Ran blinked in surprise. "Wait… that happened to my parents too?"
Her sadness melted away by half in an instant. She widened her beautiful eyes, curiosity overtaking her earlier frustration. "Is… is that true?"
"Of course it's true," Ren Kuroda said without a trace of guilt, lying through his teeth as smoothly as if he were reciting a grocery list. "Your dad told me himself over drinks once."
He leaned back slightly, voice calm and convincing. "Happiness only means something when it's compared against hardship. On the road to love, obstacles are inevitable. If you can't overcome them, that love ends there. But if you can…" He smiled faintly. "Then you'll be like your parents—standing together in the halls of marriage."
Whether that marriage stays happy afterward, he thought privately, is another story.
Naturally, he wasn't stupid enough to say that part out loud.
"I see!" Ran's eyes sparkled with sudden realization.
Her heart, which had felt so heavy just minutes ago, now seemed to beat with new purpose. So this was just a trial—an obstacle meant to test them! If she and Shinichi could overcome it, they'd grow stronger together.
Her confusion faded, replaced by determination. "Then… how do I overcome it?" she asked earnestly.
Ren smiled. "There's no standard answer to that question. If there were, love would've turned into something cheap and predictable a long time ago. The reason people treasure it so much is because it's uncertain."
Ran nodded slowly. "That's… actually true."
She looked at him with genuine gratitude. "Thank you, Kuroda-kun. Talking to you… really made me feel better. No one's ever said things like that to me before."
"Don't mention it," Ren replied casually, waving a hand.
Ran hesitated, glancing down at her fingers. "But… I just fought with my parents. I can't bring myself to go home yet."
It was a familiar kind of stubbornness—teenage pride. Sixteen or seventeen, just old enough to think going back too soon meant losing face.
Ren nodded in understanding. "Your dad's probably worried sick about you. I'll give him a call."
Before Ran could protest, he'd already stepped onto the balcony and dialed the number.
It connected after a few seconds.
"Yo, Kogoro," Ren said smoothly, not bothering to soften his tone. "Your daughter's with me."
On the other end, Kogoro Mouri exhaled audibly, his voice full of relief. "So she's with you, huh? Good. I thought she might've run off to Shinichi's place."
Ren didn't lower his voice in the slightest. "So what's the plan? You want to come pick her up, or should I bring her back? If it's the latter, I won't have time until tomorrow."
Kogoro didn't even hesitate. "Then just bring her back tomorrow."
Ren raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected Kogoro to be that trusting. Did the man really think he was made of stone?
Then again, he understood the reason immediately—Kogoro was prideful. After a heated argument, there was no way he'd swallow his ego and come get Ran himself.
And Ran, of course, was too embarrassed to go back on her own.
Like father, like daughter, Ren thought, amused.
"Alright then," he said into the phone. "I'll drop her off tomorrow morning."
He hung up and went back to the living room. "You can stay here tonight," he told Ran, pointing toward the guest room. "Get some rest. I'll take you home first thing in the morning."
Ran hesitated, but eventually nodded, her face softening. "Thank you, Kuroda-kun. For letting me stay."
"No problem," Ren said as he stepped into his bedroom.
When he returned a moment later, he was holding a new set of pajamas and some unopened toiletries.
"Here. Fresh ones. You should take a bath first."
"Thank you." Ran accepted them gratefully, watching as he disappeared back into his room. Her chest tightened slightly—not with fear, but a quiet, inexplicable warmth.
As the sound of running water filled the bathroom, she sighed softly to herself.
If only Shinichi were half as mature and dependable as Kuroda-kun, she thought. Maybe then Dad wouldn't disapprove so much…
But the thought turned uneasy almost immediately. She remembered how Ren had only grown so composed after losing his parents in a car accident.
No… I shouldn't wish for something like that. She quickly shook the thought away and focused on her bath.
A few minutes later—knock, knock, knock.
Ren heard Ran's voice through the door. "Kuroda-kun, I'm done! The bathroom's all yours."
"Got it," he called back.
He waited a few moments before heading out, only to find Ran sitting in the living room instead of the guest room.
She was wearing the pajamas he'd given her—but clearly, they were a size too small. The top's first three buttons refused to stay fastened, and the loose sleeves hung off her shoulders.
Ren quickly averted his eyes, a faint sigh slipping through his nose. At this rate, calling her "Ran-chan" doesn't really fit anymore.
He forced his thoughts back in line. "Not sleeping yet? We've got to be up early."
Ran looked up, her voice gentle. "I wanted to wait until you were done so I could wash your clothes too."
Ren almost laughed. It wasn't about laundry—it was about guilt. She felt bad for staying here for free, so she wanted to do something in return. A typical "people-pleaser" reaction.
"I don't like people touching my clothes," he said deliberately. "Just wash your own. I'll handle mine."
Without giving her time to argue, he turned and stepped into the bathroom.
Warm water cascaded over him, washing away the fatigue of the day. He sank into the tub and leaned back.
And for some reason, an image flashed unbidden through his mind—Ran in this same bath just minutes ago.
He exhaled slowly, half in frustration, half in resignation.
"Shinichi, my friend," he muttered under his breath, "I've given you plenty of chances. If you still can't figure things out after tomorrow's trip to Dorabika Amusement Park… don't blame me for what happens next."
He closed his eyes, the faintest smirk curling at his lips.
Everyone loved beautiful things. Ran Mouri was no exception—she was breathtaking.
And Ren Kuroda was no saint.
In this world, nothing was truly "destined." Not love, not success, not survival.
Everything had to be taken.
If you didn't fight for what you wanted, you had no right to complain when someone else did.
Those fandom pairings—ShinRan, CoAi, ToMoRan—none of that mattered to him.
He wasn't here to cheer for anyone's romance.
He hadn't crossed worlds just to play the audience.
He knew exactly what fans didn't want to admit: people only "ship" couples because deep down, they know they'll never be part of the story themselves.
But give them a real chance?
Let's see how many of them would rather watch from the sidelines instead of stepping in.
Ren chuckled softly to himself, stretching out in the hot water as his mind began to shift gears again—toward tomorrow.
The plan. The job.
He wanted the money. But he also wanted to save the girl.
And to do that… he was going to need a scapegoat.