Eri Kisaki didn't know how she left that suffocating apartment. The swelling and stinging on her cheeks were still clear, but what hurt more was her utterly crushed heart. She didn't go home; that empty apartment would only feel colder now. Almost instinctively, she took a taxi to Teitan High School. Amid the After school crowd, she found Ran Mouri, who was preparing to go to karate club training.
'Mom?' Ran, seeing Eri Kisaki standing at the school gate with an unusually pale face, Ran over in surprise. 'Why are you here? Why do you look so bad? Are you feeling unwell?'
Eri Kisaki looked at her daughter's worried, pure face, feeling a mix of sorrow and panic. She forced a smile and shook her head: 'I'm fine, Ran. Mom just... wanted to see you.'
Ran linked arms with her mother, keenly sensing something unusual. She hesitated but couldn't help asking the question lingering in her heart: 'Mom, yesterday... and today, you've been very strange. You know Kanjuro-kun, right? What exactly is your relationship with him?'
Eri Kisaki's heart sank sharply; the most feared question had come. Avoiding her daughter's probing gaze, she denied stiffly: 'No relationship. Just an... old acquaintance I haven't seen in many years. Ran, don't overthink it.'
"Mom! You're lying!" Ran suddenly raised her voice, letting go of her mother's arm, her eyes filled with the stubbornness and grievance of being untrusted. "Kanjuro told me everything! He said... he said he's my biological brother! We're half-siblings! Right?!"
It was like a bolt from the blue!
Eri Kisaki froze completely, her mind went blank, and her blood seemed to freeze instantly! (He... he actually told Ran?! He clearly promised... no, he never promised, he only said he 'didn't want to be the father of 347'... but he actually fabricated the identity of a 'brother'?!)
The immense shock and confusion left her speechless for a moment. But deep down, a faint voice said: Brother... is better than telling her he's the father... at least, the impact and ethical dilemma of this identity would be smaller... Seeing her mother's sudden change in expression and silence, Ran became even more convinced of Kanjuro's words. She felt a strange flutter at learning of a "relative," yet was incredibly angry at her mother's concealment.
Eri Kisaki barely regained a shred of reason amidst the massive shock. She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound calm and authoritative, even though her heart was in total turmoil:
"Ran! Do not discuss Kanjuro's matters anymore! From now on, you must stay away from him! Do you hear me?!"
This forceful command, given without any explanation, completely ignited Ran's rebellious streak. She remembered that Shinichi Kudo was also full of suspicion toward Kanjuro but couldn't produce any evidence, and now even her mother was like this!
"Why?! Every one of you is like this!" Ran's voice carried a sob, filled with incomprehension and anger. "Shinichi suspects he's a bad person, and you, Mom, want me to stay away from him! But none of you can give me a logical reason! Kanjuro has been very good to me, very gentle! He even told me the truth that we might be siblings! And what about you? Besides groundless suspicion and commands, what else have you given me?!"
She looked at her mother, her eyes full of disappointment: "Is it right to slander and alienate someone like this without any evidence?! Mom, you've always taught me to be reasonable and to distinguish right from wrong!"
Her daughter's questioning was like a whip lashing Eri Kisaki's heart. How could she not want to tell her daughter the truth? To tell her about the pain and persistence of the past eighteen years, to tell her what a dangerous, heart-manipulating demon Kanjuro was! But could she say it? Tell her about that shameful night, about Ran's parentage, about the atrocity Kanjuro just committed against her? That would only bring her daughter greater harm and destruction!
A massive sense of powerlessness and a protective instinct almost made Eri collapse, but she could only grit her teeth, swallowing all the bitterness and truth back into her stomach. She looked at the agitated Ran, her eyes full of unspeakable pain and determination:
"Ran! Mom is doing this for your own good! There are some things you are better off not knowing! Be good, stay away from Kanjuro! One day... you will understand my intentions!"
Having said that, she could no longer face her daughter's pure and confused eyes, fearing she would burst into tears or let something slip. She turned abruptly and, almost as if fleeing, walked quickly away from the school gate, leaving Ran alone, stunned, and filled with grievance and confusion.
Ran watched her mother's panicked retreating back, and tears finally couldn't help but stream down her face. She didn't understand why everything had become so strange overnight. Why was the "brother" who made her feel such kinship so rejected by the two people she trusted most? And what secret was hidden behind her mother's hesitant, agonizing appearance?
A crack in trust appeared between mother and daughter for the first time. Meanwhile, the seeds sown by Kanjuro were quietly sprouting, drawing more people into the web of fate he wove, filled with lies and pain. After the unpleasant parting with her mother at the school gate, Ran's heart was full of grievance and confusion. She walked aimlessly, her thoughts in disarray. Just then, a familiar and gentle voice sounded beside her.
"Ran?"
Ran looked up toward the sound and saw Kanjuro standing on a street corner not far away, a perfectly timed smile of concern on his face. The afterglow of the setting sun cast a warm halo over him, fitting his identity as a "brother" perfectly.
(Shinichi and Mom both say he's dangerous, but... they haven't produced any evidence. Brother Kanjuro is clearly so gentle, and he even told me the truth that we might be siblings...) Ran looked at his handsome and harmless face, the thought in her heart becoming more resolute: (I'll judge for myself! As long as I spend more time with him, I'll surely know his true character! If he's a good person, I can prove it to Mom and Shinichi; if he really is... then I can find out for myself!)
Thinking of this, Ran suppressed her chaotic emotions and gave Kanjuro a slight smile: "Brother Kanjuro, what are you doing here?"
"Just passing by." Kanjuro approached, his tone natural. "You don't seem to be in a very good mood? Since school's out so early, shall I walk you home?"
Ran shook her head and plucked up the courage to offer an invitation: "It's... a bit early to go home. Brother Kanjuro, let's... go for a walk?" She paused, carefully observing Kanjuro's expression, and asked tentatively: "Also... Mom came to see me today, and she was in a very wrong state. Brother Kanjuro, did you... say something to Mom?"
Hearing this, the gentle smile on Kanjuro's face instantly dimmed. He gave a soft sigh, his eyes showing a sort of "sadness" and "forbearance" at being misunderstood.
"Yes... we met once." He said in a low voice, his tone full of "sincerity" and "helplessness." "Auntie's mood isn't great, which is understandable. After all... the feelings between two people aren't always easy to accept, especially when family ties are involved."
He looked at Ran, his eyes full of "candor": "She has always... been somewhat ashamed of me, thinking I'm a useless son who shouldn't be seen in public, which is why back then she... was unwilling to acknowledge me. Now that we've met again because of you, she probably is even more unwilling to face this past." He paused perfectly, throwing out more misleading information. "Also, you have to understand, your mother... after all, she remarried and has a new family and life. My appearance might be a disturbance to her, or even make her feel... sorry toward your current father."
This explanation perfectly twisted Eri Kisaki's resistance and pain into the image of a harsh mother who "disdained an Illegitimate son to protect her current family," while he played the role of a "brother" who was willing to compromise and longed for family affection but was forced to endure in silence.
Listening to Kanjuro's words and combining them with her own life experiences, Ran couldn't help but believe most of it. She recalled the inexplicable, ever-present sense of distance from her father, Kogoro Mouri, and her parents' long-term separation and nearly estranged relationship, feeling a pang of sorrow in her heart.
"I... I can understand that Mom might have her difficulties..." Ran said softly, as if trying to convince herself. "Although Mom and Dad's relationship has always been bad—they've been separated for almost as long as I can remember, and Dad... doesn't really look after me, I've always lived with Mom. Maybe Mom is doing this partly for Dad's sake, not wanting to break the current surface calm..."
In her tone, a hint of regret over the lack of fatherly love and disappointment at the coldness of her family relations couldn't help but leak out. And this disappointment was captured and utilized precisely by Kanjuro.
"It's okay, Ran." Kanjuro's voice became even more gentle, carrying a sense of empathy as if they were "kindred spirits." "Don't you have me now? Although I might not be able to completely replace them, at least... you have a brother who cares about you."
These words were like a warm current flowing into Ran's heart, which had been chilled by her mother's forceful attitude and family indifference. Looking into Kanjuro's "sincere" eyes, the slight doubts she had previously felt due to her mother's and Shinichi's warnings seemed to be completely dispelled at this moment.
(That's right, I have a brother now... a relative who will care about me and is willing to accompany me.)
"Mm!" Ran nodded vigorously, a bright smile returning to her face as she temporarily pushed all her troubles to the back of her mind. "Then... Brother Kanjuro, shall we go?"
"Sure, where do you want to go?" Kanjuro smiled, walking side-by-side with Ran.
"Anywhere is fine, as long as I can walk with Brother Kanjuro."
Under the setting sun, the shadows of the two walking side-by-side were elongated. They looked warm and harmonious, yet beneath this warmth lay a fatal lie and an impending storm.
Ran stepped toward what she thought was the "truth," completely unaware that she was walking step by step into the deeper trap Kanjuro had meticulously woven for her. Meanwhile, Kanjuro enjoyed this new round of the hunting game in the name of "family affection." Kanjuro and Ran Mouri walked side-by-side on the evening street, the setting sun stretching their shadows as the atmosphere seemed warm and peaceful. Kanjuro deliberately guided the conversation, talking about school anecdotes and lighthearted topics, letting Ran's tense nerves gradually relax, and more genuine smiles appeared on her face. She felt more and more that this suddenly appeared "brother" was so understanding and gentle.
Just then, a vibrant female voice came from the side:
"Ran—!"
The two looked toward the sound and saw Suzuki Sonoko running toward them with her signature bright smile. As she got closer, her gaze was immediately attracted by the exceptionally handsome stranger standing next to Ran.
"Wow!" Sonoko exclaimed without concealment, lightly nudging Ran with her elbow and lowering her voice with a wink. "Ran, you're not being fair! When did you meet such a handsome guy? And you're taking a walk together? Don't tell me you're... finally going to give up on that mystery-obsessed Kudo?" Her words were full of gossip and teasing.
Ran's face instantly flushed red, and she hurriedly waved her hands to explain: "Sonoko! Don't talk nonsense! This is Kanjuro, he's... he's my brother!" When she introduced him, her tone carried a hint of imperceptible bashfulness and a certain sense of firm confirmation.
"Brother?" Sonoko was clearly stunned for a moment, her gaze scanning back and forth between Ran and Kanjuro, obviously very surprised by this sudden "brother." She remembered Ran was an only child. However, she had a cheerful personality; although confused, seeing that Ran didn't mean to explain further, she didn't press the matter and instead became even more interested in Kanjuro.
"So it's Brother Kanjuro!" Sonoko immediately changed her attitude, generously extending her hand to Kanjuro with a bright smile. "Hello! I'm Ran's best friend, Suzuki Sonoko!"
"Hello, Sonoko-san." Kanjuro smiled and lightly shook her hand. His palm was warm and dry, and his behavior was elegant and proper. "I often hear Ran mention you, saying you're her most trusted best friend. Seeing you today, you're indeed a lively and cute girl."
His voice was gentle and mellow, like a spring breeze. In a few simple sentences, he both expressed his understanding of Ran's social circle and gave Sonoko a perfectly timed compliment, instantly winning her favor.
"Really? Ran really said that about me?" Sonoko looked at Ran happily, then focused her attention entirely on Kanjuro again. She found that Kanjuro was not only good-looking but also very comfortable to talk to.
Kanjuro nodded with a smile, his gaze seemingly inadvertently sweeping over the signature headband on Sonoko's forehead, and added in a sincere tone: "However, if I may be so bold as to say, Sonoko-san, you actually... if you didn't wear this headband and fully exposed your forehead, you might be even more beautiful and better show off the spirit in your features."
"Eh?!" Sonoko completely didn't expect Kanjuro to suddenly give such a suggestion, and in such a serious yet gentle tone. She subconsciously touched her headband, her cheeks turning bright red, and her heart beating faster. Usually bold and outspoken, she was actually a bit at a loss at this moment.
"Re... really? Brother Kanjuro, you really have a way with words..." Sonoko lowered her head shyly, her voice becoming smaller. "As expected of Ran's brother, you have great taste!"
Seeing her best friend being teased into a blushing mess by a few words from Kanjuro, Ran couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle, her favor toward Kanjuro increasing even more. (See, Brother Kanjuro is such a gentle and attentive person, even Sonoko thinks so.)
Kanjuro took in the reactions of both girls, maintaining a flawless gentle smile on his face while coldly evaluating in his heart. (The heiress of the Suzuki Conglomerate... her status is quite good. Simple personality, easy to control. Perhaps... she could become a useful pawn in the future, or at least, through her, I can more naturally integrate into Ran's social circle.)
"I'm just speaking from my intuition," Kanjuro responded modestly, then naturally shifted the topic. "Where were you two planning to go? If it's convenient, may I treat you two lovely ladies to something to drink?"
"It's convenient! Of course it's convenient!" Sonoko immediately rushed to answer, already completely won over by Kanjuro's charm.
Ran looked at the high-spirited Sonoko and the refined Kanjuro, and also nodded with a smile. The trio became a quartet (if counting the cold calculations in Kanjuro's heart), and the atmosphere seemed even more lively and harmonious as they continued toward the nearby drink shop. Kanjuro had successfully embedded another solid "friendship" cornerstone beside his "sister," and the web he wove expanded by another circle invisibly.
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