As soon as Ran saw the woman sitting on the sofa, she recognized her instantly.
"Aunt Yukiko! You're back in Japan!" she exclaimed.
Then, unable to hold back her curiosity, she asked, "By the way, where's Shinichi these days? Why hasn't he been attending school?"
Yukiko chuckled lightly. "Doesn't Shinichi live at your house?"
But, of course, that wasn't something she could easily joke.
"I'm not sure where that boy has wandered off to," Yukiko replied with a smile. "Maybe he's wrapped up in a tough case~"
Switching the topic smoothly, she added, "But let's talk about you, Ran. It's been so long since I last saw you, and you've grown even more beautiful!"
Her gaze lingered on Ran, warm and appraising, like a mother-in-law evaluating her prospective daughter-in-law.
But then, as her eyes drifted downward, they locked onto the young boy standing beside Ran. Yukiko's expression froze, and she couldn't look away.
What an adorable, charming, and handsome little boy!
At that moment, Eri spoke up with a proud smile.
"Yukiko, this is Akashi, the child I told you about over the phone."
"Didn't I say he was absolutely adorable? Isn't he just the most handsome little boy?"
As she spoke, Eri gently pulled Akashi forward, presenting him like a trophy.
"Honestly, doesn't he look even better than Shinichi did at that age? You've got to admit it now!"
Yukiko was momentarily at a loss for words.
She hadn't expected Eri's randomly adopted child to be so strikingly good-looking, effortlessly outshining her own son.
How could this woman have such incredible luck?
Yukiko had always considered Eri both her closest friend and fiercest rival. Their relationship was a delicate balance of camaraderie and competition, with constant comparisons and subtle one-upmanship.
Over recent phone calls, Yukiko had frequently heard Eri gushing about her newly adopted child—how sensible, handsome, and delightful he was.
Yukiko's curiosity had been piqued to the point of annoyance.
And now, having just returned to Japan, she hadn't even stopped to see her own son. Instead, she'd come straight to Eri's law firm to see this child for herself.
What she found was beyond anything she'd imagined.
Akashi's appearance was flawless, leaving no room for criticism.
This time, Eri had undeniably won, leaving Yukiko, who thrived on competition, feeling more than a little unsettled.
Still, she maintained her graceful demeanor as Eri encouraged the boy, "Akashi, say hello to Aunt Yukiko!"
Akashi glanced sideways at Eri, rolling his eyes. He couldn't help thinking how shameless this woman was—using him as a means to show off!
Before he could respond, Yukiko's expression changed. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she smiled with a hint of mischief and, perhaps, just a trace of menace.
"Akashi, was it? You can't call me 'Auntie.' You have to call me 'Sister.'"
"How could I possibly be that old?"
The word "Aunt" was Yukiko's ultimate taboo. She couldn't stand being called that, except by Ran, who had been calling her "Aunt Yukiko" since she was a child.
But Eri, knowing full well Yukiko's pet peeve, had still used the word without hesitation.
It was as though Eri had gleefully stepped onto a landmine, almost provoking Yukiko into losing her cool entirely.
Akashi didn't bother to overthink it.
He decided to humor Yukiko and called her "sister." After all, his true age wasn't far off from hers.
Hearing the little boy call her "sister," Yukiko's face immediately lit up with joy.
"Oh, Akashi, you're such a sweet talker!" she said, her tone full of delight.
"And so handsome, too! Let me get a closer look!"
As she spoke, Yukiko reached out to pull Akashi closer. But as she tugged, she found that she couldn't budge him.
Eri's hand was still firmly placed on the boy's shoulder.
"Yukiko, just look—don't touch," Eri said, her voice calm but pointed.
"Akashi is a little shy. Don't scare him!"
Akashi raised an eyebrow. Since when has he been labeled as "shy"?
Yukiko's expression shifted subtly, a glint of coldness flashing in her eyes.
"Scare him? Me? Impossible!" she replied, her voice tinged with indignation.
"I'm a star, after all. Are you implying I'm too old to handle this delicately?"
Unforgivable!
Determined to prove her point, Yukiko tugged harder. "Nonsense. I can tell Akashi likes me!"
And so, the tug-of-war began. The two women wrestled for possession of Akashi, who quickly found himself at the center of an unexpected battle.
Ran, watching from the sidelines, instinctively took a step back.
The intensity in the air between her mother and Aunt Yukiko was almost suffocating.
Poor Akashi, caught in the middle, looked utterly powerless. Despite his natural strength, he was no match for the determination of the two women.
Unable to resist, he could only endure the embarrassing situation, his discomfort growing by the second.
Then, suddenly, the stalemate broke.
Whether it was due to Eri's calculated restraint or her concern for the boy's well-being, she was the first to let go.
But Yukiko, mid-tug and exerting full force, didn't notice in time.
Without the counterbalance, Akashi lost his footing and tumbled forward, landing directly in Yukiko's arms.
Startled, he instinctively grabbed onto the nearest object for balance—unfortunately, that object was Yukiko herself. His 『God's Right Hand』at lvl2, activated.
A resounding 'thud ' was followed by a muffled groan from Yukiko.
Her head shot up in surprise, and for a brief moment, she seemed utterly stunned.
"What… just happened?" she thought, her mind reeling.
But despite her internal chaos, Yukiko's instincts as a seasoned actress kicked in. She quickly composed herself, her expression returning to its usual calm and elegant demeanor.
Giggling softly, she quipped, "For someone so small, Akashi sure packs a punch! I thought you were going to knock me flat!"
With that, Yukiko shifted the boy in her arms, settling him onto her lap as if nothing had happened.
"Eri, you've got yourself a real charmer here," she said with a smirk. "When this little one grows up, he's going to have women falling head over heels for him!"
"I wish my Shinichi were half as handsome!"
Yukiko tightened her hold on Akashi, clearly not ready to let him go.
Eri and Ran exchanged glances, their smiles strained. Neither said a word, but it was clear they were both unhappy seeing their Akashi perched so comfortably on someone else's lap.
Eri tried to subtly reclaim control of the situation, offering tea and making comments about how late it was getting.
But Yukiko, with her famously thick skin, was unfazed.
Ignoring all hints, she held onto Akashi and launched into a lively reminiscence about their days at Teitan High School.
The atmosphere grew more awkward by the second.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Conan was facing his own crisis.
Having been taken by a mysterious middle-aged man claiming to be his father, Conan had narrowly escaped from the car, only to be recaptured near Dr. Agasa's house.
Rendered unconscious, he awoke in a dilapidated building, his head throbbing.
The treatment he was enduring was a far cry from Akashi's "heavenly" predicament.