Chapter 102: Vermouth: Why not date them both? (1st Update)
"Ran, I didn't expect you to be such a good cook. It's been a long time since I've had such home-cooked food with a sense of everyday life."
"No way~~ I just made it casually."
"It's this delicious even when made casually? Then it would only be better if you put your heart into it! Alas, I didn't expect these things to happen. It's a shame about this dinner."
"Hehe~ If Miss Chikako likes it, then I'll make it for you again when I have time!"
"Oh? Really? I'll remember that."
"......"
Vermouth, disguised as Ikeda Chikako, was having a pleasant chat with Ran.
However, as she was talking, she suddenly noticed that the other party was a little distracted, frequently looking to the side.
Seeing this, Vermouth followed Ran's gaze and saw Baishi Hui and the girl named Suzuki Sonoko huddled very close together.
Looking at Suzuki Sonoko wrapped in a blanket and leaning over, they were probably whispering something, and the two of them seemed quite close.
After noticing this, Vermouth immediately realized something. She teased softly, "Ran, you wouldn't happen to be interested in that boy named Baishi Hui, would you?"
"Huh? No, no, nothing like that!" Ran trembled all over, then quickly shook her head and waved her hands, denying it repeatedly, "Don't talk nonsense! It wouldn't be good if others heard and misunderstood!"
"Hehehe..." Vermouth looked at Ran's self-incriminating reaction, a hint of a smile appeared on her lips, and she said, "You don't need to lie to me. I'm a scriptwriter, I often create characters' emotions... I have a very accurate grasp of emotions!"
"This... this..." Ran subconsciously lowered her head, feeling guilty and not daring to look directly into the other person's eyes. Her cheeks unconsciously flushed slightly, partly from lying and partly from having her feelings exposed.
This made Vermouth look at her with an auntie smile... She knew Ran was kind-hearted, but she didn't expect this child to be unexpectedly pure, blushing after being teased a few times by her.
Her sense of amusement was instantly piqued, and she immediately said, "If you don't mind, you can tell me, and I'll help you analyze it!"
Although Vermouth had not studied related psychology, she felt that with her rich life experience, dealing with the emotional problems of a sixteen-year-old girl was more than enough!
"Hmm..." Ran hesitated for a moment. She could feel that "Ikeda Chikako" seemed to like her quite a bit.
After thinking for a while, she finally said, "...Actually, it's like this."
After voicing the problems she encountered in her emotions, Ran felt somewhat relieved inside.
She had kept this problem in her heart for a long time, not daring to tell her Mother.
Because she knew that her Mother and Dad had always opposed her being with Shinichi.
But besides her Mother, she didn't know who to confide in or how to solve it, so she could only lie in bed at night and think silently by herself.
"So that's how it is." After listening to Ran's troubles, Vermouth wasn't too surprised.
The emotional troubles of sixteen or seventeen-year-olds are often similar.
Should I choose my childhood friend, or the one who suddenly appeared?
What should I do if my good friend likes the same person?
And my good friend liked that person first, so is what I'm doing considered a betrayal?
...
Facing these age-old problems, Vermouth couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Oh, she thought it was a big deal.
Do you even need to think about this little thing?
Why not date them both?
Anyway, it's not like they can spend time with you every day.
If this one doesn't have time, just find the other one!
If neither of them has time, then find another one.
If everyone has time, then go on a date together!
Looking at them fighting over you and getting beaten bloody, how interesting!
However, Vermouth only thought about this and didn't say it out loud.
She could tell that Ran was a relatively conservative girl and couldn't accept such advanced ideas.
For her, matters of the heart were just like that.
Men, just beckon them over, and they'll line up waiting for you to choose.
Why bother spending too much effort?
Just tease them a little, and their cerebellum will control their cerebrum, and they'll do whatever you say!
After thinking for a moment, Vermouth decided to use a more subtle method to tell Ran, saying, "There's a very simple way to judge."
"When you're dreaming at night, whoever you often dream about means you like being with them."
"A person's brain can lie to themselves, but their subconscious won't!"
Similarly... a person can deceive their own brain, but they cannot deceive their body. Their reactions are the most direct!
If you like someone, you'll feel it. If you don't, even if they strip naked, your body won't have any reaction.
Vermouth also didn't say this sentence.
She felt it was too explicit, and Ran, this pure girl, might not be able to accept it.
"Is... is that so?" As soon as Ran heard this, she couldn't help but recall.
She thought carefully and found that the number of times she had dreamed of Shinichi during this period had gradually decreased.
When she occasionally dreamed of him, it was always some homogenized content.
For example, she and Shinichi were on a date somewhere, they encountered a murder case, and then he Ran off to solve the case while she waited anxiously on the side.
Recently, she had been dreaming of Baishi Hui more often. Especially the warehouse, which repeatedly appeared, where he did some improper things to her.
This made her feel strange several times after waking up.
Vermouth watched Ran show a thoughtful expression and didn't interrupt her thoughts.
She looked back at the location of the bathroom, her eyes flickering.
In fact, compared to Ran, she was more concerned about another child... Kudo Shinichi!
This child... why did his every move always give her a familiar feeling?
And that little boy named Conan, who performed remarkably well. Although he was only six or seven years old, his logical thinking was extremely meticulous, not at all like a child.
This aroused her curiosity!
Just at this moment, there was movement from the bathroom. With a click, Shinichi and Conan came out.
Vermouth immediately withdrew her gaze. She didn't want to attract the other party's attention.
Investigating this kind of thing is best done when the other party is not paying attention.
Now that a murder case had occurred, if she did anything extra, it would easily arouse suspicion.
Vermouth watched them lie down and didn't do anything extra.
At this time, she felt a little tired. The preparation time was too rushed. In order to familiarize herself with Ikeda Chikako's various situations, she had to sacrifice some sleep time.
"It's getting late, Ran. I'm going to sleep now." Vermouth said goodbye to Ran and lay down.
"Then I'll go to sleep too... Good night, Miss Chikako." Ran saw that everyone had successively gone to sleep, so she also lay down.
However, she was destined to have a sleepless night tonight.
.........
The next day, as soon as it was light, everyone didn't even want to eat breakfast and directly packed up their things to leave the resort villa.
Fortunately, Takahashi Ryouichi did not destroy the wooden bridge before he died, otherwise, it would have taken some effort for everyone to leave.
After returning to the city, Suzuki Ayako called the Police.
This matter involved the Suzuki young lady, so the Police didn't dare trouble her to return to the crime scene but sent people to handle it themselves.
After learning that the murderer was the Bandaged Man, the Police sent more than a dozen policemen to search the mountain for three days.
Whether they could find him was one thing, but at least they had to show their attitude.
After three days, they immediately withdrew and posted a wanted notice.
As for whether they could find him, it was all up to fate... Anyway, there were so many wanted criminals, one more wouldn't hurt.
"Miss Chikako, it's still early, would you like to join us for lunch?" After coming down from the resort villa, Ran warmly invited the other party.
"No~~ I still have to go back and be busy." Vermouth actually wanted to agree, but then she remembered that the real Ikeda Chikako was still trapped in the basement by her.
She had to deal with her... to see if what Takahashi Ryouichi said was true.
If it was true... then she was sorry.
She wanted this identity!
"Is that so? That's too bad. Then next time!" Ran felt somewhat regretful. She knew the other party was very busy and didn't know when they would meet again next time.
"Okay, I'll call you next time I'm free." Vermouth waved goodbye. From beginning to end, she didn't look at Kudo Shinichi, as if she wasn't interested in him at all.
"Ran, I can't go to lunch with you either... After something like this happened, I have to go home with Akemi," Sonoko said helplessly.
"It's okay~~ Anyway, we have plenty of time in the future!" Ran signaled Sonoko not to worry about it.
"Okay~~~ Then we'll see you tomorrow, Baishi, see you!" When Sonoko waved goodbye, she specifically looked at Baishi Hui, her eyes full of ambiguity!
"Okay, see you tomorrow." Baishi Hui watched Sonoko leave in the nanny van.
Next, the four of them went to a restaurant together to solve the lunch problem.
After Baishi Hui sat down, he heard Ran sigh and say, "It was rare to go to the villa for a vacation, but I didn't expect to encounter such a thing... I feel like I didn't have a good time!"
He felt that his harvest this time was great. His relationship with Sonoko had become closer, to the extent that he could casually touch her thighs.
"Yeah... and the murder case wasn't solved." Conan was bothered by this matter, feeling like a bone stuck in his throat, very uncomfortable!
Yukiko, disguised as Shinichi, quietly pinched Conan, signaling him not to talk about this topic, how disappointing!
"That's not necessarily true... Didn't you get to know Miss Ikeda? I think you got along quite well." Baishi Hui said as he took the menu from the waiter.
"That's true! I didn't expect to get along so well with Miss Chikako!" Speaking of this, a look of joy appeared on Ran's face. She fantasized, "I wonder if I have the talent to be a scriptwriter!"
Conan's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Ran, if you need to write some mystery-related content, you can ask Shinichi. He can definitely help you."
When Yukiko heard this, she covered her forehead in a headache.
"Sorry, Conan, I probably won't write that kind of content," Ran smiled apologetically.
"Ah... Is that so? That's too bad," Conan said with a look of regret.
"Let's order first!" Yukiko quickly took the menu and stuffed it into Conan's hand, telling him to talk less!
And just at this moment, Conan's phone rang.
He took it out and saw that it was Kudo Shinichi's phone ringing, and the caller was Inspector Megure.
Conan's heart moved, and he immediately realized there was a tricky case!
Otherwise, Inspector Megure wouldn't call him.
"I'm going to take a call." Conan said and left his seat, went outside to answer the phone, and picked up the butterfly knot voice changer, saying, "I'm Shinichi... Inspector, what's the matter? There's a murder case? Where? The Kurokawa residence? Okay, I'll be right there!"
After speaking, he couldn't wait to hang up the phone, then sent a text message to Conan's Mom, and only then returned to the living room.
"Conan!" Yukiko naturally saw the text message content. She looked at her son helplessly.
Going to solve a case at this time... Are you really planning to give up on Ran?
Conan didn't speak, just looked at Yukiko, his firm gaze seeming to say: If you don't go, I'll go by myself!
Yukiko sighed silently in her heart. She tried to make one last effort, saying, "I just received a text message from Inspector Megure. There's a tricky murder case he wants me to take a look at... So..."
She looked at Baishi Hui, hoping he would take the initiative to say, "I'll go too."
However, Baishi Hui said "ruthlessly," "Take Conan with you. I see he really wants to go."
Yukiko looked at Ran again, but she also said, "Shinichi, hurry up, maybe you can still make it for lunch. Shirashi-kun and I will try to eat slowly!"
"...Okay! Then you guys eat slowly." Yukiko said, sighing secretly in her heart, and reluctantly called Conan to leave.
Looking at the backs of the two leaving, Ran muttered, "Shinichi is really busy... He doesn't even have time to eat lunch with us."
"It's fine now, but after graduating... he might be traveling all over the world," Baishi Hui said. He wasn't trying to scare Ran, but stating the plain truth.
With Shinichi's personality, he wouldn't stay in one place obediently.
Wherever there was a big case, his figure would be there.
Otherwise, how could he be worthy of the title of Sherlock Holmes of the Heisei era?
"This... that's true. After all, Uncle Yusaku and Yukiko Aunt are now settled in Los Angeles." Ran was reminded of this, and the scale in her heart unconsciously tilted a few more degrees.