It wasn't because Mouri Kogoro restricted things between her and Kudou Shinichi, but because Mouri Kogoro had already drunk several cans of beer. His whole face was flushed, and he was clearly a bit drunk.
Didn't Mouri Kogoro think that after getting drunk himself, letting his daughter stay alone in this house with a strange man who looked handsome, young, rich, and successful was a little dangerous?
Of course, Mouri Ran also had ways to protect herself.
She herself was the ace of Teitan High School's karate club, and not long ago she had just competed and won first place in karate.
If Takayanagi Ichiro, this neighbor next door, dared to do anything improper, she would absolutely use force to protect herself and send Takayanagi Ichiro straight to the police.
And there was also matching legal support, coming from her mother, Kisaki Eri.
"Detective Mouri, your daughter is really beautiful," Takayanagi Ichiro hadn't been drinking at all. He was completely clear-headed, so he directly praised Mouri Ran.
After hearing this, Mouri Kogoro was very happy, but Mouri Ran's face turned completely red. After all, even Kudou Shinichi had never praised her like that in front of Mouri Kogoro.
Of course, there was also the reason that if Kudou Shinichi dared to say something like that in front of Mouri Kogoro, Mouri Kogoro would absolutely not let him off.
Just as Mouri Ran was about to use her eyes to signal Takayanagi Ichiro not to talk nonsense, she didn't expect Takayanagi Ichiro to speak again.
"Detective Mouri, thank you very much for the hospitality. I've finished dinner."
"It's about time for me to head back. There are some matters back home that I need to deal with tomorrow."
After Takayanagi Ichiro said this, both Mouri Kogoro and Mouri Ran froze for a moment. They hadn't expected Takayanagi Ichiro to say goodbye so decisively.
And he wasn't just saying it casually. After speaking, he stood up, clearly intending to leave the third floor directly.
"Ran, help me see Takayanagi-kun off."
Mouri Kogoro was already drunk at this point. If he personally went to see Takayanagi Ichiro off, there might be some kind of accident, so he directly had his daughter do it instead.
When he used to be busy downstairs in the office, Mouri Ran often did this kind of thing.
The difference was that back then she was facing clients, whereas now she was seeing off a man who had come to her home and eaten the dinner she made.
"Oh! Okay," Mouri Ran also stood up. She, too, wanted Takayanagi Ichiro to leave this house as soon as possible.
When he heard the footsteps of Takayanagi Ichiro and Mouri Ran leaving the third floor and going downstairs, Mouri Kogoro, who had been swaying unsteadily with hazy drunken eyes, suddenly stopped moving.
His face was still red from drinking several cans of beer, but his eyes were not all that unfocused.
It seemed he wasn't that drunk after all, and it was very likely he had taken this opportunity to test Takayanagi Ichiro.
If Takayanagi Ichiro had tried to take advantage of his drunkenness to forcibly stay in the house, or had done anything improper toward Mouri Ran, then Mouri Kogoro would have clearly known that Takayanagi Ichiro was not a good person. Once the money was repaid, there would be no need to have any further dealings.
Right now, Takayanagi Ichiro's impression on him was indeed very good. Seeing him drunk, he immediately got up to leave.
As for whether letting Mouri Ran see Takayanagi Ichiro off would be dangerous, this was something Mouri Kogoro never needed to worry about.
Because if any danger really occurred, it would be Takayanagi Ichiro who was in danger. Mouri Ran's strength as a karate champion was no joke.
The last time he had finally earned a bit of money from catching a mistress on a job, he lost it all at the pachinko parlor. When he came home, he personally saw Mouri Ran crack his office desk with one strike.
So as long as Takayanagi Ichiro didn't act recklessly, his life would be safe.
———
Takayanagi Ichiro's credit office was right next to the Mouri Detective Agency. Logically speaking, Mouri Ran only needed to see Takayanagi Ichiro to the detective agency's door, but she followed him for a bit farther.
"Mouri-san, is there something else?"
Takayanagi Ichiro stopped, turned around, and asked Mouri Ran.
Takayanagi Ichiro and Mouri Kogoro had a bit of acquaintance, so calling him Takayanagi-kun and calling the other Detective Mouri was fine.
Earlier during dinner, Mouri Kogoro had also told Takayanagi Ichiro to call Mouri Ran "Ran," but Takayanagi Ichiro had refused. Their relationship wasn't at that level yet.
"Takayanagi-san, may I ask why you chose to open a credit company?", Mouri Ran also stopped at this moment, keeping a certain safe distance from Takayanagi Ichiro.
During dinner earlier, it hadn't been quiet. Everyone had chatted, which allowed Mouri Ran to confirm that Takayanagi Ichiro was definitely a Tokyo University graduate.
'But why would a Tokyo University graduate open a credit company instead of going to work for a big corporation to make money?'
In Mouri Ran's impression, credit companies were not good things.
And when she was little, she had even experienced credit companies coming after her father to collect debts.
Fortunately, in the end, her mother had secretly stepped in to help resolve things, so it didn't have too much of an impact on the detective agency. Otherwise, she and her father might have ended up living on the streets back then.
"Because there are people who need it, that's why credit companies exist."
"Just like your father's detective agency, Mouri-san. The police also handle cases, so why do detective agencies still exist?"
Takayanagi Ichiro's reply left Mouri Ran not knowing how to refute him. She could only fall silent, 'If only Kudou-kun, with his quick tongue, was here.'
Although he had already formed a reserved idea about Mouri Ran in his heart during dinner, what Takayanagi Ichiro needed to do now was to return to the Takayanagi main house and seize the position of family head.
A high school student like Mouri Ran would definitely have more chances to cross paths with him in the future, because Mouri Kogoro still owed him money.
There was no need to press her too hard right now. That might expose his intentions, so Takayanagi Ichiro turned around and walked toward his own storefront.
"Takayanagi-san, I'll be keeping an eye on you from now on."
"If you do the kind of evil things that loan-sharking companies do, I'll report you to police!"
Mouri Ran's words made Takayanagi Ichiro pause in his steps. He didn't turn back, but he still gave her a response.
"O' righteous girl, I hope you can keep it up."
Mouri Ran's words were a bit naive. A loan contract written clearly in black and white, could it really just become empty talk later on?
If someone truly couldn't repay, then collateral relative will repay the debt, or their property would be used as collateral. Even if her mother, the big-shot lawyer Kisaki Eri, came, it would still be the same.
Hearing herself being called a righteous girl, Mouri Ran knew this was mockery from Ichiro. Anger appeared on her face.
Today, Takayanagi Ichiro had come to her house for dinner. Other than praising her once in front of Mouri Kogoro, he hadn't treated her as a particularly outstanding woman at all. This was different from her past experiences.
Perhaps when Mouri Ran shouted those words just now, there was also a bit of intention to attract Takayanagi Ichiro's attention.
But now Mouri Ran planned to go back home and ask her father exactly what was going on between him and Takayanagi Ichiro. It definitely couldn't be as simple as just getting along well as neighbors.
———
[Takayanagi Main House]
The Takayanagi family had originally been a loan-sharking family, existing since the Warring States period.
Although the times had changed, the Takayanagi family had not moved into luxurious big cities. Instead, they continued to hide away deep in the mountains and forests.
"Uncle, will my big brother really come back and give up inheriting the Takayanagi family?"
At this moment, there were two men sitting in the conference room of the Takayanagi main house.
One was an elderly man with a thin build, but who still looked strong.
His overall spirit was still quite good. This person was Takayanagi Ichiro's uncle, Takayanagi Musashi.
Sitting opposite the old man was a big fat man. Whether in terms of physique, looks, or learning, compared to Takayanagi Ichiro he was worlds apart. They really shouldn't have been brothers.
And yet this fat man addressed Takayanagi Musashi as "Uncle," just one step away from calling him father. It could be said he had already acknowledged a thief as his father.
After hearing the fat man's question, a smile appeared on Takayanagi Musashi's face. It wasn't a kind smile, but a very sinister one.
"As long as I'm not dead, your big brother will absolutely not be able to take back the Takayanagi family's power."
"Even if he goes to find outside help, it will have absolutely no effect."
"When your big brother comes back, I'll explain that I plan to promote you to assist me in handling affairs."
"When I get older, you'll inherit everything."
Takayanagi Musashi was still using the same old brainwashing tactics, directly saying that Takayanagi Kouji was far more capable than his big brother, Takayanagi Ichiro.
Only he would be able to inherit the Takayanagi family in the future. Takayanagi Ichiro had no such chance.
Ever since the brothers' father passed away, Takayanagi Musashi had separated Takayanagi Ichiro and Takayanagi Kouji.
He gave Takayanagi Ichiro enough money to go study outside, while keeping Takayanagi Kouji by his side and training him to be the most loyal person to himself, making him easier to control.
At the same time, it could also directly create conflict between the brothers. Watching that play out was the most enjoyable thing for him.
After years of brainwashing Takayanagi Kouji, Takayanagi Kouji had already come to believe that his Tokyo University graduate brother was nothing but trash, completely unworthy of inheriting the Takayanagi family. Only he, who followed by Takayanagi Musashi's side, was qualified.
After receiving this promise, Takayanagi Kouji let out a heh-heh laugh. The fat on his face made him look even more like a second-rate hoodlum rather than one of the heirs of a loan-sharking family.
As for his big brother, Takayanagi Kouji had long since grown sick of him.
Every time they contacted each other, it was always about telling him to study properly and not listen to Takayanagi Musashi.
He was already grown up and could make his own decisions.
And with Takayanagi Musashi's help, he could even become the head of the Takayanagi family in the future. Why should he listen to a big brother who only knew how to study?
"Uncle, should we use some little tricks at tomorrow's banquet?"
Since he had already decided to oppose his big brother, he naturally wanted to take it to the extreme, preferably crippling Takayanagi Ichiro in one move.
Hearing Takayanagi Kouji's idea, satisfaction appeared on Takayanagi Musashi's face. This puppet he had trained was at least somewhat useful. But in the end, he still shook his head.
"Your big brother is, after all, a graduate of Tokyo University. Your little tricks would definitely be seen through by him, so it's better for me to arrange things myself."
Takayanagi Ichiro might only know how to study, but when it came to intelligence, Takayanagi Kouji was absolutely no match for him.
"I understand."
There was a bit of unwillingness in Takayanagi Kouji's heart, because this meant Takayanagi Musashi still didn't fully trust him.
It wasn't distrust of his loyalty, but distrust of his ability.
"Don't harbor any resentment. Once this is over, your big brother will definitely leave the Takayanagi family in disgrace, and I'll give you some rewards."