code names, right?"
Jodie's eyes widened as she stared at Conan. She spoke gravely, "Little brother, stop investigating this. For your family's safety."
"Big sister, I'm afraid it's already too late. Can we find a quiet place to talk?" Conan said in a low voice.
"They've set their sights on you." Jodie had already realized this child wasn't ordinary—he was far too mature for his age. Her instincts told her to trust him.
"Gin, Vodka, and Hennessy." Conan said three code names in one breath.
This time, Jodie believed him completely. Without prior contact with the organization, it would be impossible to know those names. She took out her ID and said quietly, "Come with me. This is my identification."
Seeing the FBI badge, along with her earlier words, Conan finally felt a sense of relief. It was clear she was in Japan because of the organization. Looks like the information Miyami Hirota provided earlier was correct.
After introducing Jodie to Ran, the three of them headed toward Jodie's home.
**********
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