Conan was currently like a startled bird, seeing everyone as part of the Black Organization.
"Ms. Mouri, I heard you previously won the Kanto regional championship of the National Karate Tournament?"
"Fujiwara-kun actually knows about that? Actually, that Karate Tournament win was just a fluke. I only managed to win the Kanto regional championship, but I lost in the end and didn't get the national title."
Hearing Toru mention her Karate, Ran felt a little embarrassed, but her expression lit up with joy, and she naturally started chatting with him.
Ran's abilities in other areas weren't particularly outstanding. Her academic performance was only average, far from top-tier.
The only thing she truly excelled at and was proud of was her Karate, which she had practiced since childhood.
Now that someone had brought up the thing she was most proud of, she was naturally delighted.
"Winning the Kanto regional championship isn't something that happens by chance. That puts you at least in the national top eight, right? I'm interested in Karate too. If you have time, we can talk more."
"Fujiwara-kun has practiced Karate?"
"Yeah, I just casually found a teacher and trained a bit while I was in America. I never took any belt exams or anything."
"As long as you like Karate, it's fine to practice for fitness. You don't have to take belt exams."
Ran's personality was gentle, and she ended up comforting him instead.
Conan gritted his teeth nearby.
Ran, don't believe this guy's nonsense. He definitely investigated you beforehand and knew you were into Karate. That's why he brought it up.
This is exactly the kind of tactic scummy guys use to get close to girls.
And this guy isn't just a scumbag. Based on his characteristics, his identity clearly isn't simple. Ran, don't let yourself be deceived.
But Conan had no confidence in that.
Because he knew Ran was actually a very pure and kind girl, the type most easily tricked.
'No, I have to investigate this Fujiwara Toru thoroughly later and find out exactly what his background is!'
During this meal, Toru chatted happily with Eri and her daughter.
Although Conan tried to join the conversation a few times, as a first grader on the surface, whatever he said was just brushed off as a child's remarks. No one paid attention to him, let alone cared.
Watching Toru and Ran laughing and chatting, and even exchanging Line IDs, Conan's heart felt like it was bleeding.
I need to find that Organization quickly, get the antidote, and turn back!
Conan clenched his teeth as he thought.
The essence of Japanese cuisine lies in the freshness of the ingredients.
This Michelin three-star restaurant truly delivered. All the ingredients were airlifted in from various regions the same day.
Conan's addition meant the reservation was one over the usual limit. Theoretically, such a high-end restaurant could have refused to serve him.
However, as a child, Conan leveraged his advantage.
The restaurant understood that making things difficult for a child would only bring public criticism. Plus, kids didn't eat much. By selectively using the day's ingredients, they managed to put together a suitable meal for him.
The food was fresh, the chef's skills were top-tier, and the dishes were exquisite, but to Conan, it all tasted like wax. He just wanted the meal to end.
Under Conan's eager anticipation, the torturous dinner finally ended around 8 PM.
Eri paid the bill, and the group chatted as they left their seats and headed downstairs.
Conan had been secretly observing Toru the entire time. At this moment, he noticed something odd about the way he walked.
When normal people walk, their arms swing naturally, left and right. But Toru's right arm didn't swing with the same range as his left. In fact, it looked like he was deliberately forcing it to swing.
'He's probably used to keeping his right arm still all the time, ready to grab a gun at any moment. Now he's forcing it to swing to look natural, but that just makes it look even more awkward.'
'Most people wouldn't notice this subtle difference, but to me, it stands out like a light in the darkness. Way too obvious!'
Conan's heart tightened again, further confirming that Toru's identity was far from simple.
The most famous person in the world with this kind of habit was none other than the current President of Russia!
The group walked out of the building into the parking lot.
Before getting in the car, Eri said to Toru, "Drive safe. I'll take Ran and Conan home."
No one had drunk alcohol during the meal, so there was no need for a designated driver.
Toru smiled and said, "You too, Ms. Kisaki, Ms. Mouri. Let's chat on Line when we have time."
He waved at them, then opened the door to his Panamera.
Ran also politely said goodbye.
In Eri's Land Rover, Ran sat in the passenger seat and Conan sat in the back.
"Ran, what do you think of Fujiwara-kun?"
While waiting at a traffic light, Eri suddenly spoke.
Ran was caught off guard. "What do you mean, 'what do I think'? I think he's a pretty good person."
Eri teased, "Then are you interested in him? If you are, you should be proactive. These days, it's totally fine for girls to chase after guys."
"Ran, look at him. He's a top student at Tokyo University, comes from a wealthy family, and he's handsome. Who knows how many girls will be fighting over him soon? Take the initiative now and get ahead."
Conan, sitting in the back, immediately got anxious.
As expected of Eri. You came with a plan. This is clearly a setup for a blind date!
Ran is still in high school. It's way too early for marriage!
Ran, don't fall for him!
Ran was a little flustered by her mother's teasing. She smiled awkwardly and instinctively raised her hand, wanting to slam the car door beside her.
But realizing this was her mom's car, she restrained herself.
She forced herself to lower her clenched fist and said shyly, "Mom, what are you talking about? I think Fujiwara-kun is a nice person, but it's not like I have to chase him or anything."
"If you're so interested, why don't you go chase him yourself!"
Those last words were completely from her embarrassed and flustered outburst.
But Eri just shook her head and said, "You young girls really don't understand. Some things in life, you have to fight for. If you don't, you won't get anything. Forget it, it's too early to talk about this. You'll understand later."
Conan, in the back seat, finally felt relieved.
Thankfully, Ran isn't the kind of girl who falls for someone just because of their looks, family, or education.
But thinking about it, the other guy does seem to be better than him in every way.
He suddenly felt a heavy pressure.
...
On the other side, Toru, who was driving home, was still thinking about going for a run later and bringing food for the female ghost along the way.
His phone suddenly vibrated. He picked it up and saw a message from Eri Kisaki: "This dinner was too formal. Next time, I'll treat you to a drink. Fujiwara-kun, please do me the honor."
Toru replied, "No problem."
As expected, compared to young girls, mature and beautiful women were easier to hook up with.
Young girls took too much effort. They were always thinking too much.
But once you succeeded, they were more devoted.
Mature women were more rational, less emotional, and even though they were easier to get involved with, there could be more complications later.
You could say each had its pros and cons.
Young girls were the righteous path. Hard in the beginning, smooth later.
Mature women were the demonic path. Easy in the beginning, troublesome in the long run.
Just as Toru was lost in thought, his phone rang again with his Taylor Swift ringtone.
Without thinking, he picked up, hit answer, and said, "Boss, what's up?"
"I have a mission for you. It's about the drug the Organization is researching."
"The CIA found something?"
"Yeah, there's a pharmaceutical research institute in the suburbs of Tokyo."
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)