In that moment, Ran thought about many things.
But a thousand words culminated in that one sentence.
She and Kudou Shinichi were fundamentally on different paths.
Even relying on their childhood sweetheart bond to stay together would likely lead to a life like her parents'.
She didn't want, nor was she willing, to become like that.
Ran's requirement was simple: to find someone who loved her, and to live a common, yet happy and joyful life.
But even this simple wish was something Kudou Shinichi had never given her.
She had even tried to actively approach him, struggling to immerse herself in things she didn't like, fearing that if something happened to Kudou Shinichi, she would be powerless to help.
Yet, Kudou Shinichi never took it to heart, always abandoning her to act alone.
Worry, fear, apprehension, and loneliness—these were the feelings she experienced most frequently when with Kudou Shinichi.
Far more often than joy, happiness, or delight.
Involuntarily, Ran looked at Hoshimiya Yuu beside her.
If only I had met Hoshimiya Nii-san sooner…
Sensing Ran's gaze, Hoshimiya Yuu gave her a slight smile.
Looking at Hoshimiya Yuu's gentle smile, the girl's beautiful face instantly flushed.
[Successfully performed a 'Like' Interaction with Ran Mouri. Draw Count +1.]
Hoshimiya Yuu was secretly praising Ran's decisiveness when the System notification suddenly appeared in his mind.
Oh? An unexpected bonus?
A successful second interaction with Ran, moving from fondness to 'Like'…
After the initial surprise, Hoshimiya Yuu contemplated the matter and gained a clearer concept of how the System determined a successful interaction.
But he was still a ways off from fully understanding it.
I need more sample data…
On the other side, the shrunken Kudou Shinichi felt a sense of relief after hearing Ran's words, followed immediately by the feeling that he had lost something very important.
He opened his mouth but couldn't bring himself to offer a promise that he would never act that way again.
Because he knew he couldn't keep it. The moment another case arose, Ran would immediately realize she had been deceived, leading to even greater disappointment.
A fine drizzle hit his face, bringing a constant, cool dampness.
Hoshimiya Yuu spoke up, "Let's head back first. We can discuss the details once we get home."
It was completely dark by now, and Tropical Land was closing.
Staff members were already walking around with flashlights clearing the area.
To prevent the strangeness of Kudou Shinichi's appearance from drawing too much attention, Hoshimiya Yuu ultimately had to carry him.
Ran walked closely by his side, the three of them acting like a family unit, making their way to Kudou Shinichi's standalone house.
Kudou Shinichi went to his room, retrieved his first-grade clothes, and found that they fit perfectly.
After he changed his clothes and bandaged the cut on his forehead, and everything was sorted out, the three of them went to see Professor Agasa, who lived across the street.
In his current state, Kudou Shinichi naturally couldn't continue living alone.
He called his parents and, after much pleading, finally convinced them that he had shrunk to a seven-year-old child.
However, they informed him that they had just returned home briefly but had an emergency and had already flown back to the United States, meaning they couldn't return anytime soon.
Over the phone, Yukiko Kudou intended to ask Ran to look after Shinichi for a while, but Ran firmly refused.
If she hadn't known, it would have been different, but now that she knew the truth, there was no way Ran would agree to let Kudou Shinichi live with her.
If this had happened earlier, there might have been a slight possibility.
But by an unfortunate coincidence, just a few hours ago, she had become completely disappointed in Kudou Shinichi and decided she wouldn't interfere in his affairs anymore.
Hoshimiya Yuu, standing nearby, sighed in relief. He had been just about to interrupt Yukiko Kudou.
Sure enough, Ran hadn't disappointed him.
And his reaction was fully observed by the girl, who was secretly watching him.
Seeing Hoshimiya Yuu's look of relief, Ran's lips curled slightly, and the ripples of emotion in her heart slowly spread.
Hoshimiya Nii-san truly cares about me too.
Investing her feelings and receiving a return—a perfectly natural thing, yet a first for Ran.
Kudou Shinichi, after being rejected by Ran, actually felt a sense of relief.
He hadn't wanted to live with Ran either; his unspoken teenage shyness was one reason.
But more importantly, he didn't know how to face Ran now.
Thinking back to the look of extreme disappointment on Ran's face at Tropical Land, he felt too embarrassed to cling to her anymore.
Thus, Kudou Shinichi volunteered to be looked after by Professor Agasa, who lived across the street.
Professor Agasa, whose full name was Agasa Hiroshi, was an older, single, plump man.
He was an inventor by trade, constantly developing strange gadgets, dreaming of securing a patent one day and becoming rich.
The two families had been neighbors for decades, and Professor Agasa had watched Kudou Shinichi grow up since childhood.
Although Professor Agasa didn't believe him at first, he was finally convinced when Kudou Shinichi mentioned that he had a hairy mole on his rear.
Hearing Kudou Shinichi say this, Hoshimiya Yuu and Ran exchanged glances, both showing strange expressions.
How did Kudou Shinichi know about something so private?
Could it be…
It wasn't that they had wicked minds, but the implication was simply too easy to misinterpret.
Fortunately, Kudou Shinichi realized the misunderstanding in time and explained, "I saw it when Professor Agasa took me to bathe once when I was little!"
Professor Agasa, interested in playing matchmaker between Kudou Shinichi and Ran, and also not wanting to look after a child himself, still suggested that Ran should take care of Kudou Shinichi.
To achieve his goal, he specifically emphasized that since Mouri Kogoro was a detective, there might be a chance to encounter cases related to the men in black.
Kudou Shinichi was tempted, but Ran remained resolute in her refusal.
"Professor Agasa, that is impossible."
"Ran, Shinichi is small now and can't do much. Just treat him like a child; it won't be a hassle."
Hearing the bald, plump old man's shameless words, Hoshimiya Yuu could no longer tolerate it.
"Professor Agasa, if you don't want to take care of him, you can just say so. There's no need to push this responsibility onto Ran."
Hoshimiya Yuu exposed Professor Agasa's subtle maneuver. "Ran is already working hard as it is. You want her to take on the burden of caring for another person, while also having to constantly act and ensure Detective Mouri doesn't suspect anything."
"Ran has a kind nature, but kindness doesn't mean she should endure unfair treatment."
Earlier, after a brief discussion, the group had agreed to try their best not to expose the fact that Kudou Shinichi had shrunk.
The fewer people who knew, the better.
One reason was that the event was too bizarre and might cause a commotion.
The other was the fear of being discovered by Gin and Vodka, leading to danger again.
Professor Agasa smiled awkwardly and said no more.
This was the first time he had met Hoshimiya Yuu, and since Kudou Shinichi's shrinking was a secret, no one had introduced them.
However, seeing Ran and Hoshimiya Yuu standing quite intimately, he mentally assumed Hoshimiya Yuu was some relative of Ran's.
"Professor Agasa, I will leave Shinichi in your care."
Ran stopped arguing with him and said softly, "As for the possibility of a case related to the men in black…"
Ran had personally seen Gin and Vodka and had a strong impression of them.
She paused, then continued, "If Dad takes on a related case, I will inform Shinichi."