When the dismissal bell rang, Watanabe Tetsu let out a long sigh of relief.
Another boring day was finally over.
"Ko-chin, where's your house?" Ayumi asked while packing her bag.
After spending a whole day together, she felt their relationship had grown rapidly. So her address for him had changed from "Watanabe-kun" to "Ko-chin."
Watanabe didn't care much about the nickname. Hearing her question, he casually replied,
"I'm temporarily staying at the Mouri Detective Agency in Beika 5-chome."
"Mouri Detective Agency?" Ayumi blinked, having no impression of the place. She looked back at Mitsuhiko.
"Mitsuhiko, do you know where that is?"
"No idea." Mitsuhiko shook his head.
"What about you, Genta?"
"That… detective place… do they sell eel rice?" Genta gulped.
Mitsuhiko sighed and corrected him,
"Genta, a detective agency is where detectives work. They don't sell eel rice. Watanabe-kun, is your relative a detective?"
"Uh… sort of."
"That's amazing. I used to think I might want to become a detective when I grow up too."
"Hey, why don't we go check out how a detective works?" Ayumi suggested suddenly. "We can walk Ko-chin home anyway—he's new here, everything must feel unfamiliar."
"I agree!"
"There may not be eel rice… but going to a detective's house sounds fun too."
Mitsuhiko and Genta both raised their hands.
Hey, hey—how about asking for my opinion first?
Watanabe had absolutely no interest in spending extra time with these three little gremlins. Hearing their plan, he quickly said:
"Um… actually, Uncle Mouri went out to meet a client today. He went really, really far away and won't be back for a couple days. Even if you came, you wouldn't see him. And… my sister is coming to pick me up, so there's no need for you to walk me home."
"I see, that's too bad." Ayumi looked genuinely disappointed, not doubting him at all.
"Well, I'm heading off. See you tomorrow."
Afraid they would come up with more bizarre plans, Watanabe slung his backpack over his shoulder and swiftly left the classroom.
"Ko-chin!"
He had just stepped out of the school gate when a cheerful voice made him stop.
Turning around, he saw Ran, wearing her Teitan High uniform and carrying her training bag, walking toward him with a boy and girl following behind.
"Ran-neesan? Why are you here?" Watanabe asked in surprise.
He had lied to Ayumi and the others about Ran picking him up just to get away from them—and now Ran really had come.
Ran smiled.
"Since it's Ko-chin's first time going home alone, I was a little worried. I thought about it and decided it was better to pick you up. I was afraid I wouldn't make it in time, but luckily I did."
Watanabe opened his mouth, and seeing the fine beads of sweat on Ran's face, he knew just how quickly she had rushed over.
Before he could speak, the short-haired girl beside Ran studied him.
"Ran, is this the little brother your dad brought home for you?"
"He didn't bring him home—he's just staying with us temporarily," Ran corrected. Then she introduced,
"Ko-chin, this is my friend. Just call her Sister Sonoko."
"Hello, Sister Sonoko." Watanabe greeted politely. "Ran-neesan's friend is really beautiful too."
"Hahaha."
Sonoko practically bloomed under the flattery. "Ran, your little brother has excellent taste."
Ran giggled softly.
Only the boy beside them curled his lips and muttered,
"Brownnoser."
"Kudo, what did you just say?"
Sonoko's sharp ears caught it instantly—her elegant brows shooting up.
"A child doesn't even understand what flattery is. He only says what he really thinks. Or do you mean—I'm not pretty?"
"T-That's not what I meant…" Shinichi shrank back.
The look in Sonoko's eyes was enough to devour him alive.
"Then what did you mean?" Sonoko pressed.
"I…"
"Alriiiight, stop it, both of you." Ran hurriedly stepped between them, headache visible.
"You'll scare Ko-chin."
Watanabe, however, was quite happy to watch Kudo Shinichi suffer. With an innocent expression, he said,
"It's fine. Since I've acknowledged Uncle Mouri as my teacher, then in the future—"
Pfft—
Before he finished, Shinichi couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Ran, I didn't expect someone would actually take your dad as a teacher. What's the old man going to teach him?"
Although she knew exactly what her father was like, Ran still felt uncomfortable hearing someone mock him. Her tone cooled.
"That's not something the great detective needs to worry about. Ko-chin, Sonoko—let's go."
Leaving behind a bewildered Kudo Shinichi, the three turned and walked away.