"My name is Kimie Tsujimura. I'd like to request that you investigate my son's girlfriend—specifically, her character."
She set a neatly sealed envelope on the table. "Here's her photo and personal background. The details can be discussed at my home—with my husband present."
"…"
Kimie Tsujimura's tone was polite but firm as she explained her request.On the surface, it sounded like an ordinary background check, but in truth, this kind of job tested a detective's sharpness and attention to subtle human detail.
As soon as Conan and Heiji received the documents, they both dove into the analysis like hawks circling their prey.
"We'll take the case," Ren Kuroda said decisively. With Detective Mouri out, he was the one in charge.
He glanced at the two eager young sleuths. "Let these two handle it. Don't underestimate them—they may look young, but they're good."
"Is that so?" Kimie eyed the boys, nodded slightly, and stood. She didn't need a professional detective anyway; the less experienced they looked, the better for her purpose.
"Then let's not waste time. Follow me." She turned and started down the stairs.
Heiji threw a grin at "Shinichi" and said eagerly, "Kudo, the game's on! Don't you dare disappoint me!"
As he spoke, he rummaged through his backpack, pulled out a bottle of aged shochu, and handed it to Ran Mouri with a grin. "A little something from Osaka!"
Then he followed after Kimie.
"You'd better not let us down… right, Shinichi-nii?" Conan said confidently as he trotted after them.
The person disguised as "Shinichi"—none other than Yukiko Kudo—sighed deeply.She had zero interest in this so-called competition.In her eyes, Ran, her future daughter-in-law, mattered far more than some detective rivalry.
But with Conan insisting on going, she had no choice but to tag along and cover for him.
They were about to leave when "Shinichi" noticed Ren still sitting casually in his chair. "Aren't you coming, Ren?"
Ren shook his head. "No. You two are more than enough. It's your match—why would I crash it?"
He smiled faintly. "Besides, I wouldn't be of much help. I'll stay here and wait for the results."
Ran carefully set the bottle of shochu aside. She had been planning to go too, but hearing Ren's calm reasoning, she reconsidered.If she went along, she'd only distract Shinichi… and if he lost because of her, she'd never forgive herself.
So she smiled softly and said, "I'll stay here and prepare some afternoon tea for when you get back."
Yukiko—still disguised as Shinichi—immediately froze.She grabbed Conan by the sleeve and whispered urgently, "Shinichi! Do you see what's happening? If we leave, those two will be alone together—making afternoon tea! Together!"
Conan waved it off. "Relax, relax! It's fine. It's not like it's the first time they've been alone. One more time won't kill anyone."
He shrugged, completely oblivious. "They've made tea together before… even dinner. It's too late to worry about that now."
He continued confidently, "Besides, this case looks simple. With my experience, I'll have it solved in half an hour, tops! By the time we're back, they'll probably still be at the grocery store buying ingredients!"
"WHAT?!" Yukiko's voice nearly cracked. Her heart dropped like a stone.They've already cooked dinner together?! They're syncing their daily lives now?!
"You idiot," she hissed, glaring at him. "He's already wormed his way into Ran's life! Keep this up, and she'll start to take his shape!"
"You call yourself a detective, and you didn't notice that?!"
Conan blinked, genuinely confused. "It's… not that serious, is it? Ran used to come over to my place for breakfast all the time, and nothing ever happened!"
"Mom, you're overreacting," he added helplessly.
Before Yukiko could unleash another tirade, Heiji's impatient voice echoed from outside."Oi! Kudo! What're you doin' up there? We're waitin' on ya! Don't tell me you're scared already!"
"If you're chicken, just admit defeat now and save us all the time!"
That hit Conan's pride like a sledgehammer."Who's scared?! We're coming down right now!" he yelled back. Then he turned to Yukiko and muttered sheepishly, "Let's… just finish the case first, okay?"
"Ugh… fine, fine," Yukiko groaned. Her son's emotional intelligence was beyond saving.She gave up fighting it—for now.
After all, this situation couldn't be fixed just by staying behind.She needed time to think… and to plan her next move.
Later — Mouri Detective Agency
"Take care, you two!" Ran called from the second-floor balcony, waving as they left.
When she turned back inside, she smiled. "Ren-kun, I'm going to start on that afternoon tea. Anything you'd like?"
Ren looked up from his newspaper. "That sounds like a lot of work. Why don't we go out instead?"
Ran blinked, a little surprised—and secretly pleased.
He smiled faintly. "Making tea means more than just whipping up a few sweets. You'll have to clean the kitchen, wash dishes… that's at least an hour or two of effort."
He shook his head. "Let's just eat out. It's easier. And they'll be back soon anyway—the case is only about checking that girl's background."
Ran felt a quiet warmth in her chest. It wasn't just his words—it was the way he understood her. The unspoken care."Yeah… you're right," she admitted with a soft laugh. "By the time they're back, it might already be late."
"Exactly," Ren said with a grin. "Besides, Heiji came all the way from Osaka, and Kudo's visiting after so long. Let's pick a really nice café and treat them properly."
"That's a great idea!" Ran nodded, excited now. She grabbed her phone and started browsing through listings of her favorite cafés.
After making a quick reservation at a stylish spot nearby, she turned off the office lights.The two of them locked the door and headed out together.
On the way, Ran sent a text to Shinichi:
"We're at Café Leaf & Bloom. Come straight here after you finish the case!"
By the time they arrived and sat down, Ran's phone buzzed with a reply.
"Eh?" She frowned slightly, reading the message.
"What's wrong?" Ren asked, feigning ignorance.
Ran sighed, showing him the screen. "They ran into a murder case. Looks like they won't be back anytime soon."
Ren smiled faintly. "A murder case, huh? Well… that's Conan's specialty. No point sitting around—let's enjoy our food while we wait."
Ran laughed softly, nodding. "Yeah, you're right. Might as well."
She ordered coffee and a small dessert.
Ren leaned back in his chair, watching her with a faint smirk.
No matter how much Yukiko schemed, there were some forces even she couldn't fight—like the laws of Conan's world.
Whenever that boy showed up, a murder was sure to follow.