"Buzz buzz buzz—"
Haibara, who was typing away on the keyboard while studying the data in front of the computer, furrowed her delicate brows, feeling a wave of irritation at the sound of her phone vibrating on the desk.
"Who's bothering me at such a critical time?"
Annoyed, she reached out to turn it off, but then paused.
There was only one person who had her number.
She immediately left the computer, picked up the phone, took two deep breaths to calm herself, and answered.
"Fujiwara, is something wrong?"
"Haibara, open the surveillance software on your computer."
Haibara followed Toru's instructions and opened the software.
Instantly, the feed from all the internal and external cameras of the mansion appeared on the screen.
Her gaze sharpened when she noticed a familiar figure in one of the camera feeds. A little boy was lingering outside the mansion, seemingly looking for an entrance.
"Kudo Shinichi?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "...What is he trying to do? Is he planning to break in?"
"He's probably here to investigate you and me."
"So, what should I do, Fujiwara?"
"Do whatever you think is best, Haibara Ai."
"Really? Then I might tell him a few things. For medication development, it's best to have the subject's cooperation. It'll help me get better data. Is that okay?"
She asked cautiously. She didn't want to cause trouble for Toru.
"No problem. I trust you know the boundaries, and what can or can't be said."
"Alright, that's enough for me. Um... Fujiwara...."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Thanks... for tolerating my selfishness."
"Why is the little girl being sentimental today? Are you missing me because I'm not home?"
Hearing his teasing, Haibara scoffed softly. "...You're so thick-skinned."
"Alright, let's not talk about how much you miss me. Go to my room and open the bedside drawer. The password is XXXX."
"What do you mean 'I missed you'!"
Haibara snorted lightly but still followed Toru's instructions. She entered his room, opened the drawer using the password, and found a handgun inside.
"Even if your aim is terrible, just holding it will make people hesitate. Also, be cautious of Kudo Shinichi's watch, it has a tranquilizer dart. Be wary of his belt and soccer skills too."
Toru gave her a few reminders, then added, "...But don't worry. I've got your back."
"Okay."
...
Maebashi City, the capital of Gunma Prefecture, located in a quiet countryside area on the outskirts of the city.
Toru and Eri followed Yukiko to a small village house that seemed to be full of memories.
"Sorry, Eri, Fujiwara. There's not much out here in the countryside. I just made some simple dishes for dinner. Please bear with me."
Yukiko was still wearing the same outfit as earlier.
But she had taken off her silver heels. Her delicate feet, wrapped in sheer short stockings, showed slightly tensed toes and soft arches. She was now kneeling on the floor, preparing food for Toru and Eri.
The meal consisted of simple Japanese home-style dishes served in small bowls, accompanied by steaming white rice.
"You made all this, Yukiko-nee?"
Toru held his rice bowl and chopsticks as he asked.
"Well, I am a married woman after all. My cooking's not bad. Go ahead, Fujiwara, try it and see if it suits your taste."
Yukiko smiled as she spoke.
Toru picked up a piece of grilled fish with his chopsticks, took a bite, found it perfectly seasoned with a crispy exterior, and nodded. "It's delicious."
Yukiko touched her cheek and smiled. "As long as you like it, Fujiwara. I'll go outside to offer incense to my parents in a bit. I've tidied up the room for you, so go ahead and rest if you'd like."
"It's so late. Will you be alright? Should we go with you?"
Toru asked with concern.
"No need. The memorial tablet is just in the next courtyard. You don't need to come. There are some things I want to say to Father and Mother alone."
Since Yukiko insisted, neither Toru nor Eri pressed further.
After the meal, Yukiko began cleaning up the dishes. Despite her playful, rebellious personality and being a woman of leisure, she was still skilled in housework.
Eri, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. While Ran was excellent at cooking and chores, Eri, always busy with work, had little time for housework. She paid others to do her laundry and meals.
In some ways, Yukiko had married well. She didn't need to work all day. Her main role was taking care of the family.
Watching Yukiko move around busily, Toru and Eri didn't return to their rooms immediately. Instead, they sat in the living room drinking tea and watching TV.
"Yukiko has had it tough too."
Eri suddenly spoke. Toru remained quiet.
"She was born in rural Gunma Prefecture. It's the poorest area in Japan. To people in the big cities, it's completely countryside."
"But she had excellent grades and got into a famous Tokyo high school on a full scholarship through hard work."
"After graduation, she could've gone to a good university, but instead, she chose the entertainment industry. She told me, university would mean studying for years, and even after graduating, the salary would be average."
"But in entertainment, if she did well, she could start earning early and make good money."
"She was talented and hardworking. Within three or four years, she became a nationally famous actress and earned a substantial income."
"I thought she would keep going and eventually become one of the greats. I didn't expect her to suddenly quit and rush into marriage."
Toru listened quietly before asking, "Why did she marry so suddenly? Was it because she loved Yusaku Kudo too much?"
The media had reported on it at the time, but what was said publicly wasn't always the full story.
Eri replied, "Yukiko earned money to give her family a better life. But just as her career was at its peak, her parents died in a car accident. After that, her drive was gone."
Toru finally understood. That was why Yukiko had given up her career in the spotlight.
To abandon fame and a high income, just to settle down and marry—she had a strong will.
"Back then, I didn't support her decision to get married so young, especially when her career was thriving. What if she chose the wrong person? Her whole life could be ruined."
"But looking at how things have gone, though she and Kudo have had their share of arguments, they've managed to keep things going."
"It's just that..."
Eri paused for a moment, then said, "...It's just that there might be some problems with her marriage recently."
Eri shared this to prepare Toru.
In her opinion, for Yukiko to be acting this way, there must be something going on in her marriage.
She wanted Toru to understand ahead of time so that if Yukiko did something unexpected, he wouldn't judge her harshly. With Yukiko's personality, she was bound to cross some lines.
Especially considering that she was still married, which made certain things morally questionable. Eri didn't know where Toru stood on such issues.
In her own case, she wasn't married, so no one had a say in her personal life. For her, it wasn't a matter of morality.
"So Yukiko-nee has been through a lot."
Toru sighed.
"Yeah. So if she does something wrong, please try to be understanding."
After chatting for a while longer, the two returned to their rooms to rest.
Back in his room, Toru took out his phone, connected to the house surveillance, and started monitoring.
...
At the Western-style mansion in Tokyo North District, Conan had already been circling outside for over two hours.
"The fence isn't electrified, no barbed wire, and although there are cameras, there are several blind spots. Is Fujiwara overconfident, or does he just think Tokyo's security is good? The defenses on such a big house are too light."
After careful observation, Conan drew his conclusion.
What he didn't know was that many cameras were cleverly hidden, far beyond his ability to detect.
Looking at the iron fence before him, Conan hesitated.
Breaking into someone's home at night was technically a crime.
But he quickly made up his mind.
He was just a kid now, so even if he got caught, he wouldn't get into serious trouble.
With that thought, he leapt over the fence like a monkey and entered the garden.
Conan tiptoed toward the mansion wall. During his surveillance, he had noticed that one of the first-floor windows wasn't closed.
Luckily, he wouldn't need to climb to the second floor.
He gently pushed the window open, grabbed the windowsill with both hands, and jumped inside.
"This is the kitchen? Earlier, I saw a girl standing at this window for quite a while. Probably a maid hired by Fujiwara."
Thinking that, Conan pressed himself against the wall and crept toward the living room.
All the lights in the living room were off, making it pitch black. Only a laptop on a high platform emitted a soft glow.
After a brief hesitation, Conan decided to check the computer.
If his guess was right, only that little girl should be home. Nothing to be afraid of.
Feeling bolder, Conan tiptoed toward the platform.
Suddenly, the chandelier above lit up. The sudden brightness forced Conan, who had gotten used to the dark, to instinctively shield his eyes.
"Kudo Shinichi, you're pretty bold."
A cold voice of a young girl rang out behind him. Conan spun around in panic, pupils shrinking, his face filled with shock.
Sitting on the sofa was Haibara, holding a suppressed Beretta M9, Toru's favorite gun.
And her voice… it was familiar.
His thoughts raced, and he suddenly realized something.
In disbelief, he said, "It's you... Sherry!"
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
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