"Ren-kun, look—Dad and Conan are at it again, aren't they?"
Ran sighed, watching the pair bicker up ahead. "Honestly… Dad's a grown man, and he still can't let a child win an argument."
"At least Conan isn't like most kids," she added softly. "He's surprisingly calm for his age."
"…"
Night surveillance duty was dull. Utterly dull.
If not for Ran chatting beside him, Ren Kuroda would've probably zoned out completely.
He had half a mind to check the system's mission panel out of boredom—until movement caught his eye.
"Hm?" Ren narrowed his gaze. Ahead of them, Kogoro Mouri and Conan Edogawa suddenly broke into a sprint, charging toward a side street.
"What are they doing?" Ran blinked in surprise.
"Looks like they found something. Come on—let's go." Ren's tone sharpened as he took off after them.
A few minutes later, they arrived to find Kogoro and Conan blocking the path of a pudgy young man who looked terrified out of his mind.
"I've had my eye on you for a while!" Kogoro barked, jabbing a finger at him. "You're the one who's been stalking Miss Yoko, aren't you?!"
"I—I haven't! I was just… just walking the same way!" the man stammered, waving his hands frantically.
"Oh really?" Conan adjusted his glasses, eyes glinting. "Then how do you explain the fact that you've been behind her for eight straight minutes? We tested it—you followed her through three different turns. That's not 'just walking,' that's stalking."
"I… I… I…" The man's words died in his throat.
"You're disgusting!" Ran snapped, her anger flaring. "How could you do something so creepy to someone like Miss Yoko?"
Her fists clenched tight. Ren quickly reached out, stopping her before she threw a punch.
"Easy, Ran. Miss Yoko's coming over—let's let her decide what to do."
At that, the man visibly panicked and tried to bolt—but Kogoro grabbed him by the collar before he could take a step.
Moments later, Yoko Okino hurried over, her face pale under her hat. When her eyes landed on the stalker, she gasped.
"Wait… you're… Akiyoshi?"
The man froze, then lowered his head in shame. "Y-yeah. It's me."
"You know him?" Kogoro asked, startled.
Yoko hesitated before nodding. "His name is Fujie Akiyoshi. He was… my ex-boyfriend. From high school."
"WHAT?!"
Kogoro, Ran, and Conan all exclaimed at once.
They stared at the pudgy man in disbelief—this awkward, sweaty stalker was once Yoko Okino's boyfriend?
Kogoro's eyes twitched with jealousy. "If that's the case, why the sneaking around, huh? Why not just talk to her directly?"
"Because…" Fujie clenched his fists, struggling to find the words. "Because I wanted to see her… to talk to her again."
Yoko's voice softened but stayed firm. "What did you want to say to me?"
"Yoko!" His voice trembled. "I… I want us to get back together!"
Her answer came instantly. "I'm sorry, Akiyoshi. But I'm not looking for a relationship. I just want to focus on my work right now."
She bowed politely—then turned and ran off before he could respond.
"Yoko! Yoko, wait! Don't leave me again! YOKO!" Fujie's voice broke as he tried to chase her, shouting her name again and again—but Kogoro caught him by the arm and yanked him back.
Ren glanced at Ran and gestured subtly for her to go after Yoko. "Make sure she gets home safely."
"Got it." Ran gave Fujie one last, pitying look before hurrying after Yoko.
Kogoro released a weary sigh. "Kid, take some advice. Let her go. You two live in different worlds now."
Conan nodded, expression serious. "Yeah. Keep this up and you'll only make her afraid of you. It's over. Move on."
He wasn't speaking out of sympathy—he just wanted to make sure the case stayed closed.If Fujie didn't give up, he'd come back again, and all their work would've been for nothing.
But Fujie's eyes darkened. "You think you understand me? You have no idea what I've been through!"
His face twisted with bitterness. "She rejected me… fine. But I'll make her regret it!"
Ren's eyes narrowed. The tone in that man's voice wasn't idle rage. It was resolve—deadly, irreversible resolve.
He remembered the "original" version of this story—the one his system had quietly shown him as a past-case reference.
In that version, Fujie Akiyoshi, heartbroken and furious, took his own life inside Yoko's apartment.But he didn't just die—he framed her for his death, turning it into a supposed murder that destroyed her career.
It wasn't love anymore. It was spite.
Ren's brow furrowed. So it's already begun…
"Hey!" Kogoro snapped, grabbing Fujie by the collar. "You realize what you're saying right now? You so much as bother her again, and I'll personally throw you in jail!"
Fujie only gave a hollow, mocking laugh.
To a man who'd already decided to die, no threat could make a dent.
"Our business," he sneered, "is none of yours."
He shoved Kogoro's hand away and stormed off into the night.
Kogoro scowled, helplessly watching him go.
Ren spoke quietly. "Detective Mouri—follow him. Find out where he lives. There's no reasoning with him right now, but once he cools down, you might be able to talk some sense into him."
Kogoro blinked, then nodded. "Good thinking."
He motioned for Conan to follow, and the two tailed Fujie down the street.
But as they walked, Kogoro couldn't stop grumbling. His brows were knit in frustration, his shoulders tense.
Conan noticed immediately. "What's wrong, Mouri-san?"
Kogoro sighed heavily. "I just can't believe it. Yoko said on TV she'd never dated anyone before. Turns out that was a lie."
Conan gave him a deadpan look. "She's an idol, Mouri-san. That's how the business works."
"Still…" Kogoro frowned. "I thought she was different. Guess I was a fool for believing that."
"Uncle," Conan said, trying not to roll his eyes, "that's called public image. Every celebrity does it. They all have a 'pure' persona to protect their fanbase."
But his words went in one ear and out the other.
Kogoro's shoulders slumped dramatically. "I thought Yoko was special…"
Conan pinched the bridge of his nose. Good grief.
Still, he needed Kogoro motivated to keep the investigation on track.
After a brief moment of thought, his eyes lit up with an idea.
"Hey, Mouri-san, think of it this way," Conan said with a sly grin. "If Yoko dated Akiyoshi before, that means she doesn't care about looks. She just wants someone who treats her kindly."
Kogoro blinked. "Huh?"
"So," Conan continued, "if you help her out now, protect her, and prove you're a dependable man… maybe you'll have a shot!"
Kogoro's mood did a full one-eighty. "You know… you might be onto something, kid!"
Conan smirked inwardly. Hook, line, and sinker.
Kogoro puffed out his chest. "You're right! I'll make Yoko see me for who I really am—a real man! I'll settle this case once and for all!"
His eyes locked on Fujie's retreating figure ahead. "Watch how I use my silver tongue to talk some sense into him!"
But before he could take another step—
A black van came roaring down the street.
BAM!
The impact echoed like thunder. Fujie's body was thrown several meters through the air before crashing violently onto the pavement.
For one stunned second, no one moved.
Kogoro and Conan stood frozen, eyes wide.
"...!"
Conan's stomach dropped. He'd just convinced Kogoro to stay calm, to handle things peacefully—and then, out of nowhere, this happened?!
The van screeched to a stop, then began to reverse—no, it was trying to flee.
Conan's instincts kicked in instantly.
He yanked a high-tech skateboard from his backpack and jumped on. "Mouri-san! Check on Akiyoshi—I'll go after the van!"
"Wha—Conan, wait—!"
But before Kogoro could finish, Conan was already gone, racing into the darkness after the fleeing vehicle.
The night wind howled.Tires screeched.And somewhere deep inside his mind, Ren Kuroda's system pulsed—
[New Hidden Mission: "The Idol and the Shadowed Hand."]Objective: Uncover the truth behind the "accident."Warning: Yokai interference detected.