"We interrupt this program with a special report."
"According to reliable sources, the terrorist behind the bombing has not been caught. The bomb threat remains. We will continue to follow this story. Stay tuned."
At that moment, the large screen in the Beika Department Store broadcast the breaking news.
Heiji's heart skipped a beat, and he stared at the screen.
"This kind of story shouldn't be on the news so quickly," Ai said coolly.
"It looks like someone inside the police force leaked the information to the media."
A sharp light flashed in Heiji's eyes. His deduction wasn't wrong. The premature media exposure had alerted the bomber to the danger.
[I knew this system mission wouldn't be this easy.]
He took his phone from his pocket and called Inspector Megure.
Riiing~!
"Hello, Inspector Megure speaking."
"Inspector, it's Heiji Hattori."
"Ah, Hattori! Listen, getting a deduction wrong once or twice is nothing. Don't worry about it."
Megure assumed Heiji was calling to make excuses, so he quickly tried to console him.
Heiji's mouth twitched. He glanced at the department store's big screen.
"Inspector, did you allow reporters to accompany you on this operation?"
"Reporters? No! How could we let reporters follow an operation like this?" Megure said sternly.
"If not, I suggest you watch today's news. Watch every report on this case. You'll understand why you couldn't catch the culprit."
"What do you mean? Hattori, you..."
Before Megure could finish, the line went dead.
"Did Mr. Hattori call to explain himself?" Kiyonaga Matsumoto asked flatly.
"Not exactly. He told us to watch all the news reports about today's bombing. He said we'd understand why we couldn't catch the culprit."
Megure was baffled by Heiji's words.
"You two, bring a TV in here and play back all of today's news," Kiyonaga Matsumoto ordered two officers outside.
Soon, the officers had the TV set up and began playing the news replays.
After Heiji hung up...
"Big brother, Officer Sato probably wasn't trying to blame you. Don't worry," Ayumi explained nervously.
"That's right! Officer Sato is so pretty and nice, she wouldn't be so harsh," Mitsuhiko said earnestly.
"Yeah, she even treated me to eel rice once!" Genta nodded vigorously.
Heiji paused, then smiled. "Miss Miwako only said that because she didn't want me getting involved in the danger. She didn't mean anything else."
Although he didn't understand why she'd said it, her tone hadn't been hostile.
"Hmph. It seems her intentions aren't pure, either," Ai snorted from the side.
"So where are we going to play next?"
The three kids quickly bounced back.
"No more playing today. I'm taking Ai home. You three should head home soon, too."
Heiji took Ai's hand and left.
"Okay..."
The kids were disappointed but didn't argue.
"Big Brother Heiji, I need a ride too!"
A glint flashed in Conan's eyes, and he hurried after them.
In the car, Heiji was driving, and Ai was in the passenger seat.
Conan sat in the back, arms crossed, his eyes filled with suspicion.
"Hey Conan, Ai's house isn't on the way to yours. Why did you tag along?"
"Big Brother Heiji, you just met Ai, right? How do you know where she lives?"
Heiji's heart stirred, and a mischievous smile crossed his lips. So, he's suspicious.
"I don't know. Maybe it's fate. Right, Ai?"
Ai glanced at Heiji and turned her head. "Hmph."
[This isn't normal. This is very not normal.]
Conan's suspicion grew, but he had no leads. The feeling was driving him crazy.
"We're here, Conan."
Heiji pulled the car up in front of the Mori Detective Agency.
"Wow, a new model Mercedes! Is a rich client here with a case?"
Kogoro Mori saw the car from the second floor and his hopes soared.
"Huh? Is that Conan? Why is he getting out of that car?"
Kogoro squinted at the scene. I'll ask him about it when he gets back.
Conan wanted to know Heiji and Haibara's relationship, but he couldn't press too hard. With Hattori's deduction skills, it would be easy to put himself in a bad spot.
"What?! That car was a gift from President Suzuki to that Hattori brat?"
Kogoro Mori's shrill scream echoed from the detective agency.
After dropping Conan off, Heiji drove a while longer and parked at a Western-style restaurant.
"Come on, let's get something to eat."
Heiji hadn't eaten anything since morning, aside from that small piece of steak.
Ai got out of the car. Amid surprised stares, she followed Heiji into the restaurant.
"Welcome!"
The two found a seat by the window.
"Ai, what do you want to eat?"
"Whatever."
Ai's cool, pretty eyes looked outside, a trace of melancholy in them.
Heiji looked at the menu. "I'll have a peanut butter and blueberry jam sandwich, a glass of milk, and also an order of shrimp fried rice and a black tea."
After ordering, Heiji noticed Ai staring at him. "What, is there something on my face?"
"Brother-in-law, how did you know I like peanut butter and blueberry jam sandwiches?" Ai stared at him intently.
"I guessed."
Ai kept staring, her eyes full of disbelief.
"Alright, I remembered it from when you asked at the steakhouse."
Ai froze, staring at him blankly.
"What's wrong?"
Heiji sighed. Ai's cool demeanor was really hard to read.
Ai shook her head. As she looked down, a gentle look flashed in her eyes.
Interactions between people—a single detail, a single glance—can change a relationship or make it stronger.
A passing comment at the steakhouse, and Heiji had remembered it. This feeling of being cared for was Ai's soft spot, and the thing she craved most.
Following Ai's directions, Heiji drove to "Haibara Mi's" villa.
"Ai, where did you go? I've been looking for you all day!"
Seeing Ai get out of the SUV, Ame looked frantic. She pulled her into a tight hug, her voice choking up.
Before, Ai wouldn't have cared. But today, she suddenly found that she didn't reject this so-called "sister."
She even had the absurd feeling that this "sister" was just like her real one.
"My... Can this big brother Heiji stay here tonight? If not, I'll just go back to Professor Agasa's."
Heiji was in a bind. Kazuha was in Nagoya for two days. If he couldn't stay here, he'd have to get a hotel.
Ame looked at Heiji and shook her head helplessly. "I'm sorry, Ai, but I'm having a guest tonight."
Thinking of the mysterious man who was coming, she had no choice but to refuse.
"Then I'll go to Professor Agasa's."
She's not my real sister, after all.
---
There are 130 advanced chapters on Patreon, which I'm currently rewriting and polishing for a better reading experience. Thank you for your support and patience.
https://www.patreon.com/c/LEYI396