ShinRan Shipper

Tokyo Station was already crowded with Teitan High School students noisily carrying suitcases, neck pillows, snack bags, and the excessive excitement typical of teenagers traveling far away without their parents.

Ran sat in her shinkansen seat while staring at the empty seat beside the window. Sonoko, who sat in front of her, narrowed her eyes immediately.

“You’ve been staring at that seat this whole time.”

“I haven’t.”

“Looking for Kudo?”

Ran quickly turned toward the window.

“As if…”

But that was exactly what she was thinking about.

A few days ago, Shinichi had said he might join the school trip later because he had something to take care of first. But until now there had been no news from him, and Ran was too shy to contact him first.

Especially after… That confession in London. Every time she remembered Shinichi’s voice saying, “The heart of a woman whom one likes… how could someone accurately deduce that?" her face immediately became hot.

The problem was— She still hadn’t given him an answer. And that made everything awkward. Sonoko watched Ran’s expression for a moment before dramatically sighing.

“You two obviously like each other, but your vibes are like one of those drama couples that need 40 episodes before they finally date.”

Ran immediately choked on her bottled tea.

“S-Sonoko!”

“What? Am I wrong?”

Ran lowered her head while quietly fiddling with the sleeve of her sweater.

“…I just don’t know how to answer him yet.”

Sonoko leaned back casually while grinning.

“If you don’t know what to say when you meet Kudo later…”

Ran immediately felt uneasy.

“…What?”

“Just kiss him.”

Ran froze completely.

Then a split second later—

“SONOKO?!”

Several students nearby turned around because Ran’s voice was way too loud.

Sonoko laughed shamelessly.

“What? It’s the fastest way!”

“T-There’s no way I could do that!”

“Why not?”

“I’d die from embarrassment!”

Sonoko pointed at Ran’s face.

“Your face is already red right now.”

Ran instantly covered her cheeks.

How annoying.

Throughout the trip to Kyoto, Ran unconsciously checked her phone several times. No messages from Shinichi. Sonoko only smiled knowingly when she noticed.

“Can’t wait, huh?”

“No.”

“Then why do you keep opening Kudo’s chat?”

Ran hurriedly locked her phone screen.

“…I was just checking the time.”

“Liar.”

Ran sighed softly before looking back out the window.

The scenery gradually changed into mountains and traditional houses. Kyoto looked bright and clear that day. Ran should’ve been happy. But somehow there was a small emptiness inside her because Shinichi still hadn’t appeared. Did he decide not to come after all? If he didn’t come… well, that was fine. Ran looked at her own reflection in the window.

…Maybe she’d just be a little disappointed.

--

By evening, the group finally arrived in Kyoto.

The students became noisy again as soon as they got off the bus in front of the ryokan where they would stay. Teachers began distributing room keys while reminding everyone about curfew rules that nobody was really listening to.

Ran was helping carry Sonoko’s suitcase in the lobby when the hotel doors opened.

And someone walked in carrying a black backpack over his shoulder.

“Finally made it…”

That voice made Ran reflexively turn around.

Then freeze.

Shinichi stood several meters away wearing his slightly wrinkled Teitan uniform, one hand holding a small suitcase, his expression tired like he’d just traveled a long way.

But even so—

The moment Ran saw him, her chest immediately felt full again.

“Shinichi…”

Shinichi only then realized Ran was there.

Their eyes met. And strangely, the entire lobby suddenly felt much quieter to Ran. Shinichi casually walked closer.

“Hey.”

“H-Hi…”

Ran hated how nervous her voice instantly became. Meanwhile, Sonoko beside her was already grinning like a devil.

“Well then,” she whispered into Ran’s ear. “Here’s your chance.”

Ran panicked immediately.

“Don’t start!”

“Kiss him.”

“SONOKO!”

Shinichi frowned in confusion.

“What are you guys arguing about?”

“NOTHING!”

Ran answered way too fast, causing several students nearby to glance over curiously. Shinichi stared at Ran for several seconds.

“…Why is your face red?”

“Because Sonoko’s annoying!”

Sonoko burst into laughter.

And because Ran’s reaction was way too dramatic, Shinichi became flustered too and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

Awkward. Even though they normally talked naturally. But ever since London… Everything felt different.

“Hey, Kudo!”

Nakamichi suddenly appeared and nudged Shinichi’s shoulder.

“We thought you weren’t coming.”

“I came,” Shinichi answered casually.

Nakamichi glanced at Ran before looking back at Shinichi with a meaningful grin.

“…Wow.”

“What?”

“You sure were motivated to come all the way to Kyoto.”

“Not really.”

“Oh yeah?”

Nakamichi leaned closer and lowered his voice.

“The others already know, you know.”

Shinichi immediately became suspicious.

“Know what?”

“That you confessed to Mouri in London.”

Silence.

Slowly, Shinichi turned toward Sonoko. So the gossip queen spread it around, huh? he thought.

Several boys immediately crowded around Shinichi.

“Damn, Kudo actually had guts.”
“So are you guys dating now?”
“How’d you even end up going to London together?”

Ran wanted to disappear from Earth. Meanwhile, Shinichi clicked his tongue softly while putting his hands into his pockets.

“…You guys are so noisy.”

But the tips of his ears were red. And Ran secretly noticed.

--

After the room assignments were finished, the teachers gave everyone free time until night. Some students immediately collapsed in their rooms because they were tired from the trip, while others decided to go sightseeing nearby. Of course, Sonoko belonged to the second group.

“Let’s go out,” she said while pulling Ran’s hand. “We still have time before dark.”

“Eh? Right now?”

“Obviously. We didn’t come to Kyoto just to sit inside a ryokan.”

Actually, Ran was still nervous because she had just met Shinichi again after so long. Especially now that everyone at school knew about the London confession. And even worse… Shinichi had sat directly in front of them during the afternoon snack earlier, making Ran unable to even raise her head normally. Every time their eyes met, it felt strange. Not uncomfortable. Too comfortable. That was what made Ran even more flustered.

Eventually, they walked to a traditional shopping district not far from the inn. Kyoto’s evening streets were filled with lanterns, souvenir shops, and the warm aroma of food from small stalls.

Sonoko was busy choosing keychains while Ran stopped in front of a sweets display.

“Ran.”

Ran turned around.

Shinichi had just arrived together with Nakamichi and several other boys.

“Eh…”

“The teacher said we shouldn’t wander too far,” Shinichi said casually. “So we were told to follow you guys.”

That was obviously a fake excuse. Even Nakamichi looked at Shinichi with a “that’s such a lie” expression.

But Ran still nodded quietly.

“Oh…”

And once again, things became awkward. Seeing that, Sonoko sighed in frustration. Why couldn’t these two be romantic instead of acting like strangers?!

Eventually they walked together through the Kyoto streets. Ran secretly glanced at Shinichi several times. Shinichi also wanted to say something several times, but every time their eyes met, Ran would get flustered first.

Until—

“Eh?”

A woman wearing sunglasses and a wide hat suddenly stopped in front of Shinichi.

She observed his face for several seconds.

“…Shin-chan?”

Shinichi thought for a moment before his eyes widened slightly. The woman laughed happily and lowered her sunglasses a little.

“Oh my gosh, it really is you!”

Ran blinked. Wasn’t that… Sonoko immediately widened her eyes dramatically.

“EH?! Isn’t that Keiko Momoi?!”

Several other students also became noisy.

Not surprising at all—Keiko was a famous actress who often appeared in TV dramas and cosmetic commercials.

And now she was standing right in front of them, talking casually with Shinichi.

“You’ve grown up so much,” Keiko said while laughing softly. “Do you remember me? I’m Keiko, Yukiko-san’s friend. I used to carry you around all the time when you were little.”

“Oh yeah?” Shinichi tried to remember, but apparently the memory didn’t exist in his brain anymore because it had been too long ago.

Then they chatted casually for several minutes.

About Yukiko.
About Yusaku.
About filming work.

Everything was completely normal conversation.

But from several steps behind…

Ran unconsciously watched them. She’s so beautiful… Keiko looked mature, elegant, and incredibly confident. Even the way she called him “Shin-chan” sounded very intimate.

Sonoko, standing beside Ran, slowly grinned.

“Hey.”

“Hm?”

“You’re jealous.”

“I am not!”

“Look at your face.”

Ran quickly looked away.

“I’m just surprised a famous actress knows Shinichi…”

“And?”

“…And she’s pretty.”

Sonoko immediately held back her laughter. Oh man. Kudo’s going to be so happy if he finds out.

Meanwhile, Shinichi had started noticing that Ran had gone unusually quiet. And after knowing her for so many years, he could immediately recognize the change in her expression. When Keiko finally said goodbye to return to filming—

“If you see your mother, tell her I miss her,” she said with a smile.

“Yeah. Take care, Keiko-san.”

Once the actress left, Nakamichi nudged Shinichi.

“Damn. You know celebrities too?”

“She’s Mom’s friend.”

“Your life is unfair…”

Shinichi barely listened.

Because his eyes automatically searched for Ran. And the moment he saw Ran pretending to be interested in another stall… Shinichi immediately understood. The corner of his lips lifted slightly.

“…Oh.”

Nakamichi stared in disbelief.

“Eh? Wait—”

But Shinichi had already walked toward Ran.

“Ran.”

Ran reflexively turned around.

“Hm?”

“She’s just Mom’s friend.”

Ran immediately became flustered.

“I-I didn’t ask.”

“But you kept staring.”

“I did not!”

“Jealous?”

“NO.”

Her answer came way too quickly, making Shinichi nearly laugh. Ran immediately realized her own reaction and covered her face briefly in embarrassment. Meanwhile Shinichi… For the first time since arriving in Kyoto, he was genuinely in a very good mood.

--

Kyoto nights felt much colder than Tokyo.

After dinner and free time ended, the students gradually returned to their rooms. The ryokan hallways were filled with footsteps, boys laughing loudly, and teachers yelling at them to quiet down. Ran walked together with Sonoko toward their room while carrying a small souvenir bag.

And somehow… Ran had been in an unusually good mood all evening. Even though she should’ve been dying from embarrassment because of earlier. Because almost everyone openly teased her and Shinichi now.
Because Sonoko kept bringing up “just kiss him already.”
And because Shinichi kept looking at her with expressions that made her heart unsafe.

But because all of it felt so real…

Ran felt happy instead.

“Well, well,” Sonoko teased while glancing sideways. “Someone’s smiling to herself.”

“I’m not.”

“You’ve been smiling this whole time.”

Ran reflexively touched her own cheeks.

“…Really?”

Sonoko laughed softly.

Oh no. She was seriously hopeless.

Meanwhile, inside Shinichi’s room, Nakamichi and several classmates had already spread cards all over the floor, blankets were half pulled out, snacks scattered everywhere, and laughter occasionally erupted whenever someone lost.

Shinichi sat on one of the futons near the window, pretending to relax. But his thoughts weren’t really there. Because the drug’s effect would wear off soon. The moment his alarm appeared, he quietly whispered toward Heiji Hattori, who had been hiding under the bed this whole time.

“…Looks like it’s time.”

Under the bed, Heiji shifted slightly.

The signal was clear: switch places now.

Shinichi quickly glanced toward Nakamichi and the others. They were still focused on cards. Nobody noticed. With quick movements, Shinichi lay down on the futon, switched places underneath with Heiji, and moments later his body was hit by a burning sensation like his bones were melting.

Without realizing it, he screamed—

“GAAAAAAH!”

“Oi Kudo, are you okay?!” Nakamichi shouted.

“Ahh leave him alone. That’s probably the sound of happiness after finally meeting his wife again,” one of the boys joked while the others laughed.

On top of the futon, Heiji lay flat while trying to breathe under the blanket—the position was incredibly uncomfortable, but he had done too many ridiculous things “for a friend” to complain now.

“…So ya need me in Kyoto?” Heiji’s voice over the phone sounded casual, but suspicious.

“I can’t waste this chance.”

“Hah?”

“This is Teitan High’s school trip,” Shinichi continued quietly. “It might only happen once in my life. I don’t wanna… lose that moment.”

Heiji fell silent briefly. Then laughed softly.

“…Oh.”

That tone immediately made Shinichi wary.

“Oi, don’t get the wrong idea.”

“Whaaat? It’s obvious,” Heiji answered casually. “Ya wanna spend time with yer girl, ain’t that right?”

Shinichi nearly choked on air.

“It’s not like that!”

“Then what is it?”

Shinichi became quiet for a moment.

“…I just don’t wanna miss the moment.”

Heiji clicked his tongue.

“Yer way too serious.”

“That’s why I’m asking for your help.”

“Heh,” Heiji sounded amused on the other side. “So what exactly d’ya want me to do?”

Shinichi glanced outside again.

“If the drug suddenly… acts up, cover for me. Be my backup.”

Heiji immediately became silent.

“…Ya know that’s troublesome, right?”

“I know.”

“I could get in trouble too.”

“I know.”

Heiji let out a long sigh.

“So what do i get outta this?”

Shinichi frowned.

“…What?”

“Payment, obviously,” Heiji answered lightly.

Shinichi went silent.

“…I thought we were friends.”

“Friends, my ass,” Heiji immediately cut him off. “I skipped school, rode all the way from Osaka to Kyoto secretly tailin’ ya guys so ya could spend three days with yer girl. Ya think i'm doin’ that for free?”

Shinichi opened his mouth, then closed it again.

“…Fine. What do you want?”

Heiji immediately sounded excited.

“Some premium A5 wagyu steak sounds mighty nice.”

“…Hah?”

“The expensive kind.”

Shinichi sighed.

“…Fine.”

“Oi, don’t celebrate yet.” Heiji forgot Shinichi came from a rich family, so requests like this were nothing to him.

“There’s more?”

Heiji quickly added—

“Ya know how much gas i used ridin’ my bike all the way here? I coulda bought the latest iPhone with that money.”

Shinichi stared blankly.

“…Are you trying to extort me?”

“Yer rich anyway. If ya don’t like it, then go to Kyoto by yerself.”

Shinichi stared at the ceiling briefly.

“…Fine. But if I’m paying for the newest iPhone, then you better escort me all the way back to Tokyo too.”

Heiji burst out laughing victoriously.

Now Heiji still lay on top of the futon while quietly laughing to himself remembering that conversation.

Underneath him, Shinichi had already turned back into Conan Edogawa and sat there with a completely frustrated expression because the room situation had become chaotic.

Nakamichi and the others were still loudly discussing “the London confession scene,” which had already become a legendary topic inside Teitan High.

And Heiji…

Could only grin while thinking:

“Man… wagyu and a new iPhone just fer this teenage romance drama.”

--

“Kudo, tell us the details of your confession over there. Did you guys kiss?” Nakamichi asked mischievously.

Shinichi immediately panicked.

He couldn’t use the voice changer because it was on top of the futon with Heiji.

“…Crap,” Shinichi muttered quietly.

“Oi Kudo, how’d it go?!”
“Did ya actually kiss her?!” the others shouted excitedly.

Shinichi wanted to disappear.

“…If you don’t answer, we’re pulling off that blanket…”

Heiji suddenly panicked and found the voice changer near his head.

Before Nakamichi could yank the blanket away, Heiji immediately spoke using Shinichi’s voice—but with a thick Kansai accent.

“Heh,” Heiji said casually. “Course we kissed over there.”

Silence for half a second.

Then—

“WOOOOOOO?!”

The whole room exploded.

“DAMN KUDO!”
“YOU’VE GOT GUTS!”
“RESPECT!”

Nakamichi couldn’t stop laughing anymore.

“No wonder Kudo’s acting different in Kyoto!”
“So you’re serious serious, huh?!”
“Respect, man!”

Shinichi sighed while facepalming.

“…This is gonna become tomorrow’s trending topic.”

Not long after, the conversation returned to card games. Somehow everyone accepted the story just like ordinary gossip, then continued playing without thinking too deeply about it. But Shinichi absolutely wasn’t calm.

Heiji sent him a short text.

“Relax. They’ll forget tomorrow.”

“You don’t understand Teitan students. They love exaggerating gossip.”

“That’s exactly why it’s funny hehe.”

Shinichi didn’t reply.

Inside, he was convinced that stupid Osaka detective was definitely messing with him.

--

The next morning, the ryokan dining hall felt strangely tense.

The moment Ran entered—

Everyone immediately looked at her.

Ran blinked in confusion.

“…What?”

Sonoko tried hard not to smile.

“Oh, so you haven’t heard yet.”

“Heard what?”

From the other side of the room, Nakamichi suddenly shouted—

“OI KUDO, YOUR WIFE’S HERE!”

Shinichi, who had been drinking tea, immediately choked.

“NAKAMICHI!”

“So they didn’t just start dating in London, they kissed too?!”
“Whoa, I’m jealous.”
“What’s a French kiss even like?”

The entire room exploded into whispers and laughter.

Ran froze completely.

“…French… kiss?”

Slowly, Ran turned toward Shinichi.

Her ears were bright red.

“…Shinichi.”

“Hear me out first—”

“WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU TELL THEM?!”

“I just answered randomly because they wouldn’t stop bothering me!”

“THEN WHY DID IT TURN INTO A FRENCH KISS?!”

“That was Nakamichi adding extra stuff!”

Ran covered her face with both hands. Sonoko was practically falling off her chair laughing. And the worst part— A thought suddenly appeared in Ran’s mind that absolutely should not have appeared.

Did Shinichi actually want to kiss her?

The moment she realized she’d thought that, Ran panicked even more.

--

That afternoon, Teitan High’s students visited Nijō Castle. One of the tour guides explained the legend about blood stains on the old building’s ceiling, supposedly left behind by betrayed samurai from ancient times. The students immediately became noisy.

“That’s so creepy…” some girls muttered.

Ran knew it was only history. But the dark wooden hallways and old atmosphere still made chills run down her spine. When the room became dimmer because clouds covered the sun, Ran reflexively hugged Shinichi’s arm from behind.

“This place is scary…” she whispered softly.

Shinichi froze.

His entire brain system immediately crashed.

Shinichi calmly explained there was nothing to be afraid of. Ran listened, but her grip around his arm only tightened until Shinichi could feel the softness of her chest pressing against him.

This is way too enjoyable, Shinichi thought.

Later that afternoon they continued walking around Kyoto.

From afar, a group of kendo club students could be seen buying takoyaki near the roadside.

And unexpectedly, Ran finally met someone she had actually wanted to see from the start.

“Okita-kun!”

Okita Soushi turned around and smiled brightly.

“Ran-chan! Wow, i never expected ta run into cute Ran-chan here.”

Ran looked genuinely happy as she hurried closer.

“I finally got to return this,” she said while taking out a small charm from her bag. “Miwako-san found it that time.”

“Oh yeah!” Okita laughed softly. “I thought it was gone forever.”

They started chatting quite intensely.

About tournaments.
About Osaka.
About how the charm was found.

And from several meters away…

Shinichi watched them with an increasingly flat expression.

Unable to stand it anymore, Shinichi finally walked closer.

“Ran.”

Ran turned around.

“Oh, Shinichi. This is Okita-kun—”

“Who cares,” Shinichi interrupted quickly while staring at Okita.

Okita also looked back at Shinichi.

The atmosphere instantly became weird.

“Yer friend?” Okita asked.

“…More or less,” Shinichi answered flatly.

Ran immediately began panicking.

Why did their vibes feel like two cats meeting another cat?!

Okita frowned slightly seeing how Shinichi stood way too close to Ran.

Meanwhile, Shinichi was annoyed because Okita kept casually calling her “Ran-chan.”

And the most irritating thing—

Shinichi realized he didn’t even officially have the right to be jealous. They still weren’t dating. But even so… He was irritated. Very irritated.

After parting ways with Okita, the group continued toward Kiyomizu-dera. Shinichi remained quieter than usual. Ran walked beside him for a while before finally speaking.

“You’ve been really quiet.”

“No I haven’t.”

Such an obvious lie.

Shinichi clicked his tongue softly before finally turning toward her.

“…So you were excited about this school trip because you wanted to meet that kendo brat?” he asked directly. “Looks like that Okita guy likes you.”

Ran blinked in surprise hearing his tone. Not just because of the question. But because of how he said it. Too fast. Too straightforward. And obviously annoyed.

The evening breeze blew softly through Kiyomizu-dera’s courtyard, making momiji leaves scatter around them. Several steps ahead, Sonoko and the others intentionally walked faster. Very intentionally. Leaving the two alone.

Ran stared at Shinichi for several seconds.

Then slowly smiled a little.

“…I just wanted to return the charm he dropped during that case before. Sato-san found it and asked me to give it back.”

“But from the way you two talked, you seemed happy to see him.”Shinichi looked away with an irritated expression.

“You looked close,” he muttered quietly.

Ran looked at Shinichi’s side profile. His ears were slightly red. And somehow that made her chest feel warm.

“Don’t tell me you like him too.”

“There was a picture of a cute girl inside that charm. Obviously that’s the girl Okita likes,” she said softly.

Shinichi didn’t answer immediately. He still looked dissatisfied.

“…What about you?”

“Hah??”

“Do you like that kendo brat?”

Shinichi said it while avoiding eye contact.

“If you like him, just say it.”

Ran almost laughed seeing his reaction, but held it back. For the first time since the London confession… She felt a little brave.

“I…”

“Don’t tell me you already forgot what I said in London.”

Shinichi’s voice changed immediately. Ran could clearly see the displeasure on his face now.

And strangely— Seeing usually calm Shinichi become this easy to read made her heart pound harder. Shinichi sighed softly before looking away again.

“…No wonder I still haven’t gotten an answer.”

Ran blinked. Then without thinking— She stepped closer. Shinichi had only just begun turning toward her when—

Cup.

Ran kissed his cheek quickly. Soft. Brief. But enough to completely stop Kudo Shinichi’s brain.

Ran herself froze immediately after realizing what she had done. Her face turned red all the way to her ears. Meanwhile Shinichi… Was silent. Completely silent.

The wind blew. Tourists’ voices sounded faintly nearby. Temple bells rang softly in the distance. But Shinichi still didn’t move. Ran started panicking.

“That was my answer—”

“Ran.”

His voice was incredibly quiet.

And somehow that was even more dangerous.

Shinichi slowly touched his own cheek, like he still couldn’t process what had just happened.

“…That’s enough, right?”

Shinichi’s face instantly became redder.

Reflexively, he answered—

“No!”

Ran blinked in confusion.

“Eh?”

Before Ran could react, Shinichi grabbed both of her shoulders and slowly leaned closer.

At the last second, Ran finally understood what Shinichi was about to do and slowly closed her eyes.

Shinichi did the same.

And the next moment—

Their lips met.

Several nearby visitors immediately exploded.

“EH?!”
“Wahhh—!”
“Kyaaaa…”

Some girls immediately covered their mouths while whispering excitedly. Some quickly lifted their phones, while an older couple smiled in amusement watching them.

Ran herself froze completely. Her face was red to the ears. Shinichi could feel Ran’s fingers softly clutching the edge of his jacket. The kiss didn’t last long. But it was enough to make the world around them disappear. When Shinichi finally pulled away, Ran still stood frozen with trembling breaths.

“Sh… Shinichi…”

Shinichi was just as nervous, but he smiled slightly anyway.

“If it’s just your cheek… of course that’s not enough.”

“Idiot!”

Ran lightly hit his chest while covering her completely red face.

People nearby started cheering and whistling teasingly.

Shinichi was about to say something else when suddenly— A burning sensation spread through his body.

“Hgh…!”

His smile disappeared instantly.

His body suddenly weakened.

“Shinichi?” Ran immediately noticed something was wrong.

The heat spread rapidly like his body was melting from the inside. His hands trembled violently. His vision blurred. Damn it… now?!

“Agh—!”

Shinichi dropped to one knee.

The surrounding people who had been cheering immediately panicked.

“Hey, what’s wrong with him?!”

Ran quickly grabbed his shoulders.

“Shinichi!”

His body felt like it was on fire. The drug had worn off at the absolute worst timing possible.

Grinding his teeth, Shinichi forced himself to stand. Using the last of his strength, he pulled a hoodie from his bag and covered his head. But the pain only grew worse.His body truly felt like it was melting. And before Ran could understand what was happening—

Someone suddenly pushed through the crowd.

“Oi, move aside fer a sec!”

Heiji Hattori forced his way through while carrying a large jacket.

The moment he saw Shinichi’s condition, his expression immediately became serious.

“Tch. I told ya that drug ain’t stable.”

“Hattori…” Shinichi’s voice was barely audible.

Heiji immediately covered Shinichi with the jacket and grabbed his shoulder.

The situation became even more chaotic as tourists started getting curious.

“What happened?”
“Is his friend sick?”

Heiji glanced toward the still-shocked Ran.

“Ran-chan, i'll explain later! Right now i gotta take him away first!”

“Eh— wait—!”

But Heiji had already half-dragged Shinichi down the temple’s back stairs. Underneath the large jacket, Shinichi’s body gradually shrank smaller and smaller. And by the time they disappeared into Kyoto’s dark alley— What remained beneath the jacket was no longer Kudo Shinichi. But Conan Edogawa, gasping painfully.

Heiji let out a long sigh.

“…But seriously,” he said with a small grin, “yer body was already screamin’ shrink alert, yet ya still had time ta flirt around with yer girlfriend. Yer hopelessly dangerous, Kudo.”

Conan instantly turned bright red.

“SHUT UP!”

--

The drug’s duration was even shorter now compared to the first day. After finding a safe place and changing clothes, Shinichi and Heiji eventually decided to eat wagyu steak at the restaurant Shinichi had promised earlier—deliberately far from the Teitan group for safety.

The moment they sat down and looked at the menu, Heiji’s eyes widened.

“…Ya sure this is a restaurant, Kudo? Looks more like a place sellin’ kidneys.”

Shinichi glanced calmly at the prices.

“You’re exaggerating.”

“EXAGGERATIN’, YA SAY?!” Heiji pointed at the menu. “One steak here costs enough ta buy a used motorcycle!”

“That’s because it’s wagyu.”

“Wagyu my foot. What kinda cow gets massages every day ta cost this much?”

Shinichi only smirked slightly. His mood was too good to argue seriously. Heiji continued ranting nonstop about what happened earlier.

“I told ya not ta be reckless!”

But Shinichi barely listened.

He simply sat there resting his chin on his hand, staring absentmindedly outside the window, occasionally smiling to himself like someone who had just won the lottery.

Because only one thing existed in his head right now:

I finally kissed the girl I love.

And the more he thought about it… honestly, his mission was already complete. He had successfully met Ran as Shinichi, talked normally with her, spent time together, and even kissed the girl he loved. For now, that was already more than enough. Meanwhile, one antidote capsule remained.

Heiji, realizing his friend wasn’t listening, narrowed his eyes.

“Oi. Don’t tell me yer thinkin’ about that again.”

“Hm?”

“That’s the face of a man who just won a sports bet.”

Shinichi reflexively grinned. And that only irritated Heiji more.

“THERE IT IS! Fer cryin’ out loud, Kudo, ya almost got exposed earlier! The drug’s effects are runnin’ out and ya still had time ta flirt!”

“But I didn’t get exposed.”

“Because i covered fer ya!”

The waiter arrived carrying their steaks.

The aroma of meat immediately filled the table.

Heiji suddenly went silent for several seconds.

“…Alright. Fer this price, this cow better melt in my mouth.”

The moment the first bite entered his mouth, Heiji froze completely.

Shinichi glanced at him with a small smirk.

“Well?”

Heiji slowly chewed before staring blankly ahead.

“…Holy crap. This is amazing.”

“Told you.”

After that, he reached into his pocket and stared at the remaining antidote capsule.

If he took it now and the duration shortened even further because of consecutive use, it would be too risky. Better save it for emergencies. So after they finished eating, Shinichi finally told Heiji his decision.

“Hattori, I think I’m not continuing the school trip. Let’s just go home.”

Heiji nearly choked on his drink.

“HAH?! HOME?!”

“Yeah. Mission accomplished.”

“Mission accomplished my ass! I worked hard helpin’ ya—”

Shinichi grinned mischievously.

“Then maybe since it wasn’t even three days, your iPhone payment should be downgraded. Maybe takoyaki instead?”

“HOOO?!” Heiji immediately stood up angrily. “Don’t even dream about it, Kudo! I still want the iPhone!”

“An expensive iPhone isn’t worth less than two days.”

“That ain’t my problem!”

“At best maybe you’ll get an iPhone case.”

Heiji pointed at Shinichi with his chopsticks.

“In that case i ain’t drivin’ ya home.”

Shinichi casually leaned back.

“Fine. Then I’ll call Ran and say Hattori abandoned me in Kyoto at midnight.”

“DON’T DRAG THAT NEECHAN INTO THIS!”

Shinichi laughed softly seeing Heiji get more irritated.It had been a long time since he could joke around this freely.

After the “iPhone downgrade crisis” finally calmed down and their steaks disappeared completely, Heiji busied himself choosing the most expensive dessert on the menu as “mental compensation.”

“This one,” he declared confidently while pointing at a premium parfait covered in edible gold flakes.

Shinichi immediately stared.

“Is that dessert or an investment?”

“Quiet. Yer payin’.”

While waiting for the order, Shinichi quietly took out his phone and Agasa’s voice changer from his pocket.

Heiji, seeing this, immediately grinned.

“Oho… callin’ yer neechan now?”

“None of your business.”

“Ya just kissed her earlier and now yer already callin’. People in love are scary.”

Shinichi ignored him lazily.

He activated the voice changer and pressed call while still sitting across from Heiji.

The phone was answered before the second ring finished.

“Shinichi?!”

Ran’s voice sounded fast and relieved at the same time, as if she’d been waiting for his call all this time.

Without realizing it, Shinichi’s voice softened immediately.

“Ran. Sorry… I don’t think I can continue the school trip.”

Ran instantly sounded worried.

“How are you? You looked really pale earlier. Are you still sick?”

Shinichi glanced at Heiji, who was pretending not to care while reading the dessert menu, then answered quietly,

“I’m fine now. Just tired.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry.”

Heiji, who had been pretending not to listen, suddenly interrupted with a grin while still staring at the menu.

“He almost collapsed after kissin’ ya earlier.”

Shinichi’s eyes widened instantly.

“SHUT UP!”

“Huh? Hattori’s there too?” Ran sounded confused.

Heiji waved toward the phone even though she obviously couldn’t see him.

“Evenin’, neechan.”

“Hattori?! So you guys are together?”

“Course we are. I'm Kudo’s babysitter tonight.”

“Oi.”

Ran laughed softly on the other side while Shinichi looked increasingly done with everything.

Eventually, Heiji returned to focusing on the menu while complaining to himself about parfait prices, allowing Shinichi to continue talking more quietly.

The atmosphere became calmer.

“Ran…”

“Hm?”

Shinichi stayed silent for several seconds before quietly saying,

“…Thanks for your answer earlier.”

On the other end, Ran sounded shy.

Shinichi unconsciously smiled softly.

Then after a short silence, Ran was the one who spoke again, her voice hesitant and quiet.

“Shinichi… does this mean we’re officially dating now?”

Shinichi chuckled softly hearing her careful tone.

“Idiot,” he answered casually. “Of course we are.”

And even though Ran couldn’t see his face right now, she could still imagine Shinichi smiling on the other end of the phone.

Meanwhile, several meters away, Heiji—who couldn’t hear the details of the conversation—glanced over briefly before immediately grimacing in disgust at Shinichi’s expression.

“Ah—!”

She winced and instinctively lowered her hand. Her friends immediately rushed over.

“Ran, your hand is bleeding!”

A fairly long scrape was visible on her palm caused by friction with a damaged training protector. It wasn’t serious, but enough to open the skin.

“I’ll go to the infirmary,” Ran said with a small laugh to calm her friends. “It’s just a scrape.”

But the moment the infirmary door opened, Ran was slightly surprised.

“Eh… Dr. Araide?”

The bespectacled man turned and smiled kindly, the same smile as before.

“It’s been a long time, Ran-san.”

Dr. Tomoaki Araide was wearing a thin white coat with a stethoscope hanging around his neck. Apparently, he was helping with health checkups at Teitan for a few weeks.

“Sit down first,” he said gently. “Let me look at the wound.”

Ran obeyed. She sat on the infirmary bed while Araide cleaned her wound with antiseptic cotton.

“You’re still active in karate, I see,” Araide said while starting to bandage her hand.

Ran laughed awkwardly. “Yeah…”

“Impressive. I remember you used to come with bruises.”

“Ahaha… that sounds quite bad when a doctor says it.”

Araide also laughed softly.

Outside the slightly open door, Sonoko narrowed her eyes mischievously.

“Wah wah wah…”

Click!

She quickly took a photo when Araide was holding Ran’s hand to put on the bandage. A few seconds later a message was sent.

To: Kudo Shinichi

Caption: a handsome doctor holding your wife's hand~

—

In the corner of Class 1-B, Conan, who had been pretending to read a book, suddenly froze when he heard his phone. He opened the message. And immediately the veins on his forehead twitched.

“Hah?!”

The photo filled the screen: Araide holding Ran’s hand with a gentle expression while Ran smiled shyly.

“That glasses-wearing pervert doctor…”

“Why is your face like that?” Haibara asked lazily.

“Nothing.”

“If your phone breaks because you’re gripping it too hard, don’t borrow mine.”

Conan clicked his tongue and put his phone in his pocket. But after that, he couldn’t focus.

Araide again…

Why him?

However, five minutes later he was already staring at the wall clock again. I should call now, but it’s still school time.

“Damn it…”

—

After school, as the sun began to tilt westward, Conan walked toward the Mouri house. But his steps suddenly stopped. In front of the bakery near the corner of the road, Ran was standing with Sonoko… and Araide. They were talking and laughing together. Araide was carrying his doctor’s bag on his shoulder while Ran seemed to be showing her bandage.

“Good thing the wound wasn’t deep,” Araide said.

“Yeah. Thank you very much, doctor.”

“If it hurts again, don’t force yourself to train.”

“Okay!”

Ran’s small laugh made Conan feel even more irritated. Sonoko, noticing Conan, immediately waved her hand.

“Ah, Conan-kun! Come here!”

Conan walked closer with a sulky face.

Araide smiled kindly. “Hello, Conan-kun.”

“Hmph.”

Ran blinked in confusion. “Conan-kun?”

“Araide-sensei is quite free, isn’t he?” Conan suddenly said. “Still has time to walk around with Ran-neechan.”

Sonoko immediately held back laughter.

Araide smiled awkwardly. “We just happened to meet.”

“What a… frightening coincidence.”

“Conan-kun!” Ran immediately scolded him.

But Conan only looked at Ran’s bandage. “Ran-neechan’s hand is injured?”

Ran replied while showing her hand, “Yes, but luckily it was already treated by Dr. Araide.”

Conan became even more irritated hearing it. “Oh, well, that’s a doctor’s job,” he replied in a very sulky tone.

Araide seemed to understand something. A small smile appeared on his face.

“In that case, I’ll take my leave. I need to return to the clinic.”

“Ah, take care, doctor!” Ran said.

After Araide left, Ran immediately looked at Conan with an annoyed face. “Conan-kun, that was rude.”

Conan turned his face away. “I’m going to Agasa’s house.”

“Eh? But dinner—”

But Conan was already walking away. Ran sighed deeply. “That kid is strange…”

Sonoko only grinned mischievously while glancing at her phone. “It’s not Conan who is strange…”

“Huh?”

“Nothing, nothing~”

—

That evening, Professor Agasa’s house was filled with the aroma of sweet freshly baked cakes. Professor Agasa came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of warm bagel.

“Shinichi-kun, want to try? I think this time it worked—”

“I’m not hungry.”

The answer was too fast and too sharp. Professor Agasa blinked in confusion. “Eh?”

Conan sat on the sofa with a gloomy face while staring at his phone without blinking. In the corner of the room, Haibara, who was reading a magazine, slowly looked up.

“…What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.”

“If so, don’t make a face like you just failed to catch a criminal.”

Conan clicked his tongue softly then opened the photo on his phone again. And instantly his mood worsened again. The photo showed Ran sitting in the infirmary while Dr. Araide was bandaging her hand with a gentle expression.

Plus Sonoko’s caption:

Wow, a handsome doctor holding your wife’s hand~

“….”

Conan’s temple twitched.

Professor Agasa glanced at Conan’s phone screen and smiled knowingly. “Oh… so that’s it.”

“It’s not like that,” Conan said quickly.

But he leaned back on the sofa in irritation. The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him. Especially earlier that afternoon when he saw Ran laughing with Araide on the street.

Conan closed his eyes briefly. His head began imagining strange things.

Araide treating Ran’s hand while holding it, their eyes meeting. Ran shyly closing her eyes. The distance between them getting closer. Then Araide—

“Shinichi-kun?” Professor Agasa called carefully.

Conan immediately opened his eyes. "I’m going out for a bit.”

He stood up with his phone and walked to the terrace of Agasa’s house. The night air was quite cold, but his head was still hot. Conan looked at Ran’s name on the screen for a few seconds before finally pressing call.

First ring.

Second.

Then Ran’s voice came from the other side.

“Shinichi?”

Her tone immediately made Conan calm down a little.

“Ran, I heard your hand is injured?”

“Huh? Oh… yeah, it got a small scrape and bled a bit during practice, but it’s already been treated.”

“Does it still hurt?”

“A little.”

Conan leaned on the terrace railing.

“Be a little more careful when training next time.”

Ran smiled slightly hearing his worried tone.

“It’s just a small scrape, you know. You’re worried, huh?”

“Of course I’m worried.”

“You’re so naggy at night like this.”

Conan was silent for a few seconds before speaking casually. “…Sonoko sent me a weird photo.”

Ran blinked in confusion. “A photo?”

“Yes.”

“What photo?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

“I really don’t know!”

Conan opened the photo again, “The photo of you in the infirmary with Dr. Araide.”

Ran froze immediately. “…EH? Which one did she send?!”

“The one where that doctor was holding your hand.”

“AAAAH she really sent that?!”

“That’s why,” Conan muttered, trying to sound calm, “I just wanted to ask what actually happened.”

Ran sighed deeply.

“Nothing happened! I just got hurt during practice and Araide-sensei treated it.”

“Hm.”

“What do you mean ‘hm’?”

“Nothing.”

“Shinichi…”

The image of Araide holding Ran’s hand still lingered in his mind. “Does he often do that with female students?” he asked casually.

Ran immediately pressed her temple. “Why is your question getting weird…”

“I’m just asking.”

“You’re jealous, aren’t you?”

“I’m not jealous of that awkward doctor.” The answer came too quickly.

Ran laughed softly. “Then why are you still thinking about it this late?”

Conan fell silent. Because it was bothering him a lot imagining Ran with another guy. But there was no way he would admit it.

“…Because Sonoko made a weird caption,” he muttered.

Ran laughed again, softer this time. “You really don’t know Sonoko, huh?”

“If another guy keeps holding your hand for a long time, it’s normal for me to ask.”

Ran went silent. Her cheeks slowly turned red. Conan only then realized what he had just said. Damn it.

“Shinichi…” Ran’s voice became softer.

Conan cleared his throat and returned to his cool tone.

“Anyway, don’t train too hard if your hand is injured.”

“Yes yes, you talkative detective.”

“It’ll be troublesome if your hand gets injured again. That doctor might get happy and take the chance to keep holding your hand again.”

“Yes yes, geez, what are you talking about.”

“And don’t make me worry again.”

Ran looked at the night sky outside her window while smiling gently.

“You don’t need to worry, Shinichi.”

Conan froze again.

“…Ran.”

“Hm?”

“Good night.”

Ran giggled softly.

Take the live action with Shun Oguri, where Shinichi acts uninterested in joining the school trip. That version of him feels too detached and emotionally distant, almost like the writers reduced him to just “the cool genius detective.” But manga Shinichi was never truly that cold. He acts cool on the surface, but emotionally he’s extremely attached to Ran. In the manga and canon material, he literally risks everything just to get temporary antidotes so he can spend normal moments with her, including the school trip. For Shinichi, those ordinary moments with Ran are precious because his normal life was stolen from him. So portraying him as indifferent to a trip Ran would be on completely misses a core part of his character.

The Magic File example feels even more out of character. Shinichi has always been deeply reactive whenever Ran gets hurt or bullied. Even as a child, he showed strong protective instincts toward her. In Detective Conan Special Volume: Shinichi Boy, he gets visibly angry seeing Ran bullied and immediately acts. That’s because his attachment to Ran existed long before he consciously understood it as romantic love. Protecting her is practically instinctive for him. So a version where he just quietly watches her being bullied feels fundamentally wrong to people familiar with the manga.

I think the reason this happens is because many adaptations misunderstand what makes Shinichi interesting. They focus too much on his surface traits: intelligent, calm, observant, cool, sarcastic. But they forget that emotionally he’s actually pretty messy, especially when it comes to Ran. He gets jealous easily, panics when she’s involved, acts immature sometimes, and struggles to express vulnerability directly. That contradiction is what makes him feel human. He’s not supposed to be an emotionless prodigy.

This happens with other characters too. Some Conan movies exaggerate Conan himself into almost a superhero, surviving impossible explosions and doing action scenes that feel closer to spy movies than detective stories. Early manga Conan felt much more grounded psychologically. The tension came from deduction, fear, and emotional stakes, not giant spectacle.

Ran also suffers from this sometimes. In the manga she’s emotionally strong, brave, and capable of protecting others, but certain adaptations reduce her too much into someone who only exists to be rescued or motivate Conan emotionally. That weakens one of her best traits.

Kogoro is another example. Manga Kogoro is goofy, yes, but he’s not completely incompetent. Gosho often shows that underneath the laziness and comedy, he’s actually perceptive, experienced, and deeply caring as a father. Some spin-offs flatten him into pure comic relief, which removes a lot of his humanity.

Even Ai Haibara sometimes gets simplified into either “cold mysterious girl” or “shipbait for Conan,” while the manga portrays her in a much more nuanced way. She’s emotionally layered, lonely, cynical, caring, and vulnerable all at once.

That’s probably the biggest difference between the manga and many side materials. The manga understands the characters psychologically, while some adaptations only understand them as recognizable archetypes. They remember “Shinichi is cool,” but forget he’s also emotionally reckless about Ran. They remember “Kogoro is funny,” but forget he can be sharp and dependable. They remember “Ran is kind,” but forget she can also be terrifyingly strong.

Just one of those crowded gatherings the police liked to hold every once in a while—celebrations, retirement parties, successful case wrap-ups. An excuse for detectives and officers to drink too much while pretending they weren’t exhausted all year.

Kogoro Mouri got invited because he knew practically everyone in the department by now. So do I. And naturally, he dragged Ran with him.

The hotel ballroom was noisy in the way only police parties could be. Loud laughter. Glasses clinking. Old detectives telling the same stories for the hundredth time like they were brand new.

At our table, Ran Mouri sat across from me, occasionally smiling whenever I got too distracted staring around the room instead of listening to her.

“Shinichi.”

“Hm?”

“You’re not listening again.”

“I am.”

“You answered ‘hm’ three times.”

“…Did I?”

Ran sighed. That half-exasperated sigh she only used around me.

Then Kogoro suddenly called from the bar. “Ran! Come here for a second!”

I looked up automatically. He was standing near the drinks table with several officers, waving lazily.

Ran blinked. “I’ll be back.”

I nodded, leaning back in my chair while watching her walk over. At first, I didn’t think much of it. Until I started catching pieces of the conversation from across the table.

“This is Inspector Nakamura’s son,” Kogoro said casually.

The man bowed politely. “Nice to meet you, Mouri-san.”

Even from here, I could tell immediately why older people liked him. Polite. Well-dressed. Respectable. The kind adults instantly approved of.

“He’s doing very well already,” Kogoro continued proudly. “Reliable job, good reputation…”

Then came the line that made my expression freeze instantly.

“And my daughter still doesn’t have anyone, so who knows?”

I felt irritation flare up so suddenly it actually surprised me.

Not loud anger.

Something hotter.

Sharper.

Because technically, nobody there was doing anything wrong.

But hearing Ran described so casually as “still single” while I sat only a few meters away felt absurdly irritating immediately.

Then the officer smiled faintly.

“Well… Mouri-san is very beautiful, so when you said she doesnt have a boyfriend it's strange.”

That definitely didn’t help.

A few minutes later, Ran finally returned to the table carrying an embarrassed expression. The moment she sat down, she looked straight at me.

“…Don’t make that face.”

I frowned automatically. “What face?”

“That jealous face.”

“I’m not jealous.”

“You are.”

“…I’m not.”

“You get quieter when you’re jealous.”

I looked away immediately. Which probably proved her point. Ran smiled slightly into her glass. “You’ve barely spoken since earlier.”

“Because your father is annoying.”

“That sounds jealous too.”

“I said I’m not jealous.”

She laughed softly under her breath. And somehow that only made the heat in my chest worse.

Then, from across the room, Kogoro’s voice rang out again between loud laughter: “Young people should meet more people while they can!”

That one did it. Not because it was cruel. Not even because it was intentional.

But because suddenly I realized something incredibly irritating: if I stayed silent forever, I’d have no right to get annoyed about any of this. And that thought stayed stuck in my head for the rest of the night. Through dinner. Through conversations. Through Ran asking twice if I was still upset.

So when Kogoro eventually excused himself toward the restroom near the lobby bar, I found myself standing before I consciously decided to.

Ran blinked up at me. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back.”

“…Why do you look like you’re about to confront someone?”

Honestly?

Because I was.

The hallway outside the restroom was much quieter than the ballroom. Dim lighting. Muted music in the distance. I waited there with my hands in my pockets, replaying the same sentence over and over in my head. And somehow, every version sounded worse out loud. Then the restroom door opened. Kogoro stepped out while fixing his sleeve— And nearly jumped when he saw me standing there.

“WHOA—! What the hell are you doing standing there like a ghost?!”

“I need to talk to you.”

Immediately, his expression shifted. "Can it wait?”

“No.”

Something in my voice must’ve sounded different, because Kogoro stopped joking around. He looked at me carefully for a second. Then sighed. “If this is about earlier, I was kidding around.”

“I’m serious about Ran.”

Silence.

Kogoro blinked once. “…What?”

I forced myself to keep going before I lost momentum. “Ran and I are together. I don’t want her being introduced as ‘still single’ anymore.”

For a moment, Kogoro simply stared at me. Not angry yet. Just caught completely off guard. Then slowly, his eyes narrowed. “…Since when?”

The question came out lower this time. More cautious. More protective. I hesitated for the first time all night. Because there wasn’t really a clean answer. “…A while.”

“A WHILE?!” he snapped immediately. “What kind of answer is that?!”

He stepped closer. “And what exactly have you been doing with my daughter this whole time?!”

“Kogoro-san—”

“You better answer carefully, brat!”

His finger was suddenly inches from my face. “Dates?! Holding hands?! Where have you taken her?!”

I opened my mouth. Closed it again. Which somehow made him even more suspicious.

“…Oi.”

His eyes narrowed dangerously. “You kissed her yet?”

“…That’s not really your business.”

“IT IS ABSOLUTELY MY BUSINESS!”

His voice echoed halfway down the hallway. A couple walking nearby turned to stare. Kogoro ignored them completely. Then he exhaled hard and rubbed his forehead. “…Listen carefully.”

His tone dropped lower now. More controlled. “You don’t get to ‘claim’ Ran just because you’re young and emotional.”

I frowned. "That’s not what I’m doing.”

“Really?” Kogoro shot back immediately. “Because it sounds like you’re saying I can’t introduce my own daughter to people anymore.”

I stayed stubborn. “Because she’s not alone.”

“And I’m her father.”

The words hit harder than I expected. Kogoro looked genuinely irritated now. But he was trying very hard not to explode. Maybe because we were in public. Maybe because he knew Ran would hate seeing that. Or maybe because, despite everything, he remembered what it felt like to be young and stupidly serious about someone.

“I have the right to introduce her to whoever I want,” he continued firmly. “That’s my daughter.”

“And I have the right to be upset hearing her called single when she isn’t.”

The second I said it, Kogoro’s eye twitched. “See? That attitude right there!”

For a second, he looked dangerously close to losing patience completely. But then he stopped himself. Took a breath. Looked away. When he spoke again, his voice sounded older somehow. More tired.

“…You really are serious about her.”

It wasn’t a question anymore.

I answered quietly. “Yes.”

Kogoro stared at me for a long moment. Like he was weighing something internally. Then he muttered under his breath: “…Damn brat.”

But there wasn’t as much anger in it anymore. Mostly worry.

“She’s my daughter,” he said more quietly this time. “You think I can stay calm hearing this out of nowhere?”

I stayed silent. Because honestly… if I had a daughter like Ran someday, I’d probably react the same way.

Kogoro pointed at me again. “And listen carefully—if you do anything stupid… if you make her cry… I swear—”

“I know." I answered before he could finish.

And that made him stop for a second.

“I’m serious,” I continued quietly. “I’m not playing around with her.”

The hallway fell silent again. Kogoro looked at me carefully now. Like he was trying to decide whether to punch me… or believe me. Finally, Kogoro clicked his tongue.

“...We’re not done talking about this.”

“I know."

“And don’t think this means I approve.”

“I know that too.”

“Hmph.”

When we returned to the table, Ran immediately looked up from her drink. Her eyes moved between us once. Then narrowed. “…What happened?”

“Nothing,” Kogoro answered too quickly while sitting down.

That alone made Ran suspicious instantly. She looked at her father. Then at me. Then back to her father again. “…Dad.”

“What?”

“What did you do to Shinichi?”

“I didn’t do anything!”

“You look angry.”

“I always look angry!”

“That’s true,” Ran admitted honestly, “but now you look EXTRA angry.”

Kogoro grumbled while grabbing his glass again. “Ask this brat.”

Ran slowly turned toward me. And honestly, at that point, there wasn’t really a reason to hide it anymore. So I exhaled once and said it plainly. “I told your father about us.”

Ran froze. Completely. The glass in her hand stopped halfway to the table. “…What?”

Kogoro immediately pointed at me.

“See?! He just suddenly cornered me outside the restroom and started talking nonsense!”

“It wasn’t nonsense.”

“You basically declared ownership over my daughter!”

“I did NOT say it like that!”

“You practically did!”

Ran blinked rapidly between both of us like she was trying to catch up to a conversation moving too fast “Wait… what exactly did he say?”

Kogoro clicked his tongue loudly. “He said he doesn’t want people introducing you as single anymore.”

Ran’s eyes widened slightly. Then slowly… very slowly her cheeks started turning pink.

I looked away first. Which unfortunately only made Kogoro more annoyed. “Look at him avoiding eye contact now!”

“Can you stop making it sound weird?”

“IT IS WEIRD!”

Ran suddenly covered part of her face with one hand. “…You were really that jealous?”

“I wasn’t jealous.”

“You followed my father to the restroom hallway.”

“…That part sounds worse when you say it out loud.”

“It sounds insane,” Kogoro corrected immediately.

Ran laughed quietly into her hand. Not loudly. Not teasingly. Just soft enough that it immediately killed the remaining tension at the table.

Kogoro noticed too. And for a second, his expression softened despite himself. Only for a second.

Then he looked back at Ran with complete disbelief. “…Seriously, what do you even see in this guy?”

“Oi.”

“He’s arrogant, nosy, disappears whenever he wants, drags people into dangerous cases—”

“Kogoro-san.”

“And he always talks like he’s smarter than everybody else!”

“…Because I usually am.”

“That attitude! THAT ATTITUDE RIGHT THERE!”

Ran burst out laughing properly this time. Which only made me more irritated.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because Dad’s right a little.”

“You too?!”

Kogoro leaned back in his chair dramatically. “I still think that police officer earlier was a safer option.”

“Dad!”

“What? At least he looked normal!”

“I am normal.”

Both Ran and Kogoro looked at me silently.

“…You solve murder cases for fun,” Ran said gently.

“That’s not normal,” Kogoro added immediately.

I clicked my tongue and crossed my arms. “This conversation’s getting annoying.”

“There’s the arrogance again,” Kogoro muttered.

Ran looked between us for a moment. Then suddenly smiled into her glass again. Softly this time. Warmly. Like she liked sitting between this argument more than she wanted to admit. Kogoro noticed it immediately. And after staring at her for a second, his shoulders relaxed just a little.

“…Tch.”

Then, without looking directly at me- “Just don’t make my daughter cry.” This time, the anger in his voice sounded thinner. Less explosive. More honest.

I answered quietly.

“I won’t.”

And strangely enough, sitting there together at the same table after all that…

Past eleven, the city outside had already settled into silence, save for the distant hum of passing cars. Ran sat at her desk with an open history book in front of her, absentmindedly brushing her long damp hair while rereading a section she’d already forgotten twice.

Then her phone rang.

She blinked at the screen.

Shinichi.

For a second, her heart skipped so hard she nearly dropped the brush.

“…Hello?”

“Ran.”

Just hearing him say her name so naturally made her chest tighten.

Shinichi leaned back against his chair on the other end of the line, surprised she had answered so quickly.

“You’re still awake?”

“I’m studying.”

“At this hour?” he asked.

“There’s a history quiz tomorrow.”

“History, huh…” A faint amusement slipped into his voice. “Kyoto history?”

Ran immediately flushed. “No!”

“The kind with Kiyomizudera in it?”

“Shinichi!”

Her embarrassed protest earned a quiet laugh from him.

Honestly, he hadn’t even meant to tease her. But ever since Kyoto, every memory of that trip returned too vividly.

The temple lights.

The cold evening air.

Ran standing close enough for him to hear her breathing.

And that brief kiss against her cheek that still replayed in his head at the worst possible moments.

“You’re awful,” Ran muttered softly.

“What? I didn’t say anything.”

“You know exactly what you’re doing.”

A small smile formed on Shinichi’s lips.

It was strange.

They had talked over the phone countless times before, yet tonight everything felt different. Every pause lingered longer than usual. Every word carried too much meaning now.

“So,” he asked casually, “what else are you doing besides studying?”

“Brushing my hair.”

“Hm?”

“I just showered.”

Without warning, Shinichi remembered the moment in Kyoto when Ran’s hair had brushed against his arm while they stood side by side.

That was when he’d realized how long it had gotten.

“…Your hair really is long now.”

Ran paused mid-brush. “Eh?”

“Your hair.”

“Oh…” Her voice softened a little. “You only noticed now?”

“In Kyoto.”

“Why Kyoto?”

Shinichi hesitated.

“Because…” He exhaled quietly. “We were close.”

The room around Ran suddenly felt much too warm.

Realizing what he had just admitted, Shinichi immediately cleared his throat.

“I mean—it was obvious from that distance.”

Ran pressed a hand against her burning face.

“And…” Shinichi continued before he could stop himself, “your shampoo smelled nice.”

“W-What?!”

“Not in a weird way,” he said quickly. “I just noticed it.”

“You can’t just say things like that so casually!”

“I wasn’t trying to.”

“You absolutely were.”

A low chuckle escaped him again.

Ran buried her face against one arm on the desk, trying uselessly to calm her heartbeat.

“What about you?” she asked. “What were you doing?”

“Reading case reports.”

“At night?”

“I’m busy.”

“Hah. Arrogant detective.”

“Just stating facts.”

Ran smiled despite herself.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Yet somehow, the silence felt comfortable.

“…Ran.”

“Hm?”

Shinichi stared quietly at the dark window beside him.

He hadn’t planned to say it.

Actually, he was sure he wasn’t going to say it.

But somehow, tonight made him careless.

“Long hair suits you.”

Ran froze.

“You looked… kinda pretty in Kyoto.”

The moment the words left his mouth, he clicked his tongue softly in annoyance with himself.

“I mean—not that you don’t usually look fine,” he corrected quickly, voice turning cooler again. “It just matched the atmosphere there or whatever.”

Ran stared ahead silently, her face burning.

“…You really don’t know how to compliment people normally, do you?”

“Huh?”

“You say something nice and then immediately try to take it back.”

“I wasn’t taking it back.”

“You were.”

“I was fixing the wording.”

Ran laughed softly under her breath.

Meanwhile, Shinichi leaned back deeper into his chair, muttering quietly to himself.

“…This is why I hate talking late at night.”

Shinichi clicked his tongue quietly while Ran continued smiling to herself.

Then he heard the soft sound of her brush moving through her hair again.

Oddly enough, the simple sound relaxed him.

“…Hey.”

“Hm?”

“Don’t fall asleep at your desk again.”

Ran blinked. “How did you know I do that?”

“Because you always do.”

“…You really notice a lot about me.”

“Of course I do.”

The answer came too quickly.

Shinichi immediately coughed into his fist and tried to recover.

“I mean… if you get sick, people around you will have trouble.”

Ran smiled softly at the obvious excuse.

“Okay, Shinichi.”

“And dry your hair before sleeping.”

“Okay, Shinichi.”

“…Why do you keep answering like that?”

Ran’s smile turned gentler.

“Because my boyfriend worries too much.”

Silence.

Then—

“Wha—”

Her laughter rang through the phone before he could finish protesting.

On the other end, Shinichi covered part of his face with one hand, muttering under his breath while trying—and failing—to hide his smile.

And that night, for the first time since Kyoto, they stayed on the phone long after midnight—

not as childhood friends anymore,