"Let's see…"
"Your build's so sharp, Hayato. This style would look great on you."
"The suit from the signing event was already dashing."
"Grab one white and one black shirt, too—pair them with ties."
In a men's clothing store, Kisaki Eri offered Hayato pointers, standing before him, chin in hand, sizing him up.
As he tried on a shirt, she handed him a jacket, sometimes testing the same style in different colors.
Hayato went along willingly.
Eri's taste was impeccable, though she leaned toward formal wear—a trait clear from her own wardrobe.
"Let's settle on these for now."
Satisfied with the selections, Eri nodded, then turned to Hayato. "Anything you want to check out?"
"Maybe a couple of T-shirts. I like going casual sometimes."
"Alright."
Eri waved over a clerk.
Once the clothes were bagged, Eri swiped her card to pay.
Neither Hayato nor Eri was short on cash, so who paid didn't matter—though Eri seemed quietly pleased.
Hayato was only a few years older than Ran.
It made Eri wonder—if she'd had a son, she'd probably be picking out clothes for him like this.
"Ran said she'll be here around four-thirty. Let's wait at the café."
"Sounds good."
Hayato had no objections.
The café was a short ten-minute walk.
After settling in and ordering, Eri and Hayato chatted idly. Soon, Mouri Ran appeared at the entrance.
Spotting her daughter, Eri's face lit up with a radiant smile. She waved, scooting over to make room.
"Mom, Hayato-nii."
Ran's voice carried a light bounce.
Fresh from school, she wore Teitan High's uniform: a white shirt with a tie, topped by a blue blazer and pleated skirt.
At sixteen, the high schooler needed no makeup—her pure, striking features mirrored her mother's beauty, especially her clear, gem-like eyes.
"Sit, sit! Oh, and who's this?"
Eri's smile paused as she noticed a short elementary schooler beside Ran.
"This is Conan, staying with us for now—Shinichi's relative," Ran said, a touch exasperated. "When he heard I was going out, he insisted on tagging along."
"I see…"
Eri glanced at him, finding him familiar but brushing it off.
"Hey, Hayato-nii."
Conan tilted his head, flashing Hayato a grin.
The syrupy tone made Hayato's grip on his coffee cup tighten briefly, but he returned a gentle smile.
Ran sat by Eri, and Conan plopped next to Hayato, all smiles—though inside, he was practically drowning in jealousy.
(So Ran's 'date' is really him—?)
Conan's heart soured.
He'd seen Ran rush out right after getting home, and when he asked, she'd chirped about a "date." It hit him like a thunderbolt.
Barely shrunk, and his childhood friend was already charmed by some pretty boy?
No way he'd let that slide!
"So, Ran-neechan's here to meet up with Hayato-nii?"
"Huh?"
Conan's words widened Ran's eyes. Seeing Hayato pause, her face flushed red. "Don't talk nonsense, Conan! My 'date' is with Mom."
"Oh, got it!"
Eyeing the clear mother-daughter pair, Conan eased up.
But then Eri chimed in.
"It's true, I invited Ran today. Still, you two should hang out more." Her mature tone carried a tease. "You're cousins, after all."
"But Hayato-nii's gotta be super popular," Conan cut in, voice rising slightly. "Probably tough to get a hold of, right? Ayumi from my class wouldn't stop talking about him after that day."
"Don't judge someone on first impressions."
Hayato found Conan's barely veiled panic amusing.
"Hayato's lifestyle is quite wholesome," Eri added, nodding.
"…"
Conan had no comeback.
Hayato's gaze lingered on him.
"You know, you look a lot like Kudo Shinichi."
"—!"
The sudden remark froze Conan for a split second.
He forced a laugh. "W-Well, I'm Shinichi-nii's relative, so…"
"Now that you mention it," Eri said, surprised, "he does look exactly like that Kudo boy when he was young."
"Right? I was shocked the first time I saw him," Ran agreed.
"Exactly the same?" Hayato pressed.
"I think so."
As Ran nodded hesitantly, Conan's palms started to sweat.
Worse, Hayato pulled out a notebook and pen, scribbling something. Desperate to shift gears, Conan chuckled awkwardly. "Whatcha writing, Hayato-nii?"
"Just had a fun idea: a famous detective meets an accident, shrinks to his eight-year-old self in a lab mishap, then works to undo it and take down a shadowy group, solving cases as a kid to hunt the truth—"
"That's so cool!"
Ran's eyes sparkled.
"Sounds intriguing, but a kid detective might suit a younger audience," Eri mused.
"Yeah, a novel might not work, but a manga could." Hayato nodded, then smiled warmly at Conan. "What do you think, Conan? Decent idea?"
"…Haha, I dunno."
Please, no!
Could this novelist's brain not be so wild?
Cold sweat beaded on Conan's forehead, his eyes flashing with dread as his heart raced.
Worse still, Hayato kept writing—then paused, gave him a long look, and wrote again!
***
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