Conan: I'm Really Not Tokyo Ghost Story

Chapter 318, 317: Dark-skinned girl can cry, you know!

Shinichi Kudo pouted helplessly and said, "Okay, okay, I know."

He shrank to a generation shorter than Sano when he became smaller, and he still shrank to a head when he grew bigger.

An annoying guy.

But when he remembered that Ai Haibara had come to his house with Ran Mouri this morning and said that thanks to Sano yesterday, his existence had not been exposed by the gossip crowd, Shinichi Kudo felt that he should be a little more magnanimous.

I won't hold it against Sano!

The three walked into the school side by side and went to the classroom, immediately causing a commotion among the students who had already arrived.

It's basically a sarcastic, teasing comment like, "How sweet it is that you went to school together as soon as you got back."

Shinichi Kudo, of course, didn't care and laughed it off, but Ran Mouri's face turned bright red.

"Senior, I'm telling you, isn't it a bit too unfair of you to be a third wheel?"

After joining in the teasing for a while, Sonoko Suzuki leaned over to Sano and said, "Besides, putting aside the fact that you're being a third wheel, don't you feel uncomfortable at all?"

Sano, resting his chin on his hand, turned his gaze away from the window and said expressionlessly, "It's not like I wanted to be a third wheel. We just happened to bump into each other at the school gate."

"is it?"

Sonoko Suzuki smiled and said, "I thought you were getting anxious because Ran's husband was coming back, and you were planning to interfere and ruin their relationship."

"The garden!"

Ran Mouri became even more embarrassed and annoyed when she heard Sonoko Suzuki's giggling voice as she walked over.

Sano glanced at Shinichi Kudo, who had followed them, and chuckled softly, "I don't know about other things, but I'm becoming more and more interested in Attorney Kisaki. If I really ended up with Attorney Kisaki, what would Shinichi Kudo call me? Father-in-law?"

"Then what should we call Detective Mori, ex-father-in-law?"

"He probably won't admit it, but if he doesn't call me father-in-law, I won't agree either. If I don't agree, then Attorney Fei won't agree either. Tsk tsk tsk."

"You're going to have a tough time from now on."

Faced with Sano's teasing, Ran Mouri immediately became furious and called out "senpai" again. It was unclear whether it was because he said that Shinichi Kudo would be with her in the future, or because he said that he would be with Eri Kisaki in the future.

Shinichi Kudo didn't say anything, but just gave a speechless, deadpan look.

...It's already difficult enough as it is now. If, as Sano said, he and Eri Kisaki get together and he becomes his future father-in-law, wouldn't that be even more hopeless?

No, I need to be more vigilant myself.

We absolutely cannot let our future fall into such a quagmire!

...Of course, it's still a bit far off to talk about these things now. Shinichi Kudo pulled his wandering thoughts back and quietly waved to Sano, indicating that he had something to say to him.

Sano raised an eyebrow, ignoring Shinichi Kudo, and followed him to a corner.

"I heard about what happened yesterday from Haibara. Thanks a lot."

Upon hearing Shinichi Kudo's thanks, Sano couldn't help but frown slightly. So this kid specifically dragged him over just to say thank you?

Are you just bored and have nothing better to do?

Sano scoffed, "There's no need to thank me, especially not with such insincere words. I only helped you because that fake loli made other demands; otherwise, I wouldn't care whether you live or die."

"Hey?"

Shinichi Kudo was stunned by Sano's answer, momentarily unable to grasp what the other person meant or how he should react.

...By the way, what exactly is a fake loli?

Loli, fake... Could you be talking about Ai Haibara?

"...Um, then I'll treat you to a meal later?"

After sorting things out a bit, Shinichi Kudo roughly realized that Sano wanted to express two points.

First, Sano wouldn't help someone for no reason, so there's a second reason... that is, verbal thanks aren't enough, you have to be sincere.

This also reveals that Sano will help Shinichi Kudo because Ai Haibara has probably already shown her "sincerity".

But Ai Haibara is Ai Haibara, and Shinichi Kudo is Shinichi Kudo.

It's two different things.

In addition to Sano, Shinichi Kudo also needs to make a gesture towards Ai Haibara.

...Shinichi Kudo had already thanked Ai Haibara that morning, but now that Sano was showing "sincerity," he couldn't show favoritism.

"By the way, has Hattori already gone back?"

Shinichi Kudo finally remembered his good teammate and asked in confusion, "I was planning to explain the situation to him yesterday and thank him again, since he went out of his way to impersonate me... Even though it was useless, the thought was still there. But he hasn't replied to my messages or answered my calls. What does that mean?"

"...If nothing unexpected happens, he will probably be withdrawn for a while."

Sano opened the window and lit a cigarette.

"Huh, what do you mean?"

Shinichi Kudo looked completely bewildered.

...It means that your good teammate went to great lengths to help you, only to be subjected to inhuman...humiliation. Now you feel hopeless and have become withdrawn.

Recalling yesterday's events, Sano couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips, feeling quite pleased: "What, didn't that fake loli tell you about this this morning?"

Shinichi Kudo shook his head vigorously.

"What exactly happened? Tell me!"

Seeing that Shinichi Kudo was getting a little frustrated with his curiosity, Sano didn't keep him in suspense and gave a general account of what had happened yesterday.

After listening, Shinichi Kudo stared wide-eyed, indicating that he was deeply shocked.

"You guys are really something else!"

Shinichi Kudo was actually somewhat speechless, because similar situations to yesterday's had occurred more than once or twice.

From his own parents to Sano, then to Ai Haibara and back to Sano again, just a few days ago Shinichi Kudo was threatened by Ai Haibara again.

These two guys are really...

"...Isn't that a bit unfair?"

Shinichi Kudo pouted in dissatisfaction: "You didn't even invite me to do something so fun?"

Upon hearing this, Sano's eye twitched.

...The main reason why Sano and Ai Haibara were able to do this was because Shinichi Kudo did not share all the information he had with Heiji Hattori.

The key point is that Sano and Ai Haibara also know Shinichi Kudo's identity, and the latter is even his "kindred spirit," but Heiji Hattori does not know this.

The reason why Shinichi Kudo didn't share this with Heiji Hattori wasn't for any legitimate reason, but simply because... when the other party first discovered his identity, he used "threats".

This was something that Shinichi Kudo secretly remembered, and he even told Sano when he got back that he must not expose it so that he could teach Heiji Hattori a lesson, get revenge on him, and regain his pride.

However, as various things happened and time passed, Shinichi Kudo forgot about it.

...In any case, Sano's belief that Shinichi Kudo was the culprit behind Heiji Hattori's withdrawal from society is definitely not a baseless lie.

But Sano never expected that after hearing Hattori Heiji's tragic story, Kudo Shinichi not only didn't speak up for him, but also complained that he didn't include him in his group.

If you do this, Blackie will cry!

"Bah, scumbag!"

Shinichi Kudo was completely bewildered when he saw Sano spitting at him for no apparent reason.

How did I become a scumbag?

Before Shinichi Kudo could ask anything, he suddenly noticed that all the students in the class had their eyes on him and Sano.

Those earpieces were standing upright like antennas, clearly indicating they wanted to eavesdrop but didn't dare to get too close.

The way Shinichi Kudo openly eavesdropped on Ran Mouri when they first arrived in class and were whispering to each other about having dinner together that evening was a stark contrast to Shinichi's behavior.

It's shameful to discriminate against someone!

After cursing inwardly, Shinichi Kudo sensed something was wrong again.

Because the way these people were looking at him was rather strange.

...Could these guys have actually overheard something and misunderstood something?

"Shinichi."

Just as Shinichi Kudo hesitated whether he should explain or test the waters first, Ran Mouri asked, "When did you and your senior become so close?"

"what?"

Shinichi Kudo was taken aback, then remembered his true identity on the surface, and that he and Sano had only met once.

Chapter 319, 318: Amuro Tooru: Sacrificing the individual for the greater good!

Given this relationship, it seems a bit strange that I chatted with the other person for a long time as soon as I got back to school.

In a moment of quick thinking, Shinichi Kudo made up an excuse, saying that he had run into Sano by chance while investigating a case outside, and then they often discussed cases together, and over time the two became acquainted.

The gossipers, their doubts resolved, nodded in understanding.

"What? So you two are so close? I was worried that you were upset because you lost to Sano-senpai yesterday and were planning to pick a fight today."

A male student said with a grin.

Kudo Shinichi: "..."

It's definitely not pleasant, but if you're talking about finding fault, well, go to sleep, you can have anything in your dreams.

...Otherwise, why didn't he have any thought of revenge when faced with Sano's actions when he discovered Shinichi Kudo's true identity, which were not only no less than those of Heiji Hattori, but even more excessive?

Because Shinichi Kudo knew that even if he took revenge, he would most likely not succeed.

Even if they succeed, they will definitely be retaliated against in a much worse way.

As the saying goes, revenge only leads to more revenge; let bygones be bygones!

"No matter what, two high school detectives are both in our school, and both in our class. This is a unique case in the whole country, no, the whole world!"

"Haha, yeah, although Kudo is a little bit worse than Sano, he's only slightly worse than Sano. Yesterday, that black guy who pretended to be Kudo at the beginning was supposedly a famous detective from Osaka. He even appeared in the same news as Kudo before, and they were called Kudo of Kanto and Hattori of Kansai. In the end, he didn't figure out the truth either."

Sano watched the students brag, his face beaming with pride, as if the "high school detectives" they were talking about weren't him and Shinichi Kudo, but themselves.