That night was as long as eternity for Ai Haibara. The constant, face-reddening, and deeply unsettling sounds from the next room, Ayumi's defensive and resistant rebuttal, and her own sense of being in an inescapable cage... everything was like heavy shackles, pressing down layer by layer on her heart.
She felt as if she had been stripped bare and placed under a microscope, with every bit of fear and every struggle being fully observed by that demonic man. Ayumi no longer trusted her, her sister had completely become Kanjuro's believer, and even Teacher Kobayashi had submitted in that twisted manner... She felt as if she had been abandoned by the whole world, isolated and without help.
This omnipresent sense of "being watched" and deep loneliness made her, who was always calm and rational, feel an unprecedented panic. She curled up in the corner of the bed and didn't sleep all night, her icy blue eyes losing their usual luster in the darkness, leaving only emptiness and fatigue.
The next morning, when Kanjuro, looking refreshed, led Akemi Miyano to push open the door to the children's room, this was the scene they saw—
Ai Haibara was still wearing yesterday's clothes, sitting in the corner of the bed clutching her knees, her small body curled into a ball. Her head was buried deep in her arms, her short brownish hair hanging down messily. Hearing the door open, she didn't look up immediately, but her body stiffened imperceptibly.
"Shiho?" Seeing her sister like this, Akemi Miyano walked forward quickly in distress, knelt before her, and called softly, "Are you okay? Why are you sitting like this? Didn't you rest well?"
Ai Haibara slowly, extremely slowly, raised her head.
When her face was exposed to the morning light, Akemi Miyano gasped, and even the corners of Kanjuro's brows twitched almost imperceptibly.
It was a face that had completely lost its color, with heavy dark circles under her eyes and cracked lips. Most startling was her gaze—those icy blue eyes that used to be full of wisdom, calm, and occasional sharp alertness were now like two pools of stagnant water, bloodshot, hollow, and numb, with a trace of fear and despair on the verge of collapse that hadn't been fully hidden in time.
It was as if all her life force had been drained away overnight, leaving only a fragile shell.
"Shiho! How could you..." Heartbroken, Akemi Miyano reached out her hand, wanting to stroke her sister's cheek.
"Don't touch me!" Ai Haibara violently swatted away her sister's hand, her voice hoarse and sharp, carrying a reactive resistance. It was as if a switch had been flipped; her hollow eyes suddenly focused, igniting a long-suppressed flame of anger and disgust that shot straight at Kanjuro standing at the door and her sister before her.
"I hate you..." Her voice wasn't loud, but it trembled with extreme emotion, every word squeezed out from between her teeth, "You... are too terrifying."
She looked at Akemi Miyano's worried yet still blindly faithful gaze toward Kanjuro, and at Kanjuro's composed appearance as if he controlled everything and could even enjoy someone's collapse as scenery. A huge wave of nausea and coldness surged in her heart.
"Sister... you've changed... you've changed so much I don't recognize you anymore..." she said to Akemi Miyano, her voice full of the pain of betrayal. "And you..." She turned to Kanjuro, her gaze like poison-dipped icicles, "You're a monster... you turn everyone into monsters just like you! Here... the air here makes me feel suffocated!"
Her words lost their usual calm and logic, sounding more like a vent under emotional breakdown. She was sick of the pretense, sick of the repression, and sick of watching those around her being dragged into the darkness one by one while she remained powerless!
Akemi Miyano was stung by the deep loathing and accusation in her sister's eyes. She anxiously tried to explain: "Shiho, it's not like that! Mr. Kanjuro, he..."
"Enough!" Ai Haibara interrupted her sharply. She suddenly clutched her head and buried her face back into her knees, her body trembling violently as she let out uncontrollable, small-animal-like whimpers. She didn't want to hear any more excuses for Kanjuro!
Kanjuro watched her quietly for a few seconds. There was no sign of offense or anger on his face; instead, he stepped forward and gently placed his hand on her small, violently trembling shoulder.
His touch made Ai Haibara jerk violently as if struck by an electric current. Her whimpering stopped abruptly, and her body became as rigid as a stone.
"Fear, anger, despair..." Kanjuro's voice sounded low above her head, carrying a dissecting-like calm. "These are all authentic emotions, far more valuable than hypocritical obedience."
His palm applied a slight pressure, as if trying to transmit some kind of power, or perhaps a brand, through the thin fabric of her clothes.
"Haibara Ai, you don't need to like it, and you don't need to understand it," he continued, his tone carrying a hair-raising 'tolerance.' "You only need to... get used to it."
"Get used to my existence, and get used to the true face of this world."
"One day, you will understand that struggling... is the most useless and futile thing in this world."
After speaking, he withdrew his hand as if he had just completed a routine comforting gesture. He looked at Akemi Miyano and said plainly, "Let her be quiet by herself for a while."
Akemi Miyano looked at her sister, who had buried her head again and was no longer responding. Filled with sadness and helplessness, she could only nod obediently and follow Kanjuro out of the room.
The door was gently closed, isolating the inside and outside into two different worlds.
Ai Haibara remained in her curled-up position, motionless. Only the sound of her faint breathing remained in the room. Kanjuro's words were like cold venomous snakes coiling around her heart. 'Get used to it'... what a terrifying phrase. She felt herself being slowly worn down by an invisible force, her soul being strangled. Would she eventually become like her sister or Teacher Kobayashi, numbly surrendering to this darkness?
This thought filled her with a fear deeper than death. She bit her lip hard until she tasted blood, barely suppressing the scream that was about to burst from her throat.
Despair, like the deepest winter night, completely swallowed her. She didn't know how much longer she could hold on, nor did she know what kind of future this seemingly endless darkness would lead her and Ayumi toward.
After sending Akemi Miyano away, Kanjuro called Ayumi to his side alone. He sat on the sofa in the living room and had Ayumi stand before him, his tone peaceful and devoid of any emotion.
"Ayumi," he began, "go open the door to the children's room and let Haibara Ai leave."
Hearing this, Ayumi's eyes widened in surprise, her small face full of confusion and reluctance: "Daddy? W-Why? Haibara Ai... she always misunderstands you and says bad things about you..."
Kanjuro reached out and gently rubbed Ayumi's hair, a faint, almost 'loving' smile appearing on his face: "It's okay. It's good to let her go out and calm down on her own. If we keep her locked up, she'll only hate Daddy more, right?"
His reasoning sounded perfectly logical, even carrying a sense of 'tolerance' for the child's sake. Looking at her father's gentle gaze, the bit of reluctance in Ayumi's heart instantly vanished. She felt that her father was truly magnanimous! Even though Haibara Ai was being so unreasonable, her father was still willing to give her freedom.
"Mm! I understand, Daddy!" Ayumi nodded vigorously, a smile of admiration and relief appearing on her face. "I'll go open the door for Haibara Ai right now!"
She turned and ran toward the children's room, taking out the key (the door had been locked from the outside last night for'safety'), and opened the lock with a click.
"Haibara Ai!" Ayumi pushed open the door and spoke to the figure still curled up in the corner of the bed. "Daddy says you can go! Come out quickly!"
In the room, Ai Haibara snapped her head up. Her eyes, hidden beneath messy strands of hair, were filled with unbelievable shock and even deeper suspicion.
She could go? Kanjuro would let her go that easily?
This sudden 'freedom' did not bring her the slightest joy; instead, it felt like an even heavier stone pressing down on her heart. She didn't believe Kanjuro would be so kind! This must be another one of his schemes, a crueler joke, or a deeper level of mental manipulation—giving hope first, then crushing it with his own hands?
She froze in place without moving immediately. Her icy blue eyes sharply scanned Ayumi's slightly smug face, then tried to pierce through the walls to see the expression of that demon in the living room at this moment.
"What are you still standing there for, Haibara Ai?" Seeing her not moving, Ayumi urged her somewhat anxiously. "Daddy already agreed to let you go! Hurry up and leave!"
Ai Haibara took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. No matter what Kanjuro's goal was, staying here was definitely a dead end. Leaving at least offered a glimmer of a chance, even if that chance might be a trap.
She slowly, and with extreme caution, got off the bed. Her legs were somewhat numb from being curled up for so long; she stumbled and had to lean against the wall to steady herself. She didn't look at Ayumi or say a word, just kept her head down and walked toward the open door, step by agonizingly slow step.
Every step felt like treading on knife edges. Her nerves were strained to the limit, ready to react to an attack or change from any direction at any time.
When she finally stepped out of the children's room and her gaze inevitably met Kanjuro's in the living room, her body stiffened again.
Kanjuro was still sitting leisurely on the sofa. He didn't even look at her, merely holding the tea Akemi Miyano had just brewed for him and gently blowing on the steam. It was as if her leaving or staying was truly a trivial matter of no consequence to him.
This complete disregard and the controller's composure chilled Ai Haibara even more than a direct threat. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.
She didn't linger. Using all her strength, she quickened her pace and almost rushed to the entrance, twisted the doorknob, and ran out without looking back, disappearing into the early morning streets.
It wasn't until she had run quite a distance and confirmed no one was following her that Ai Haibara dared to stop, leaning against a wall and gasping for air. The morning sun shone on her pale face, but she couldn't feel the slightest warmth.
Was she free?
She looked back toward the Yoshida family's apartment. There was no hint of relief from escaping in her eyes, only an unshakeable heaviness and doubt.
Kanjuro... what exactly are you trying to do?
This sudden 'release' made her feel more uneasy and... afraid than any imprisonment. She knew things would never end this simply. This apparent freedom might be the start of another, even more terrifying trap. And she could only carry this heavy vigilance and continue her desperate struggle in this city shrouded by Kanjuro's shadow. Ai Haibara ran desperately through the empty streets, her heart pounding in her chest as if it were about to explode. She didn't dare look back, wanting only to return as quickly as possible to the place that, though simple, had once given her brief shelter—Dr. Agasa's house. That was the only relatively safe place she could think of now.
Her mind raced with calculations; she had to take the Doctor and leave immediately! Since Kanjuro could let her go, he would definitely not spare anyone connected to her, especially Dr. Agasa, who had taken her in!
However, as she panted and almost stumbled toward the vicinity of Dr. Agasa's house, an ominous premonition hit her like ice water, instantly turning her hands and feet cold.
It was too quiet.
Usually at this time, there should be smoke from cooking or the sound of the Doctor tinkering with inventions. But now, the familiar house was silent, and the yard gate was even slightly ajar, as if someone had rushed in.
Ai Haibara's heart sank to the bottom. Forcing down her fear, she approached cautiously and peered through the crack in the door—
The living room was a mess! Tables and chairs were overturned, various invention parts were scattered all over the floor, and there were even several clear bullet holes on the walls! Clearly, an intense struggle or... a one-sided attack had taken place here. A faint scent of gunpowder still lingered in the air.
Where was the Doctor?!
Ai Haibara felt cold all over. She rushed into the house, searching frantically and calling out: "Doctor! Doctor!"
There was no response. Only her own echo resonated in the empty and chaotic room... Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a soiled note scattered on the floor. Trembling, she picked it up. On it was Dr. Agasa's familiar, slightly messy handwriting, seemingly written in extreme haste and terror:
"Haibara Ai, run! They're here! Don't come back! —Doctor"
In the corner of the note, an extremely simple arrow was drawn, pointing toward the back door.
The Doctor had sensed the danger in advance and escaped! Ai Haibara felt a slight sense of relief, but was immediately overwhelmed by an even greater fear. Although the Doctor was temporarily safe, his whereabouts were unknown, and as for herself... she realized instantly that her act of coming back to find the Doctor was likely entirely within Kanjuro's calculations! His letting her go wasn't out of kindness or tolerance at all, but to use her to flush out the Doctor, and perhaps everyone else associated with her!
It was a total trap!
Just as she was frozen in place, her body cold from this realization, a cold and malicious voice sounded like a venomous snake from not far behind her:
"Oh my, oh my... look who we have here? Isn't this our organization's runaway scientist, Sherry?"
"Or should I call you... Ai Haibara?"
Ai Haibara spun around, her pupils shrinking!
At the entrance of the alley, two black Porsche 356As had blocked the way at some unknown point. Gin and Vodka stepped out of the cars like soul-reaping gods of death, approaching her step by step. Cruel and excited light flashed in Gin's dark green pupils, his mouth curling into a gruesome arc. The Beretta in his hand was already raised, its black muzzle aimed precisely at the center of her forehead.
Vodka stood to the side with a wide, foolish grin, rubbing his hands together.
"Big Brother, it seems the Boss (Kanjuro) was right; this little mouse really did walk right into the net!" Vodka's voice carried bloodthirsty pleasure.
Gin sneered, "Hmph, a traitor who thinks she's clever. Did you think you could escape? The Boss was just too lazy to crush a bug like you himself, so he let us... clean house for him."
So that was it!
Ai Haibara understood in an instant. Kanjuro had long since expected that she would look for Dr. Agasa after escaping! He had ordered Gin and Vodka ahead of time to silence him. The doctor had been lucky enough to escape early, but she herself had fallen perfectly into the death trap Kanjuro had prepared for her, executed by the organization's most vicious executioners!
He didn't want to keep her locked up; he wanted to toy with her completely and cruelly, enjoying the sight of her thinking she had found hope time and again, only to plunge into deeper despair each time! Finally, he would have his loyal hounds tear her to pieces!
A massive fear and a sense of despair from being completely fooled and powerless to resist instantly swallowed Ai Haibara. She watched Gin and Vodka closing in, staring at those cold muzzles. Her body was unable to move due to extreme terror.
She couldn't escape.
This time, she really couldn't escape.
Kanjuro didn't even need to take action himself; with just a casual command, he had forced her into an absolute dead end. Through the cold air, she could almost see Kanjuro sitting somewhere, leisurely sipping black tea with that loathsome, all-controlling smile on his face, enjoying this pursuit drama he had directed specifically for her.
"Goodbye, Sherry." Gin pulled the trigger.
The shadow of death, like the thickest night, completely enveloped Ai Haibara.
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