At the airport.
"Thanks for the trouble, coming all this way to pick us up," said a stunning woman with long brown hair and sunglasses, pinching Tsuneo's cheeks hard.
Her tone was more teasing than grateful.
"No big deal. Just fill up my gas tank later," Tsuneo said, waving it off, words muffled by her grip.
"You heartless jerk!" She laughed, not angry, and ruffled his short black hair into a bird's nest before letting go.
After so long abroad with Yusaku, she'd called Tsuneo to pick them up, and he had the nerve to ask for payment over the phone.
"Stop messing around, Yukiko. People are staring," Kudo Yusaku said, glancing around, urging them to get in the car and go.
…
In the car, Tsuneo fixed his hair in the rearview mirror, shooting Yukiko a speechless look.
Kidding aside, he wouldn't actually charge her.
But the gas? That's real.
"How's Shinichi? Caught up in anything dangerous?" Yukiko asked, buzzing with excitement to see her shrunken son.
"Thanks to the doc, he's got plenty of gadgets to play detective," Tsuneo said, nodding. Sleeping Kogoro's fame was rising, and a certain kid wasn't idle.
"Pick up Shinichi at the Mouris' first?" Yukiko asked her husband.
"No rush. He still thinks we don't know he's shrunk," Yusaku said, chuckling, pulling a silver mask from his coat.
Tsuneo glanced at the推理 master, silently mourning for someone for three seconds.
"Tsuneo, you're helping," Yusaku said, outlining his plan, eyeing the dutiful driver.
"Huh? Why drag me into your family games?" Tsuneo said, baffled.
He hadn't said a word, so why was he roped in?
…
Hours later, an unexpected guest arrived at the Mouri Detective Agency.
"Sorry, Conan, you must be so lonely. Come home with Mommy!" A chubby woman in red, with glasses and curly short hair, hugged Conan the moment she entered.
"Who are you?!" Conan broke free, nearly shrieking in shock.
"What's going on?" Ran and Uncle Mouri looked puzzled.
"This kid's so moody. It's our fault for leaving him here," the woman said, smiling, handing over her card. "I'm Edogawa Fumiyo, Conan's mother."
Conan panicked.
Edogawa Conan was a made-up name. How could he have a mother?
Who was she?
Torn between explaining his identity and a detective's curiosity, Conan inexplicably got into her car.
Through the rearview mirror, he saw Uncle Mouri waving, yelling about a reward.
Conan took a deep breath and asked, "Lady, who are you really?"
Edogawa Fumiyo laughed dramatically, driving. "I told you, I'm your mother."
"You're lying. My mother…" Conan started to argue, but her fierce expression cut him off.
"Kudo Yukiko."
Hearing the name, Conan's eyes widened, stunned again.
Fumiyo smirked coldly. "Yes, your mother, the dazzling actress who charmed the world, won an award at 19, and returned to Japan."
"She fell for a young novelist, Kudo Yusaku, married at 20, retired, and had a son."
"But now she's left that son here, off gallivanting abroad with her world-class mystery writer husband."
Through a hidden radio, Yusaku, Tsuneo, and Dr. Agasa listened to this grand family reunion kickoff at the doctor's house.
"Charmed the world…"
"Dazzling actress…"
"Your script?" Tsuneo muttered through his earpiece, giving the world-class novelist a deadpan look.
"Seriously," Yusaku sighed, tapping his forehead, helpless against his drama-queen wife.
"Think Yukiko can fool him?" Tsuneo asked, glancing at Dr. Agasa's beaming face.
Conan's reckless, armed with gadgets. Would he fear a little pistol?
…
Meanwhile, Yukiko, disguised as Fumiyo, had exposed Conan's true identity.
"You're her only son, Kudo Shinichi!"
Was she with that organization?
Conan's mind flashed to Gin and Vodka. As he moved, a cold gun pressed against his forehead.
"Don't move. Be good, and I'll take you somewhere fun," Fumiyo said, smirking confidently as the car stopped at a crosswalk.
But then, Conan sprang, knocking the gun aside, leaping to slam his foot on the gas.
In Fumiyo's shocked horror, the car lurched forward, stopping in the middle of an intersection, nearly causing a crash.
While the driver got chewed out, Conan flung open the door, sprinting off, vanishing around a corner.
"Ahh!" Yukiko's furious scream came through the radio.
Tsuneo yanked off his earpiece, rubbing his aching ears.
Minutes later, Yukiko called.
"Shinichi's too reckless! Yusaku, what now?"
"No worries. Wait near the doc's place," Yusaku said, already predicting his son's route.
"Time for the Night Baron to debut!" He donned a cape and silver mask with a cold smile, striding out confidently.
"Doc, can I still bail?" Tsuneo asked.
Dr. Agasa silently slid a stack of Beika Hotel vouchers across the table.
Kid, you took the money…
(End of Chapter)
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