The unscrupulous detective in Conan

Chapter 1272 There's no such thing as being sensible, it's just helplessness.

And even the name Sakurako has already been chosen.

This detective must have prepared for this step long ago...

Damn it, no wonder they were so kind as to offer free help.

So that's where the price came from!

Hondo Eisuke deeply realized that what is free is often the most expensive.

But considering that things had already come to this point, there was nothing he could do but accept it silently.

Yeah, finding my older sister is the priority!

Hondo Eisuke... no, I should say Hondo Sakurako.

The method to find his older sister is quite simple.

He simply took a childhood photo to the hospital and asked everyone if they had seen it.

Fujino looked speechless, secretly thinking: This kid is really lucky to have survived! If he had run into some old lady actress who likes to wear makeup, wouldn't that kid have been completely doomed?
Fujino came to help the kid because he had this in mind.

Although I'm currently in a cooperative relationship with the older woman Vermouth, well...

It's better to get insurance.

Hondo Eisuke, though he'll eventually end up in the CIA's arms, is actually quite innocent when you think about it.

After all, there's an old saying: like begets like, and a mouse's child knows how to dig a hole...

His whole family are in the CIA; you can't stop him from working for the CIA.

Hondo Eisuke wandered around the hospital until night but still couldn't find his older sister.

Fujino felt a bit tired halfway there, so he went back first.

He added, "Sakura, next time you want to disguise yourself, come to my house, and I'll give you a proper makeover."

Hondou Sakurako remained silent on the matter.

Wearing women's clothing is just... well, it's really...

This is absolutely unacceptable!!!

What respectable man would dress as a woman so often?

Isn't that perverted?

However, considering that what the other party had said before did make a lot of sense, he could only choose to accept it silently.

…………

After dealing with Hondo Eisuke's matter, Fujino made a phone call to Ran's mother, lawyer Kiyoshi.

Eri Kisaki on the other end of the phone seemed very busy, as if she was dealing with some kind of lawsuit.

Compared to the leisurely Mori, Eri Kisaki is far from being idle.

After all, she is known as the Queen of Law.

Naturally, there will be no shortage of people seeking her legal counsel.

Fujino could understand, since he was in a similar situation; the more famous he was, the more people would seek him out.

It was almost afternoon, near sunset.

Fujino arrived at a detention center in Tokyo.

Detention centers are places used to hold suspects.

After all, a person can't stay in the Metropolitan Police Department or a precinct until they are confirmed to be detained and put into prison.

Fujino parked his car outside and saw Eri Kisaki's MINI.

A short while later, Eri Kisaki also came out from inside:

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Fujino-kun."

She greeted Fujino, carrying a bag in her hand, clearly there to meet her client.

Yes, most clients who can afford to hire lawyers are criminals.

Although this is not a lawyer's main source of income, it can increase their visibility.

Lawyers often boost their case records by using this method of pleading not guilty.

This tactic is similar to how Fujino usually relies on commissioning clients to amass gold coins and then uses murder cases to increase his fame.

Fujino nodded: "I didn't have to wait too long, after all, it was me who called you, Attorney Ki, to talk to you."

"Shall we talk at my law firm?"

"Let's just find a coffee shop. It's not a professional matter, I just have some miscellaneous things I'd like to discuss with you, Attorney Fei."

By saying this, Fujino clearly indicated that he did not intend to seek legal assistance from the other party.

The other party's suggestion to go to a law firm or somewhere else also stemmed from this intention.

"Lawyer Concubine."

A woman's voice suddenly reached their ears.

The two turned around and saw a woman carrying a bag walking towards them.

The woman had long, black hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall. She wore a dark blue suit and a white shirt. Her appearance was both cute and mature.

The woman walked over slowly and looked at Eri Kisaki: "Here to meet with the suspect?"

"Miss Kujo."

Eri greeted her, then added, "It's perfect that we met. There's something I need to tell you."

"what's up?"

"I think it's time to release Mr. Takeuchi, isn't it?"

Eri Kisaki said in a deep voice, "He turned himself in immediately after the incident, confessed to his crimes, and actively compensated his family. There shouldn't be any reason to continue detaining him, right?"

"You can't say that."

The woman shook her head slightly in denial and interrupted her, saying, "When to make a decision about the suspect is a decision for me, the prosecutor. At the moment, I feel it's not time to make a decision..."

“Then I will ask you to make an explanation in court.” Eri’s expression darkened slightly.

The woman shrugged: "Then do as you please."

Fujino looked at the woman in front of him, sized her up slightly, and asked Eri Kisaki, "May I ask who this is?"

"Kujou Reiko, Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office."

Before Eri Kisaki could speak, Reiko Kujo introduced herself.

"Kujo?"

Fujino narrowed his eyes, suddenly remembering a guy he had once met named Kujo Susumu.

He even fooled himself into going to the Fujiwara family.

Could these two be from the same family?
Fujino suppressed his doubts and replied, "Fujino is a detective."

After thinking for a moment, he joked, "Should I excuse myself from the conversation between the lawyer and the prosecutor?"

“It’s not currently in recess.” Reiko Kujo glanced at Fujino. “Having a detective present in a non-official setting unrelated to the case does not violate professional ethics.”

"So, what exactly do you want to do?"

At this moment, Eri Kisaki spoke up, "This isn't like you at all."

"I just want the truth to come out."

See you in court.

Reiko Kujo glanced at Eri Kisaki, but didn't say anything. She simply turned and left the parking lot with a person dressed in a black suit who looked like an assistant.

"Reiko Kujo, the Madonna of the prosecutor's world?"

"It seems you've heard of her reputation, Fujino-kun..."

"After all, Attorney Fei, you're called a queen."

Fujino joked, then continued, "So, what's the story behind this case? Can you explain it without violating any professional ethics for lawyers?"

"It's unusual for the prosecutor to detain the suspect for such a long time without making a decision to prosecute or release him." "It's a hit-and-run."

Eri Kisaki sighed, "My client hit someone and fled the scene, but later turned herself in and actively compensated the family, obtaining their forgiveness..."

"In theory, bail should be granted, but this prosecutor seems to have other motives..."

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore."

"Fujino-kun, what do you want from me?"

"Let's find a coffee shop to talk."

…………

"It must feel terrible to be misunderstood by your own daughter, right?"

"No, it's just a misunderstanding. It's all cleared up now."

"Attorney Na Fei, you have a really good attitude."

In a coffee shop, Fujino and Eri Kisaki sat down, ordered two coffees, and began to chat.

Fujino brought up what happened a few days ago. Thinking about it, being misunderstood by her daughter as having an affair would probably make any mother feel upset.

However, Eri Kisaki doesn't seem to care.

Well, maybe he's accepted the fact that his silly daughter is a bit slow-witted.

Fujino didn't keep her in suspense but went straight to the point: "I came to see Attorney Kisaki today because I wanted to talk about Ran."

"...?"

Eri's eyes flickered with suspicion; she didn't quite understand what it meant to talk about Ran.

Countless thoughts flashed through my mind:

This guy is hooking up with our Xiaolan?

So you've come to talk to your mother-in-law?
This shouldn't be the case normally...

After thinking about it, Fujino and his silly daughter seemed to be just friends.

Compared to her own daughter, her daughter's best friend, that blonde girl named Hongye, seems more reasonable...

Then, amidst Eri's confusion, Fujino picked up his coffee cup, took a small sip, and after a brief silence, said, "I think Ran is actually working quite hard too."

Eri nodded slowly upon hearing this, seemingly in agreement, but it was actually a common tactic used when she didn't know how to respond.

Because she didn't understand what the other person was saying about Xiaolan's hardships.

Upon seeing this, Fujino bluntly asked, "You and Mori separated when Ran was six or seven years old, right?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Eri Kisaki's eyes flashed with a thoughtful expression. After thinking for a moment, she nodded and replied, "Pretty much. She was only in elementary school at that time."

"It's been about ten years, hasn't it?"

Fujino thought for a moment, then continued, "Over the past ten years, Ran must have tried to set you two up quite a bit, right?"

"Yeah, I've played matchmaker quite a bit."

Fei Ying responded and recalled, "Although we succeeded a few times, that scoundrel always managed to ruin everything in the end."

Hearing her words, Fujino asked again, "Speaking of which, Ran has been taking care of Mori-san all by herself since you left, Attorney Kiyoshi?"

"I used to wonder how Xiaolan, such a small girl, could do housework and cook."

"But thinking about it, it must have been because of this incident that I developed this skill."

Fujino sighed as he said this, "After all, someone like Mori would probably starve to death if Ran didn't learn to do housework and cook."

"yes……"

Eri nodded, agreeing with this: "That guy can't take care of himself at all without someone else. If it weren't for Ran taking care of him, I don't know what kind of life he would have ended up in."

She couldn't help but sigh softly, "Xiao Lan is indeed a sensible and good child."

"She's a good child, but... have you ever considered that she never wanted to be such a sensible and well-behaved child?"

Fujino echoed, then changed the subject, saying in a deep voice, "Since you two separated, she, at seven or eight years old, has had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of being a mother in the family, cooking, cleaning, and on top of that, bearing the pressure of her parents' separation..."

"She wasn't sensible on her own; she was forced to be sensible."

"Don't you two think it's very unfair to Xiaolan like this?"

"..." Eri Kisaki fell silent upon hearing this.

Then, Fujino continued, "I can't imagine what she was thinking at the time."

"But, judging from her current appearance, I think she is more sad."

"Even now, she still gives me a sense of sadness."

"She's seventeen this year. By all accounts, she should be a vibrant and energetic seventeen-year-old girl. I sensed many things in her, but she just didn't have that youthful vigor..."

"She doesn't look like a girl her age; she looks more like a housewife who has been married for who knows how many years."

"She gives off an impression of being too mature and too sensible."

“I have studied some psychology and I have also analyzed Xiaolan.”

As he spoke, he looked at Eri Kisaki: "In my opinion, although she seems very optimistic, mature, and gentle."

"But beneath that mature exterior, inside her is an incredibly fragile little girl."

This vulnerability is concealed by a shell, presenting a facade of faint optimism, but this optimism is merely a means of self-protection.

"This feeling is very contradictory."

"If I had to describe it, it would be this: because people cannot change the facts, they are forced to accept it and try to be strong. They are clearly in great pain, but they can only smile and shed tears."

"After all, even if you don't accept it, things can't be changed."

"In other words, there's no such thing as being sensible; it's just a matter of having no other choice."

"If I had to describe it, it would be like kicking a watermelon wrapped in a plastic shell like a soccer ball. The outside still looks round and smooth, but the inside is already broken and rotten."

At this point, Fujino sighed: "If we weren't more optimistic and less naive, this child would probably have broken down long ago."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Eri's grip on her coffee cup tightened slightly.

Fujino picked up his coffee cup and took another sip: "The reason Ran suspected you a while ago was actually because of this."

"She was terrified."

“From a young age, her classmates always said that her mother abandoned her husband and daughter and ran away alone, and that she was a child who was not wanted by her mother.”

"She wanted to prove she wasn't, but in the end, the facts kept proving that she really was."

"These words are like a nightmare, lingering around her. She is afraid that one day she will really become like what the people around her say, so she instinctively wants to avoid it and can only try her best to bring the two of you together."

"So much so that for the past ten years, we have persevered and never given up, even when we failed."

"I discovered that her memory isn't very good; in fact, her memories of the two of you are somewhat vague."

In psychology, this is called a self-defense mechanism.

"People will forget the painful memories in order to protect others."

"And to trigger this mechanism, the person must have already suffered severe psychological trauma."

"Over the course of ten years, she accumulated fear and anxiety, which gradually became tangible. I think her emotions and her mind were already completely broken."

"In fact, even the slightest disturbance can cause her pent-up emotions to explode completely..."

At this point, Fujino looked directly at Eri Kisaki, holding his coffee cup with both hands: "It's not that she doesn't trust you, it's just that she's afraid."

"Because she was afraid, she was afraid that she would really become the kind of child that people around her talked about."

"She's afraid that you really don't want her anymore."

"She was afraid that her parents would really get divorced."

"..."

Eri's eyes shimmered, and she gripped the coffee cup in her hand even tighter.

(End of this chapter)