Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

"Even if they really want to hide from us like cowards, they can't stay on the train forever and never get off, can they?"

Tomizawa Chikage stood with her hands on her hips, her tone clearly showing her annoyance.

"Unless they both plan to take this train back to Tokyo!"

Her angry yet logical words acted like a somewhat unsettling reassurance, temporarily calming the turmoil in the girls' hearts.

Eri Kisaki pursed her lips, Yukiko pouted, and Reiko hugged her backpack tightly.

Although they had different thoughts, it was clear that staying in the empty carriage and waiting was not a solution at this moment.

Several girls silently got up, took their luggage, and followed the crowd off the train with mixed feelings.

The moment I set foot on Osaka soil, the air seemed to be filled with a different kind of vibrancy than Tokyo, a blend of the smoky aroma of takoyaki and the savory flavor of okonomiyaki sauce.

The girls had no interest in appreciating the unfamiliar scenery. As soon as they found their footing, they immediately scattered, their eyes eagerly searching the bustling platform for those two familiar figures that made them grit their teeth.

Reiko tiptoed through the crowd, her small body weaving through the crowd, muttering "Onii-chan" under her breath, afraid of missing any similar-looking figures.

Yukiko climbed onto the luggage cart by the platform and looked down at the crowd. Her beige dress fluttered in the wind, attracting the attention of many passersby, but she didn't care. She just kept sifting through the crowd.

Eri followed the signs on the platform, occasionally asking the platform staff if they had seen two young boys dressed in casual clothes.

Tomizawa Chikage, Orikasa Midori, and Ruri stood guard at the exit, watching every passenger who came out, afraid that the two would slip away right under their noses.

However, after searching for a full twenty minutes, from one end of the platform to the other, and waiting for more than half an hour at the exit, the two guys who said they were going to the restroom but disappeared for more than an hour were still nowhere to be found.

The once bustling platform gradually quieted down, with only a few passengers hurrying by.

A mixture of worry, anger, and resentment at being abandoned silently spread through the hearts of the girls.

Lingzi's eyes turned completely red, and large tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back from falling, only tightly clutching the little bear keychain in her hand.

Yukiko angrily dodged her foot, her delicate makeup distorted by anger, and she kept muttering, "Hayashi Shuichi, you bastard."

Ruri leaned on Tomizawa Chikage's shoulder, her eyes filled with grievance.

Eri Kisaki frowned slightly, crossed her arms, and her mind raced.

She recalled what Midori Orikasa had said earlier, and thought about Hideaki Hayashi's usual way of doing things. Although he would occasionally use some clever tricks, he would never abandon everyone without a reason.

After a moment of contemplation, Eri Kisaki raised her head.
“Let’s go to the police station at the station and ask. The riot that Midori saw at Kyoto Station might really be related to them. With Shuichi’s personality and luck, he’s most likely been involved in something.”

No one else had a better solution. Even Yukiko, who had always been at odds with Eri, didn't argue with her this time. She just followed behind her angrily, muttering, "Even if you're doing a good deed, you should at least tell us."

Several girls, dragging their luggage, asked around until they found the kōban (traditional business hall) inside Osaka Station.

After explaining the situation to the officer on duty, the officer responsibly helped contact the police station at Kyoto Station.

The few minutes waiting for the call to connect felt exceptionally long. The girls held their breath, their eyes fixed on the black telephone.

Finally, after exchanging a few words with the other party, the officer listened and nodded, then covered the microphone with his hand, turned to them, and said with an approving smile,
"Ladies, don't worry, your friends are fine. It's been confirmed at Kyoto Station that two brave young men did indeed cleverly identify and subdue two thieves posing as a couple on the previous train. They then got off the train with the police and took the suspects to the police station for questioning."

Upon hearing the words "It's okay," all the girls' hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled back into place with a "thump."

But what the officer said next made their expressions freeze instantly.

"Yes, that's right, and the names match up. One is called Hayashi Hideichi, and the other is called Mouri Kogoro... What remarkable young men..."

Upon hearing those two extremely familiar names over the phone, relayed by the police officer, the girls breathed a sigh of relief in unison, but their expressions quickly turned grim.

The worry and fear vanished instantly, replaced by a burning anger and a feeling of being completely ignored!
"That...bastard..."

Eri Kisaki bit her full lower lip so hard it almost bled, squeezing out a few words through her teeth. Her fingers, gripping the travel bag strap, turned white from the force.
"As expected... as expected, they completely forgot about us in their pursuit of catching the thief!"

"Disgusting! Unforgivable!"

Yukiko's face turned ashen with anger, her chest heaving violently.

"Are those two low-life thieves really more charming than us... more than all of us combined?!"

Her voice rose, drawing curious glances from the other officers in the police station.

"Well... perhaps the seniors... perhaps the situation was too urgent and they didn't have time to tell us..."

Midori Orikasa tried to defend Hayashi Shuichi, but before she could finish her sentence, she felt the murderous gazes from Eri, Yukiko, and even Ruri, and had no choice but to swallow the rest of her words.

"This time, I will definitely not forgive my older brother!"

Reiko also made an angry announcement, but the little girl's harsh words always lacked force.

After saying that, she felt it might have been too absolute, so she quickly changed her words in a low voice, leaving herself a way out.

"...Unless, unless he apologizes to me properly, I...I won't forgive him for now!"

"That guy is really... a real headache."

Tomizawa Chikage sighed helplessly. She could understand Lin Xiuyi's feelings in helping him, after all, she was also the kind of person who would help those in need. But not contacting everyone for so long was indeed a bit too much.

"Kogoro has been corrupted by Shuichi. Although he was unreliable before, he wouldn't have disappeared so quietly."

Liuli stomped her foot angrily, blaming Lin Xiuyi, then looked at everyone, asking in a confused tone.

"So... what do we do now? Should we wait here for them to come from Kyoto, or... should we stick to the original plan and go meet up with Ms. Ikenami Shizuka?" (End of Chapter)