"So Kotetsu wanted to take Dad as his teacher," Ran murmured in realization.
She didn't ask why Watanabe Tetsu would choose her father. To a daughter, her father was always the strongest man in the world.
Watanabe nodded firmly. "Mm-hmm. I'll study hard under Uncle Mouri and become a great detective like him in the future."
The sentence soothed Mouri Kogoro immensely. He let out a hearty laugh.
"Good kid—young, but with excellent taste!"
Ran also smiled. "I believe in you too, Kotetsu. You'll definitely become a brilliant detective in the future."
Watching the smiling father and daughter, Watanabe's lips twitched faintly.
Detective? That's nothing more than my stepping stone to earn points.
Dinner was curry rice. And Ran's cooking was surprisingly good. Watanabe, who thought he'd have trouble adjusting to the food, ended up eating two big plates, then plopped onto the sofa rubbing his round belly.
"Kotetsu, time for a bath~"
After cleaning up and preparing the bath, Ran came over with his change of clothes in her arms.
"Do you need Onee-chan to bathe with you?" she asked.
There's such a good thing in the world?
Watanabe's eyes lit up.
His Oscar-level performance slipped into place instantly. He lowered his gaze shyly.
"Well… my mom used to bathe with me a lot but… um… Ran-nee, I can wash myself."
His bashful act made Ran chuckle. She bent down and patted his head.
"Kotetsu is so cute. But since this is your first time bathing here, you might not be used to everything. How about—just for tonight—Onee-chan bathes with you? After that, you can wash yourself, okay? Kotetsu is already a little adult, after all."
"…Okay." Watanabe answered with a red face, shy on the surface, delighted inside.
"Dad, I'll go bathe Kotetsu first," Ran said to Kogoro, who was sprawled on the tatami watching TV.
"Sure." Kogoro didn't think anything of it at all—after all, the boy was only seven or eight.
Steam filled the bathroom.
After washing his body, Watanabe sat in the bathtub, his eyes inevitably drifting toward Ran's silhouette under the shower, her back turned to him.
A while later, the shower stopped. Ran turned around with a smile.
"Okay, Onee-chan will get in and soak with Kotetsu now~"
Walking out of the bathroom with Ran, Watanabe's mind was still hazy.
Being a kid is great. No one suspects a child of having any improper thoughts.
Only one pity…
He glanced down at a certain area and sighed inwardly.
"Dad, Kotetsu will sleep with me tonight," Ran said while towel-drying her hair.
"With you?" Kogoro turned in surprise. "There's only one bed in your room. You're having him sleep with you?"
"Why not?" Ran countered. "You sleep like a rock. If Kotetsu kicks off his blanket, you wouldn't notice. If he sleeps with me, I can look after him."
Then she looked at Kotetsu.
"Kotetsu, want to sleep with Onee-chan? I can tell you a bedtime story."
"Yes!" Watanabe agreed instantly, thrilled.
"Do whatever you want," Kogoro said, eyes returning to the TV. To him, a little boy that age raised no concerns.
At 9:30 p.m., Kotetsu followed Ran into her bedroom.
The room wasn't large, with a soft pink bed immediately catching the eye. A desk sat against the wall with a bookshelf above it, filled completely with textbooks and notebooks.
At the corner of the desk stood a framed photo of a boy and girl making V-signs at the camera, both smiling brightly.
"This guy is Shinichi—he grew up with me," Ran explained from behind him. "He's a detective too, just like Dad. But Kotetsu, when you grow up, you mustn't be like him. Whenever a case happens, that guy only has 'deduction' in his eyes."
Her tone was full of helpless resentment.
Watanabe withdrew his gaze from the photo and looked up at Ran's puffed cheeks, nodding earnestly.
"I understand, Ran-nee."
"Good boy." Ran stroked his head. "Let's sleep."
"Okay."
Morning came. Gentle sunlight seeped through the curtains.
Outside were crisp birdsong and the honking of cars.
Watanabe slowly opened his eyes—what filled his vision was silky black hair, a beautiful sleeping face, and a fair arm wrapped around him. A delicate, unseen line of softness was right before him.
Being a kid is amazing. I can openly enjoy these benefits.
A moment later, Ran also woke. The two blinked at each other and spoke simultaneously:
"Kotetsu, good morning."
"Good morning, Ran-nee."