Heiji brought Ai and the others to the apartment building where Officer Shiratori lived.
"I'm getting out first."
Before the car had even fully stopped, Conan jumped out and ran ahead.
"Ah, Conan's trying to ditch us!"
"No way. We're not that stupid."
"After him!"
The three kids saw Conan bolt and immediately opened their doors and followed.
In the car, only Heiji and Ai remained.
"Do you want to get out now?" Heiji asked, looking at Ai.
Ai glanced at him, tilted her head, gave a cold snort in full tsundere mode, and stayed seated in the passenger seat.
Heiji shrugged. The Tsundere Queen was back.
There was no parking nearby. Heiji drove a bit farther before finding a parking lot.
He reached out, intending to take Ai's hand.
Ai dodged slightly and walked ahead instead.
"You haven't come to see me for several days."
Looking at that small figure with a hint of loneliness in her posture, Heiji shook his head. Looks like I need to find a chance for the two of them to recognize each other.
Ai walked quietly in front, but she kept listening to the footsteps behind her.
The rhythm was steady.
Suddenly, the footsteps sped up.
Ai's heart tightened. She tensed, and her expression turned guarded. She immediately put on a cool, tsundere look.
The next moment, she felt herself pulled into an embrace—broad, warm, and firm.
At the same time, a motorcycle sped past the intersection, missing Ai by less than half a meter.
Heiji exhaled in relief and looked down at her, helpless.
"Don't drift off while walking. That was dangerous."
Ai stayed in his arms for a moment. After meeting his eyes, she looked away, her gaze cool again.
"Kudo asked about our relationship again."
"Our relationship?" Heiji paused, then understood. He looked at Ai carefully. "What did you say?"
Seeing how cautious he looked, Ai gave a small huff.
"I said you're my brother-in-law."
A cold sweat ran down the back of Heiji's neck.
Heiji forced an awkward smile.
"Actually, that—"
"You're panicking," Ai said coldly. "Are you afraid our identity will affect your relationships with those women?"
Heiji froze, then steadied himself. No—if Ai knew I was lying to her, she wouldn't react like this. She's testing me again.
"Hm?" Ai looked at him suspiciously. "Why are you so flustered?"
Heiji's expression turned serious.
"No. I just think you wouldn't tell Kudo something like that."
Ai glanced at him, then suddenly buried her face against his chest.
"I want to sleep for a bit."
Her eyes closed. Her small hands gripped his collar tightly. Her sleeping expression was calm.
Heiji shook his head slightly and adjusted his hold to make her more comfortable.
"Sleep. With me here, no one's going to hurt you."
The little person in his arms had lashes that trembled slightly. Her tightly pressed lips lifted into a faint curve.
When they reached the area downstairs, Conan was already searching around.
"Ai is letting him carry her!"
Ayumi suddenly shouted, staring at Heiji and Ai in surprise.
"I'm jealous," Mitsuhiko said enviously.
"His charm is so strong that even Ai can't resist," Genta said dreamily. "I want to become that kind of person too."
Conan smirked to himself. Haibara is way too ambiguous with Hattori.
"Don't put me down."
Heiji had been about to set Ai on her feet, but she tightened her grip on his collar, her expression full of tsundere attitude.
He had no choice but to keep holding her.
"Yes, ma'am," Heiji said, playing along. "The princess has spoken. The knight can only obey."
He didn't notice the brief flash of attachment in Ai's eyes.
"Kudo—did you find anything?" Heiji asked.
Today Ai's tsundere mode was in full force, and Heiji had no choice but to carry her.
Conan glanced at Ai, then immediately turned suspiciously toward Heiji.
"Hattori, what is your relationship with Haibara?"
That question had been stuck in his head for a long time.
"You're very curious?" Heiji asked seriously.
Conan nodded hard. "Yeah."
"Then why should I tell you?"
Heiji walked off, leaving Conan standing there, stunned.
In Heiji's arms, Ai's mouth curled slightly.
Shiratori's apartment building was eight stories tall. Nearby were other residential buildings. From the balcony, there was a stretch of concrete below, with a flowerbed beside it.
Heiji frowned.
"Hattori—did you notice it too?" Conan caught Heiji's expression immediately.
"Looks like you noticed it as well."
A smile tugged at the corner of Heiji's mouth. He had deliberately made that reaction for Conan to see.
Conan, unaware, nodded seriously.
"Logically, if Ito Kazuki fell from the balcony, he should have slammed onto the concrete, not the flowerbed next to it. But according to the crime scene photos, he landed in the flowerbed. That means an external force changed his trajectory."
Heiji nodded.
"That external force was probably from the impact of a bullet."
"However," Ai suddenly raised her head and spoke coolly, "if the shot was fired from where Officer Shiratori was found unconscious, the force from the bullet should have pushed Ito toward the other side—not toward the flowerbed."
Heiji and Conan both looked at Ai and nodded.
"Right," Conan said, frowning. "So Officer Shiratori was framed."
"Unfortunately," Heiji said calmly, "all witnesses and physical evidence point to Shiratori. Unless decisive evidence appears, he won't be able to escape the charge."
Conan didn't respond. Heiji wasn't wrong.
"I'll check other places," Conan said.
"Conan, wait for us!"
"we're going first!"
"Bye!"
The three kids hurried after Conan.
"Put me down."
Heiji froze and looked down at Ai in his arms.
Ai gave him a tsundere look.
Heiji, helpless, lowered her to the ground.
Once she was down, Ai walked away briskly.
"I'm hungry," she said, coolly, with a hint of tsundere edge.
Heiji smiled faintly, shook his head, and followed.
------
Kisaki Eri's Law Office
Kisaki Eri sat on the sofa in a dark suit, holding a stack of documents and reading quietly.
"Lawyer Kisaki, you have to help Ninzaburo," Shiratori's mother pleaded, her face wet with tears. "He would never kill anyone."
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