Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

My son was still asleep when he went out for a run early in the morning;
He dragged his tired body home late at night after his son had fallen asleep.

He missed his son's first time riding a bicycle, missed his son's parent-teacher conference, and missed countless days and nights that he should have been by his side.

While Jinpei's mother was still alive, she could still somewhat fill the void left by him.

But since his wife passed away, only he and his son have been left in the family.

But Matsuda Jotaro remained steadfast in his seemingly unattainable boxing dream, continuing to travel all over the country for matches, leaving his son alone at home or entrusting him to the care of neighbors.

He recalled one time when he returned from a competition and found his son had a high fever, but he didn't dare to call him for fear of disturbing his training.

That time, he sat by his son's bedside all night, looking at his son's flushed face, and for the first time doubted whether his choice was right.

"Dad, did you win the game?" That was the first thing the son asked when he woke up the next morning.

His throat tightened, and he could only nod.

"That's great!" The son smiled happily, as if his own illness didn't matter at all.

At that moment, Matsuda Jotaro felt a deep sense of regret for the first time.

He won the game, but almost lost something more important.

Now, looking at the boys chasing and laughing all over the house, and at the bright smile on his son's face, a warm feeling welled up in Matsuda Jotaro's heart.

My son has grown up.

Even without his constant companionship, his son has grown into a cheerful, kind, and responsible young man.

He has gentle and considerate friends like Kenji, outspoken partners like Rei Furuya, and new friends like Wataru Date who treat him with sincerity.

There's also Ogiwara Chisato, the girl who takes care of him like an older sister, and Hayashi Shuichi, the boy from Tokyo who has a lot of positive influence on his son.

"Uncle Jotaro, aren't you going to eat cake?" Rei Furuya's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Matsuda Jotaro snapped out of his daze, looked at the cake plate handed to him by the blond boy, and smiled: "Eat, of course I'll eat."

He took the plate, looked at the delicate cream patterns on it, and then looked up at the center of the living room.

Matsuda Jinpei was riding on Ogihara Kenji's back, trying to reach the balloons floating down from the ceiling.

Ogiwara Chisato brought out juice from the kitchen, and Hayashi Shuichi naturally took it and helped her distribute it to everyone.

Ida Kou sat in the corner, watching the playful scene with a quiet smile on his face.

This moment is both so noisy and so peaceful.

Matsuda Jotaro took a bite of the cake. The sweetness melted in his mouth, spreading all the way to his heart.

He may have missed a lot, but at least for now, he's here.

On his son's twelfth birthday, on this night filled with laughter, he watched his son surrounded by love and friendship, and watched his son grow up healthily.

This is enough.

The night sky outside the window is dotted with stars, and the summer night breeze blows through the gauze curtains, gently stirring them.

The living room was warm and bright, and the laughter of the boys filled every corner of the house like the most beautiful music.

Matsuda Jotaro raised a beer can, looked at his son who was playfully fighting with his friends, and silently said:
Happy birthday, Jinpei.

Then he tilted his head back and took a big gulp. The icy liquid slid down his throat, but it couldn't extinguish the growing sense of relief and hope in his heart.

……

As night deepened, the laughter and chatter at the Matsuda family's house gradually faded away. The four kids, exhausted from playing, leaned against the sofa, dozing off.

Matsuda Jotaro carried Matsuda Jinpei back to his room, while Ogiwara Chisato also took his younger brother Ogiwara Kenji's hand and said goodbye.

As for Date Wataru, because it was too late, he stayed overnight in Matsuda Jinpei's room.

Lin Xiuyi and Matsuda Jotaro sat in the living room and chatted for a long time, from their boxing dreams to their children's growth, until late at night before they finally went to rest.

……

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the faint morning light streamed into the room through the window, and a trace of the morning coolness still lingered in the air.

Lin Xiu woke up early, packed his simple luggage, and then woke up Furuya Rei, who was still fast asleep.

They're heading back to Tokyo today; there's still a lot to take care of at the izakaya, so they can't linger too long.

Rei Furuya rubbed his sleepy eyes, reluctantly got up, quickly washed up, and his eyes showed a hint of reluctance.

When the two finished getting ready and came out of the room, Matsuda Jotaro had already prepared a simple breakfast.

Matsuda Jinpei and Date Wataru also woke up early. The two kids sat at the dining table, their faces no longer showing the boisterousness of yesterday, but rather a hint of sadness. They kept glancing at the door, as if afraid that they would leave quietly.

"Brother Xiu, Zero, are you really leaving?"

Matsuda Jinpei bit his chopsticks, hoping for a negative answer.
"Can't we stay one more day? We want to play with you guys again, and we want to eat the curry that Brother Xiu makes."

“Yes,” Date Wataru said, “It would be great to stay another day.”

Lin Xiuyi smiled and ruffled the heads of the two kids: "Sorry, Zero and I still have things to do in Tokyo, so we can't stay any longer."

"We'll come see you again when we have time, and we'll make you curry then, okay?"

Rei Furuya suppressed his reluctance and patted Jinpei Matsuda on the shoulder: "Don't worry, we will definitely come back. When we do, I want to watch you practice boxing and see if you are working hard towards your dreams of becoming a policeman and a boxer."

Matsuda Jinpei listened, still reluctant, but nodded and clenched his little fists tightly:

"Okay! I will definitely work hard. When you come back next time, I will definitely play better and study hard so that I can become a great policeman in the future!"

After a quick breakfast, Lin Xiuyi and Furuya Rei picked up their luggage and prepared to leave.

As soon as I reached the door, I saw Ogiwara Chisato holding Ogiwara Kenji's hand, already waiting there.

Ogiwara Chisato was wearing a light-colored dress, her hair was simply tied up, and she had a faint smile on her face, but there was a hint of reluctance hidden in her eyes. She was also holding a small cloth bag in her hand.

"Brother Xiu,"

Ogiwara Chisato stepped forward, her voice gentle, and handed the cloth bag she was carrying to Hayashi Hideichi.

"These are some cookies I made this morning. You and Zero can eat them on the way. They might not taste as good as yours, but please don't mind them."

Lin Xiu took the cloth bag and felt the warmth emanating from it; it was clearly made fresh by the girl early that morning.
He opened the cloth bag, inside were neatly arranged cookies with simple patterns printed on them; it was clear she had put a lot of care into them.

Ogiwara Chisato's cheeks flushed slightly, and she unconsciously avoided Lin Xiuyi's gaze, whispering, "Be careful on your journey, and be sure to come see us again when you have time."

As she spoke, she secretly glanced up at Lin Xiu, her eyes filled with a mixture of joy and reluctance, as if afraid he would notice. (End of Chapter)