Chapter 113: Movie-watching style? No, it's live-streaming style.
[ten]
When most people saw Shin'ichi and Ran, they were already aware of the problem with the video.
They might not know Matsuda, Hagiwara, Date Morofushi, or Sora'aki, and they might not know that these people no longer exist in this world. But they all know Kudou Shin'ichi.
What if this video wasn't actually a live stream, but a recording of Kudou Shin'ichi from his middle school days? Live streaming wasn't popular back then, and the resolution wouldn't be this high.
While others were still pondering what kind of conspiracy was involved, Furuya Rei, who knew half of the people in the video, had already realized that it wasn't a conspiracy at all.
If it were truly a conspiracy, someone who knows him so well, knows his name and the way his childhood friend addresses him, would have already exposed his identity. If the other party harbors any ill will, what's aimed at him now isn't the smiles on the screen, but a bullet.
His only hope was that the live stream wouldn't be seen by the organization, because that would mean his identity had been exposed.
Those who knew Furuya Rei's true identity were one thing, but those who didn't looked at each other in bewilderment: "So, why is Amuro-san called Furuya?"
"Could it be that Amuro-san's original name wasn't Amuro Tooru?" Suzuki Sonoko asked curiously.
Mouri Ran, however, noticed something: "Speaking of which, I always felt that the name of Officer Matsuda, who appeared earlier in the live broadcast, sounded familiar. I just remembered. Officer Satou mentioned him."
"Matsuda-san on the screen must be a police officer."
Suzuki Sonoko wasn't stupid; she was just used to being straightforward and wasn't used to convoluted riddles. Even with Mouri Ran putting it this far, Sonoko hesitated and asked, "So... does that mean Amuro-san is also..."
The conversation on the screen also gave them the answer.
"Rei-nii and his brother are both police officers. What they do is a secret, but I can tell you that Rei-nii used to sell himself in a bar to hide his identity in order to catch bad guys." Morofushi Sora'aki said.
Furuya Rei: "..."
Furuya Rei: "What do you mean, 'sell yourself'?! I just went there to be a bodyguard!! And incidentally, I played guitar for a bit! Sora'aki—!"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "Signing a contract is tantamount to selling yourself, isn't it? Selling your time, not being able to leave the bar, and then earning money?"
Furuya Rei: "..." It sounds like there's nothing wrong with it, but the combination is so strange!
Morofushi Hiromitsu quietly kept his presence to himself.
Morofushi Sora'aki said decisively, "Brother is going to uphold justice. Even if he has to sell his body, I will accept and support him."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "..." Ah, so I can't escape it after all?
Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled and said, "Thank you for your understanding, Sora'aki. Speaking of which, Akai was there too."
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded: "I already said that, which is why I didn't mention it."
Furuya Rei suddenly snapped out of his daze: "Huh? You just saw Akai?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu was also a little curious: "What did you talk about?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "We seriously discussed the possibility of taking action against our relatives."
The youngest brother of the Mirofushi family tilted his head and asked, "Brother, is it too late for me to ask Mom to have a little sister? I also want to date and play with a little sister."
Morofushi Hiromitsu's smile froze, and his fist hardened.
Furuya Rei: "...That bastard is corrupting the kids again?"
If I hadn't watched the live stream just now, I would have actually believed your lies!
Akai Shuuichi: ...This kid is doing it on purpose.
Edogawa Conan: Why does it feel like everything is right, yet nothing is right?
Furuya Rei: "Hahahaha!!! The FBI is corrupting children!!"
On the other side, Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko, who were watching the live stream together, exchanged a glance, having already forgotten their earlier discussion about the names Amuro Tooru and Furuya Rei.
Suzuki Sonoko asserted, "I think he did it on purpose."
Mouri Ran: It's not nice to say it like that, but that's how I feel too.
Suzuki Sonoko: "But, but still—he's so cute! These little pranks aren't annoying at all!"
"If someone else made this kind of joke, I might think it was a bit too much, but when he said it, I found it so cute!"
Mouri Ran remarked, "Sora'aki-senpai... seems a bit off-key."
Haibara Ai: "..."
Haibara Ai had already taken Professor Agasa's ice cream and started eating it without any expression. Why hadn't it been her sister's turn yet?
The reactions of Sera and her mother were also quite interesting.
Sera Mary: "He dares?! I'll break his legs!"
Sera Masumi: "Mom! Shuu-nii isn't that kind of person!!"
Sera Mary: "Oh, I know that. I just wanted to find an excuse to beat him up."
Sera Masumi: "..."
Sera Masumi: "Okay, Mom, no problem, Mom."
Couldn't Morofushi Hiromitsu see that his younger brother was playing? Of course he could, but since his brother was having so much fun, how could he not play along?
Moreover, Akai can sometimes really lead kids astray. Perhaps because he lives abroad and has British ancestry, Akai Shuuichi's tone and word choice are particularly subtle.
Akai Shuuichi: This is a stereotype and should not be accepted.
"Yes, I'll talk to Akai later." Morofushi Hiromitsu said with a smile.
Seeing that he could make a fool of Akai Shuuichi, Furuya Rei said, "Count me in."
Watching the two people go to find Akai Shuuichi, Morofushi Sora'aki continued walking forward, saying as he went, "It's probably a friendship that developed from selling themselves together. Their relationship is really good."
"But it doesn't matter, I also have close friends like that." Morofushi Sora'aki nodded.
Those who witnessed this: Wait a minute? Explain yourself! What relationship? A relationship of selling yourselves together?!
Mouri Ran: "...I think what you meant was, 'You also have such good friends?'"
Suzuki Sonoko: "I think so too. By the way, Ran, when did you start calling him 'senpai'?"
Mouri Ran smiled slightly and said, "Isn't Sora'aki-senpai a year ahead of us? It would be better to use honorifics."
After overcoming countless difficulties, Morofushi Sora'aki finally arrived at Miyano Clinic.
"When I said 'eighty-one,' I meant the calamity of death. You probably can't understand how I narrowly escaped danger."
Edogawa Conan: Am I imagining things? Why do I feel like he's pointing at me?
At that moment, Haibara Ai stopped breathing. She dared not breathe, staring intently at the clinic sign until the door was opened from the inside, at which point she suddenly realized that she needed to breathe.
Miyano Akemi smiled, somewhat surprised, and said, "Sora'aki?"
"Did you come alone?" she asked gently.
Morofushi Sora'aki: "Why are you making me sound like a seven-year-old child?"
Miyano Akemi laughed: "Sorry, sorry, that's not what I meant. It's just that you always come with your brother, Sora'aki, so I was a little surprised."
"Shiho's home, do you want to go play with her?"
Morofushi Sora'aki picked up his phone: "I want to do a live stream, but not for the people of this world, is that okay? If there's anything I can't stream, you can tell me."
"Ah! I remember now, Rei-kun mentioned it a few days ago." Miyano Akemi smiled and said, "It's okay, everything else should be fine except for the patient's medical records, her parents' information, and Shiho's information."
"However, it would be better if Sora'aki asked Shiho beforehand, since even though I'm the older sister, I can't make decisions for her."
"I understand." Morofushi Sora'aki picked up the camera and pointed it at Miyano Akemi: "May I interview you?"
Miyano Akemi paused for a moment, then nodded: "Of course! But it would be too impolite to leave a guest at the door. Please come in, let me make you a cup of tea before we begin."
Morofushi Sora'aki obediently sat on the clinic sofa; he was clearly very familiar with the place.
Haibara Ai stared at her sister's ever-present smile on the screen, covering her mouth as she trembled uncontrollably. Thankfully, she was alone in the room; her outburst would go unnoticed.
Sister... that's so wonderful, you look so happy...
Even if it's another world, I even hope it's the afterlife, so that you can still show that smile in this world...
Akai Shuuichi lowered his eyes, while Edogawa Conan recalled the person he hadn't been able to save back then.
Furuya Rei's eyes flickered, and Mouri Ran hesitated after seeing Miyano Akemi, saying, "I feel like I've seen her somewhere before..."
Mouri Ran hadn't yet recognized "Hirota Masami", the person who had previously visited her home for a consultation. Suzuki Sonoko rested her chin on her hand and compared them: "I also think she looks familiar—she looks a lot like you, Ran!"
Mouri Ran exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Really?"
Suzuki Sonoko nodded and said, "Yes! Not in appearance, but in that kind of temperament—you know? It's that kind of strong yet gentle temperament! Of course, it's probably because of your hairstyles; you both have long, straight black hair, so you look alike!"
Sera Mary swallowed hard: "...It's this child."
Sera Masumi also realized from the previous conversation that she had a family of relatives, and the person on the screen was most likely her cousin.
Looking at her mother's expression, Sera Masumi hesitated for a moment and did not ask.
The interview began. Morofushi Sora'aki used the phone stand provided by Miyano Akemi to position his phone, ensuring both of them were in the frame.
Morofushi Sora'aki took a sip of his teacup: "I talked too much on the way here, I'm a little thirsty."
Miyano Akemi smiled and said, "You weren't usually so talkative~ I didn't expect you to change so much as you grew up."
After finishing his tea, Morofushi Sora'aki put down his teacup, coughed lightly, and placed his fist in front of Miyano Akemi's mouth: "Hello, Miyano Akemi-san, what would you like to say to your sister?"
Miyano Akemi blinked. "Huh?"
"Just imagine your sister isn't around; she's going abroad to study, and you two rarely see each other. What would you say to her?"
Miyano Akemi: "...Shiho does want to go abroad, so you asked me to answer that?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "You can assume that."
Miyano Akemi immediately laughed: "As expected, you and Shiho really are close."
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded: "That's right, we have a relationship where my brother forces me to call her by her name."
Miyano Akemi's gentle smile froze.
Haibara Ai: "..." Sister, do you really think I'm close to him?