"It's a tiny radio transceiver. Adjust the frequency with the dial for wireless calls!" Dr. Agasa proudly showed off the sleek Detective Badge, featuring Sherlock Holmes on the left and "DETECTIVE BOYS" on the right.
Cool!
Tsuneo grabbed one, happily pinning it to his chest.
Conan shot him a side-eye. A 1.85-meter guy thrilled over a kid's badge?
"With this, you can talk smoothly within a 20-kilometer radius," Dr. Agasa said, grinning at Tsuneo's enthusiasm.
"You're the man, Doc," Tsuneo said, flipping the badge's switch. "Yo, Conan, bathed with Ran last night?"
"You jerk!" Conan, face red, jumped off the couch and stomped Tsuneo's slipper.
"Lin-kun, what's this about?" Dr. Agasa's gossip mode activated.
"Don't listen to him!" Conan waved his hands frantically. This rumor could end him.
Where did Tsuneo even hear that?
"I'm out!" Conan grabbed four badges, hugged his skateboard, and bolted.
"Wanted to try that board," Tsuneo said, eyeing Conan's "nuclear-powered" skateboard through the window.
"Doc, sell those gadgets you make for this kid, and you'd be rich," Tsuneo said. The wall-blasting "mad scientist" had no notable inventions out there.
"Those are for Shinichi's cases, nothing much. I'm working on…" Dr. Agasa launched into his wild new ideas.
Tsuneo, propping his chin on the couch, listened to the old man's ramblings, clapping occasionally. Bonding with Dr. Agasa was easy—just listen and praise.
…
In a small Mihama Town park, Conan grumbled, "If those kids hadn't dragged me, I'd be at Teitan University's festival with Ran."
Behind him, Genta, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi excitedly discussed their Detective Badges.
"I'm not the ghost this time—I'm the detective! You're the criminals!" Genta, the first-grade boss and Detective Boys' leader, climbed a tree to count.
"I love hide-and-seek! Conan, let's hide!" Ayumi said, smiling.
Exiled to this madness, I'll lose it someday, Conan thought, trudging along.
A high schooler stuck playing with first-graders—video games and soccer were fine, but hide-and-seek and role-playing were torture.
"Sorry to bother!" Conan leapt into the lap of a sleeping old man with a newspaper, using its wide spread as cover.
Time up, Genta hunted for the "criminals."
Despite his complaints, Conan played seriously, poking a hole in the man's paper to spy on Genta.
"Series of abductions and murders of young girls? Culprit still at large?" Conan read the paper, bored, as Genta missed him.
"Scary case," Ayumi said, peeking over the bench. "All the victims were cute girls. I feel like I'm in danger."
Conan held back a retort.
"But I'm not worried! Conan will protect me. We're meant to be together!" Ayumi confessed, then fled as Genta approached.
"Found you, Conan!" Genta yanked the newspaper, nabbing him. Mitsuhiko was soon dragged from the bushes.
…
"Genta's taking forever to find a girl," Conan muttered as dusk fell, checking his skateboard's screws.
"Can I ask something?" Mitsuhiko said, unusually serious.
"Yeah?" Conan fiddled with the board.
"What do you think of Ayumi?"
"Huh?" Conan blinked.
"I mean, your relationship!"
"Just friends," Conan said, startled by Mitsuhiko's volume.
"Good, really?" Mitsuhiko grinned.
"You like Ayumi?" Conan asked.
"No, no! Just using your opinion for my life plans!" Mitsuhiko blushed, waving his hands.
"Life plans? Like marriage?"
Mitsuhiko's face reddened further. Grabbing Conan's skateboard, he changed the subject. "You're so lucky, getting anything from Dr. Agasa."
In the tiny park, four first-graders played hide-and-seek while navigating a multi-dimensional love drama.
…
"Mr. Tanaka, faucet's fixed!" Tsuneo tested the tap, shouting upstairs.
"My brother paid you, right?" came the reply, no intent to check.
Tsuneo slipped on his shoes and left. "Those brothers have their troubles," he said, chuckling as he started his pickup, eyeing the villa.
"Ayumi, can you hear me? Game's over, come out!" Conan's voice crackled through the Detective Badge.
Tsuneo pinched his nose, mimicking, "Count to ten thousand, and I'll appear!"
"Conan, is that Ayumi's voice?" Genta asked.
"Mitsuhiko, is this badge broken? It made Ayumi sound awful," Genta whispered.
Driving, Tsuneo asked, "Great Detective, another incident?"
(End of Chapter)
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