Chapter 75: Are you going to arrest me?
Cats cannot be released immediately after being spayed/neutered; their wounds must heal first. Morofushi Sora'aki always pays a sufficient amount for medical and accommodation fees, allowing the cats to recover at the vet until their wounds are fully healed before returning them to their original location.
Stray cats have their ears cropped after being spayed/neutered, so that others won't see them and try to catch and spay/neuter them again. This is also the basis for Morofushi Sora'aki's earlier judgment that this cat was not spayed/neutered.
After paying the medical bills, Morofushi Sora'aki tried to reach out and hold Edogawa Conan's hand, just like he had done when he arrived, but Conan dodged his hand.
Morofushi Sora'aki: ...I'm being disliked?
It's quite surprising, but Morofushi Sora'aki has always been very popular with children and small animals. For example, the little girl who was accidentally caught up in the capture of the Tomori Hajime was the one who started talking to Morofushi Sora'aki first.
But then he thought, this kid in front of him is a high school student! So it's alright.
Edogawa Conan hesitated about how to react—what if the person in front of him was just speaking casually, and ended up exposing his own problem? Then he would be completely outmaneuvered!
After much deliberation, Edogawa Conan decided to pretend to be a child and test the waters first, observing the other party's reaction before making a decision.
As long as you don't call him Kudou Shin'ichi right in the face, he'll pretend he doesn't understand!
Then he heard Morofushi Sora'aki withdraw his hand and say, "Sorry, I forgot you're the same age as me, Kudou Shin'ichi."
Edogawa Conan: "..."
Edogawa Conan: "...?!?!"
Edogawa Conan wore a childlike, curious smile as he looked around. "Eh? Shin'ichi-niichan is here too? I don't see him—and, does Nozaki-niichan know Shin'ichi-niichan? I've never heard Shin'ichi-niichan mention him before!"
"..." Morofushi Sora'aki: "I'll take you back."
After saying that, Morofushi Sora'aki took a step forward.
Edogawa Conan: ...Why doesn't this guy play by the rules?!
The pace of an elementary school student is different from that of a high school student. What takes Morofushi Sora'aki a few steps, Edogawa Conan has to jog to catch up with: "Wait!"
"Um, I don't want to go back right now—"
Morofushi Sora'aki stopped in his tracks, causing Edogawa Conan, who couldn't stop in time, to bump into him: "Ouch!"
"Where to?"
There was a few seconds of silence. Edogawa Conan covered his head and looked hesitantly at Morofushi Sora'aki, belatedly realizing that the other party seemed to be asking him where he wanted to go.
Edogawa Conan tentatively asked, "I'd like to go to the shopping mall...?"
Sora'aki nods and extends his hand again. This time, Edogawa Conan doesn't back down but nervously grabs Sora'aki's hand.
Well... Edogawa Conan looked up blankly at Morofushi Sora'aki, who was standing beside him leading the way. He seemed to have figured out how to communicate with this person.
Holding hands can create a sense of security in a certain sense—between parents and children, lovers, and close friends. Even Edogawa Conan feels he's starting to feel something similar in this situation—thinking that the person he's holding hands with is a good person, and so on.
As Edogawa Conan was analyzing the situation in his mind, he stopped again. This time, with Morofushi Sora'aki leading the way, Conan didn't bump into anything and seemed to have already arrived at the mall before he even realized what was happening.
Meeting Morofushi Sora'aki's gaze again, Edogawa Conan tentatively asked, "I want to go eat cake?"
So he watched as Morofushi Sora'aki led him to a dessert shop.
Ah... is that what he meant by "no need to pretend or hide"? Edogawa Conan seemed to realize something.
The reason he chose a shopping mall was because of the large flow of people. Based on his current experience, the organization that led him to become like this is used to hiding itself, so they probably... wouldn't kill someone in public.
But what if? Remembering the amusement park bombing earlier, Edogawa Conan felt a pang of panic. Criminals can't be understood through common sense. What if he'd mistaken someone, trusted the wrong person? Then all the innocent guests around him could potentially—
"Let's go somewhere else—" Edogawa Conan hadn't finished speaking when he looked at Morofushi Sora'aki, who was sitting opposite him, having already finished a red velvet cake and now ordered a caramel pudding and milk tea: "—Eh?"
Seeing the slightly disapproving look in the other person's eyes (Edogawa Conan didn't know how he could tell, since there was no change at all), Edogawa Conan shut his mouth. "Well, Nozaki-niichan, you can eat slowly. We're not in a hurry."
Morofushi Sora'aki was satisfied and even ordered a lemon pie for Edogawa Conan.
"Ah, thank you!" Edogawa Conan replied politely.
Morofushi Sora'aki didn't deliberately choose a location that would draw attention to the doorway. In a sense, choosing this location would actually expose that you have a secret and that you are not simple—of course, this doesn't apply to ordinary citizens who randomly choose such a prime location.
There were no other customers around them, and the waiters wouldn't approach unless absolutely necessary, so this spot was a great place for conversation.
Out of the corner of his eye, Edogawa Conan noticed that no one was paying attention to them, and then rummaged around in his pocket.
"Um, Nozaki-niichan." Edogawa Conan said, his face still bearing that childlike expression, "You called me Kudou Shin'ichi before... because?"
"Aren't you one?" Morofushi Sora'aki asked in return.
Edogawa Conan instinctively wanted to retort, but realizing that it was pointless, he asked instead, "How did you find out? When did you find out?"
Because you're the main character, I got spoilers right away? Morofushi Sora'aki thought for a moment: "At first, because I saw it with my own eyes?"
Edogawa Conan: "...?!"
"You were there?!" Edogawa Conan's eyes widened. "Then why—"
Before he could finish speaking, Edogawa Conan, realizing he had gotten a little agitated, swallowed the rest of his impulsive statement: "But, but why haven't you come to see me for so long? Why are you only coming now... It's related to that Scotch, isn't it?"
Edogawa Conan brought up the topic again.
Morofushi Sora'aki didn't refute: "Hmm."
Edogawa Conan: ...He actually admitted it outright?!
This was the first time Edogawa Conan had encountered someone who answered every question so readily. The fact that the other person wasn't a riddle teller left him somewhat bewildered.
He decided to ask from the heart: "So, Scotch is your brother?"
"Sort of, but not entirely." Morofushi Sora'aki stuck his fork into the cake, his black hair falling over his forehead. He casually brushed it behind his ear, revealing a blue earring. "It's probably the kind of brotherhood that neither of us would admit to."
Edogawa Conan: "...That sounds complicated."
Edogawa Conan asked, "Isn't it relevant for you to tell me all this?"
Morofushi Sora'aki raised his eyes, puzzled, and asked, "But didn't you already ask?"
Edogawa Conan: So it feels really weird to talk to someone who isn't a riddle teller!
Edogawa Conan: "So Nozaki-niichan was following him back then, right?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "Hmm."
Edogawa Conan: "Then... Nozaki, what's your reason for doing this?"
"After all, like you said, it's a brotherhood that neither of us will acknowledge... and doing this is really dangerous!"
"You're not calling me 'niichan' anymore?" These words flashed through Morofushi Sora'aki's mind. Then, after a moment's thought, he unconsciously licked the cream off his spoon. "I'm a little curious?"
Edogawa Conan couldn't help but repeat, "...Curious?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "I'm curious whether different environments can create completely different personalities."
Morofushi Sora'aki gave an example: "If you grow up surrounded by bad people, where there is no kindness or justice, the common sense you receive is that killing is right, and the first lesson you learn is to pick up a weapon."
"So, will you still be the same person you are now?"
Edogawa Conan was stumped by the question, and he looked at Morofushi Sora'aki with a blank expression.
In all these worlds, the counterparts of all the friends that Morofushi Sora'aki encounters have similar personalities and the same appearance. Slight deviations in their lives do not affect the formation of their main personalities.
But what if the experience was different from the very beginning?
Morofushi Sora'aki seemed somewhat nonchalant: "It doesn't matter whether someone is a bad person from the start or a good person from the start."
"But for someone who isn't purely kind, nor thoroughly evil, it must be quite tough, right?"
This question seems to have strayed a bit into philosophy, and since Edogawa Conan hasn't experienced it, he can't give a direct answer without serious thought.
After Edogawa Conan was taken home by Morofushi Sora'aki, he was called twice by Mouri Ran before he finally reacted. It seemed he still hadn't gotten any questions out of him.
Edogawa Conan: Although he's not a riddle master, his ability to change the subject is absolutely amazing!!
After dropping the young detective off at home, Morofushi Sora'aki strolled casually down the street like any other high school student.
He had never seen any of his counterparts from other worlds. Maybe in one of them, he was a ruthless villain? He might even be quite handsome... but his mother would definitely scold him. Morofushi Sora'aki decisively abandoned this idea.
Then, he stopped and looked up at the man who was leaning against the wall, smoking.
The man with medium-length hair held a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers. His drooping purple eyes were blurred by the smoke, giving him an indescribable, enchanting quality.
Morofushi Sora'aki stood there, with the youthful innocence and purity typical of students his age, and politely said, "Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon~" The man with medium-length hair smiled and waved his hand. As he moved, the cigarette between his fingers dropped a few specks of ash, and a spark flickered.
"I thought you were smart enough to stay far away." he said with a deep laugh. "But you actually... walked right into the trap?"
"So, are you going to arrest me?" Morofushi Sora'aki asked.
"Why do you want to catch me?" the man replied. "It's not working hours now, and most importantly, you're not some little mouse that just hides and hides."
He narrowed his eyes, his expression suggestive: "You agree, right? Cat-chan?"