The next day, Teitan Elementary School welcomed a new transfer student.
Ai Haibara, a little girl with short brown hair and an air of mystery, had been arranged to join Akashi's class under Eri's arrangements.
Despite her cold, expressionless demeanor, she immediately caught the attention of all the boys in class.
After all, boys in this country mature quickly.
To them, Haibara wasn't just a new student—she was adorable.
Especially Mitsuhiko, who nearly turned into a lovestruck fool on the spot.
Under Teacher Kobayashi guidance, Haibara made her way to her assigned seat—right next to Akashi.
Looking at the two sitting side by side, one couldn't help but think—a golden boy and a beautiful girl, a perfect match.
Once Teacher Kobayashi left the room, Haibara casually unpacked her schoolbag, sorting through her books.
As she did, she leaned slightly toward Akashi and whispered:
"Don't tell me you're really just killing time in this elementary school?"
"Didn't you say there was a surprise waiting for me here?"
Akashi smirked and leaned in closer, speaking in a low voice:
"How about this for a surprise— Shinichi Kudo."
Haibara's eyes instantly sharpened.
"The high school detective who survived after being dosed with APTX by Gin… is here?"
Akashi nodded slightly, shifting his gaze toward the bespectacled boy sitting nearby.
"Right there. The kid with glasses—Conan. That's him."
Haibara's expression darkened, but a flicker of intrigue shone in her gaze.
"A live test subject… Is this the surprise?"
Akashi continued, his tone nonchalant:
"I can tell you something even better—Shinichi fully recovered just yesterday afternoon."
Haibara's breath hitched.
"...Recovered?"
"It was temporary, but it happened."
Upon hearing this, Haibara's eyes lit up with excitement.
Just yesterday, she had felt completely stuck, with no information and no way to even begin developing an antidote.
But now?
There was a test subject and even a confirmed case of recovery.
Progress had just skyrocketed.
She turned to Akashi, an admiring glint in her gaze.
This little liar… he really had a backup plan all along.
Akashi leaned back, crossing his arms.
"That kid recovered after drinking strong liquor while he had a cold."
"There might still be traces of the antidote in his system. If you get the chance, take a sample of his blood."
Haibara nodded slowly, deep in thought.
But Akashi wasn't done.
"Of course, before that, you need to gain his trust first."
A smirk played at the corners of his lips.
"I'm sure you can handle that. Good luck."
Haibara rolled her eyes.
"Tch."
Still, she couldn't hide the slight flush that crept onto her face.
Feeling a small pinch on his hand, Akashi glanced down—only to see Haibara trying to secretly retaliate.
But before she could pull away, he caught her hand and held it firmly.
Haibara's cheeks turned scarlet in an instant.
She struggled, but his grip didn't loosen.
Meanwhile, the other students watched in shock and heartbreak.
Ayumi and Mitsuhiko looked absolutely furious!
Their beloved Haibara/Akashi was holding hands with Akashi/Haibara?!
Betrayal!
But Akashi paid them no mind.
To him, holding Haibara's hand wasn't for romance—he was simply absorbing her Yin energy.
No ulterior motives at all!
(…Probably.)
At Teitan High School
Elsewhere, in the classroom of Teitan High School, Ran sat at her desk, looking exhausted.
Her slightly dark circles betrayed the fact that she hadn't slept well the night before.
As she sat there, dazed, the classroom door opened.
A tall figure stepped in.
The students turned their heads in unison—
A blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreigner had arrived.
Dressed in a women's suit and a gray skirt, she exuded confidence.
Yet, despite her formal attire, it was impossible to ignore her voluptuous figure—particularly those long, shapely legs that immediately sent a wave of excitement through the class.
All the boys sat up straighter, eyes shining with interest.
Without hesitation, the woman picked up a piece of chalk and wrote her name on the blackboard:
Jodie Starling.
She turned back to face the class, flashing a confident smile.
"Hello, everyone. I'll be your new English teacher."
Yet, despite the stir in the room, Ran barely reacted.
She was still lost in her own thoughts.
From the side, Sonoko couldn't help but nudge Ran.
"Ran, what's with you? You don't seem interested in the new teacher at all."
She leaned in closer, lowering her voice.
"Are you upset? Did that guy make you angry again?"
Ran shook her head, her expression troubled.
"No… It wasn't him who made me angry. I was the one who made him angry."
Sonoko's eyes widened in disbelief.
"No way! Ran, you're so kind and patient—how could you possibly upset him? He should be the one treasuring you!"
Her indignation flared as she ranted on behalf of her best friend.
But Ran looked confused.
"Shinichi? What are you talking about? I meant my Akashi!"
Sonoko froze.
"...Oh."
For a brief moment, an awkward silence hung between them.
Ran let out a soft sigh, resting her elbows on the desk before burying her face in her hands.
"I accidentally did something really bad to Akashi yesterday… I don't even know if he'll forgive me."
At this, her entire posture slumped in despair.
Sonoko, on the other hand, perked up with excitement.
"Wait, wait, wait! What do you mean by 'bad'?! Tell me every detail—slowly!"
Ran shot her a deadpan look, clearly regretting saying anything at all.
"There's no point telling you."
As expected, Sonoko's curiosity only grew stronger.
Still, even though she hadn't gotten an answer, she wasn't about to give up just yet. Instead, she switched tactics and started making suggestions.
"Listen, kids have short memories. If you buy him a gift, he'll probably forgive you right away!"
"Or better yet, take him somewhere fun! A little outing will smooth things over in no time."
Ran's eyes lit up instantly.
That's it!
Sonoko clapped her hands together, as if suddenly remembering something.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot to tell you—this weekend, my family's cruise ship is setting sail for its maiden voyage."
She grinned.
"My mom specifically told me to invite you. You should bring Akashi along!"
Ran nodded without hesitation.
"Alright! I'll ask Akashi to come with me."
But then a thought struck her—the weekend felt too far away.
She had already upset Akashi yesterday. If she waited until the weekend to make things up to him, wouldn't that be too long?
No. She should take him out today!
Determined, she immediately pulled out her phone and sent a message to her father.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the city, Kogoro checked his phone—only for his face to darken immediately.
A text from Ran.
And the message?
She wanted him to take Akashi out?!
Kogoro's face twitched.
"I'm going to a class reunion… not signing up to be a babysitter!"
But then, he remembered something.
Specifically—his daughter's fists.
His eye twitched again.
A few moments later, with a long-suffering sigh, Kogoro begrudgingly gave in.
Back at Teitan Elementary School, Akashi wasn't idle either.
With the succubus's natural charm and Lv2『Hypnosis』, he had already won over all the female teachers in the school.
Now, he had an unprecedented privilege—complete freedom in class attendance.
Even the usually strict and no-nonsense Sumiko Kobayashi had unknowingly fallen under his influence.
She now hung onto his every word, treating him with an odd mix of reverence and guilt.
And because of that, the once dusty, abandoned chemistry laboratory on the third floor—along with the office beside it—had been opened up exclusively for him.
"Akashi, is this enough space for you?"
Sumiko looked around the renovated laboratory, her voice carrying a touch of concern.
"I manage this area, so if you need a bigger space, you'll have to apply to the principal for access to Building B."
Akashi took a long, appraising look at the laboratory.
All kinds of scientific equipment were neatly arranged.
Everything Haibara would need for her research was right here.
A slow smile crept onto his face.
Perfect.
In the original timeline, Haibara had managed to conduct her research and develop antidotes in Dr. Agasa's basement.
There was no reason she couldn't do the same here.
This laboratory would be her domain—a place where she could work freely during school hours.
As for the office next door, it was a little dusty, but everything else was intact.
From mahogany tables and chairs to plush sofas and carpets—it had all the makings of a comfortable lounge.
His personal rest area.
Akashi chuckled.
"This is perfect. Thank you, Kobayashi-sensei."
Hearing his approval, Sumiko let out a relieved sigh.
Then, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"I don't know what exactly you plan to study here, Akashi… but as your teacher, I'll support you however I can."
She then turned away, heading off to grab cleaning supplies.
When she returned, she immediately started helping him clean the office and laboratory.
If any of the students on the first floor had seen this scene, they would have been in utter disbelief.
The usually strict, cold, and unsmiling Kobayashi-sensei… was now willingly helping a student clean his personal space?
Unbelievable.
But for Akashi, it was simply the power of persuasion at work.