THE VALENTINES PARTY CASE CLOSED.
Sweets, Are No Good End..
Silence fell over everyone. No one questioned her. No one interrupted her. They allowed the mother to embrace her son while she wept in quiet atonement.
After a while, Susumo's breathing grew slow and steady as sleep overtook him against his mother's shoulder.
Mrs. Minagawa carefully lifted Susumo into her arms and walked toward the sofa beside Yoshimi and Kaori. She gently laid him down upon the cushions.
She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her son's forehead, then spoke in a trembling voice, "Could you please look after him… until his father returns home?"
Kaori and Yoshimi, their eyes reddened and brimming with tears, nodded in unison. "Please don't worry… we'll take good care of him."
"Thank you," Mrs. Minagawa replied.
She rose to her feet and walked toward Inspector Megure, who had been waiting patiently the entire time. Mrs. Minagawa raised both her hands, then hesitated as her gaze drifted back to her sleeping son.
Megure spoke firmly, "There's no need for cuffs."
Mrs. Minagawa looked at him and gave a small nod. Megure turned and stepped outside, and she followed behind him. Even as she walked, her eyes kept glancing back toward her son.
Wakamatsu, Naomichi, Kaori, Yoshimi, Ran, Sonoko, and Conan followed them out.
Once outside, Mrs. Minagawa let out a heavy, trembling breath. Her eyes slowly scanned the house she had tried so desperately to protect, even resorting to unforgivable means. A quiet sense of relief settled within her—she knew the truth had caught up to her, and that guilt would have consumed her sooner or later… much like the chocolate that had melted upon her kimono.
The group watched as she was escorted toward the police car. She offered no resistance. She spoke no words. She remained silent.
As she entered the vehicle, Megure did not follow inside. Instead, he closed the door and gave a nod to the officer standing by. The officer saluted, then entered the car and took his seat at the driver's side.
The engine roared to life, and the police car slowly drove away, accompanied by another police vehicle behind it.
Everyone stood watching as the car carrying Mrs. Minagawa disappeared into the distance.
Megure turned back toward the group. "Everyone, do not touch anything. The remaining evidence will be inspected and the poisonous materials confiscated. You will all also need to be checked, since you consumed the coffee. And Naomichi-san, you will accompany me to the station afterward for attempted murder."
Megure fixed his gaze on Naomichi.
Naomichi gave a slow nod. "I understand."
His eyes then shifted toward Kaori. She felt his stare and met it in silence. They looked at each other without a word.
Wakamatsu scratched the back of his head, frowning. "B-but why would Mrs. Minagawa do something like that…?"
Yoshimi also raised the same question, her voice trembling.
The question lingered in the air, unsettling the group. Why would someone like a mother figure commit such an act against her adopted son?
Then a voice came from behind.
"Motive… Inheritance…"
Everyone turned around to see Sonoko standing there.
Ran looked at her. "What do you mean, Sonoko?"
Sonoko met Ran's gaze and answered, "W-well… Leon said it yesterday when we were making chocolates… h-he said… 'Motive… Inheritance…'"
The group stared at her in confusion.
Then a small but serious voice spoke up.
"Katsuhiko-san isn't Mrs. Minagawa's real son. And if Katsuhiko-san had died, his inheritance would have been transferred to his closest relatives—Mrs. Minagawa included."
Conan felt the weight of their gazes upon him.
"T-that's what oji-san said," he added with a nervous stammer, though internally he searched for an explanation.
His thoughts raced again—what Sonoko had said echoed in his mind.
"Motive… Inheritance… Leon said that…"
How could he have known who would be killed, and what their relationship was? How could he predict such details when he wasn't even present?
Was it truly some kind of foresight? A prediction?
No… there were countless variables. Any prediction like that could easily fail. This couldn't be mere coincidence.
Just what was it?
Conan clenched his head slightly, fingers pressing against his scalp as he sank deeper into thought. It was something he had never encountered before. The only conclusion he could form was that Leon possessed some form of future sight—but even that reasoning felt hollow and incomplete.
Because how could he know the motive was inheritance… when Mrs. Minagawa herself had never spoken it aloud?
Meanwhile, Ran spoke up, her voice uncertain. "D-did Leon really say that?"
Sonoko nodded. "And not just that… Leon also said a father's business was going under… that they desperately needed money… and that a mother wanted to protect the house… and her son's happiness… I thought it was just another one of his poems, b-but if I think about it… it really fits this situation…"
She swallowed hard.
"And… Leon even said that a murder would happen… using poison… j-just like what really happened…"
Sonoko's voice trembled as she spoke.
Not only her—everyone who listened felt the same unease.
And the most shocked of all was Conan.
His eyes widened, as though he had witnessed something impossible.
"…T-that's impossible…"
Inspector Megure, who had been listening the entire time, narrowed his eyes in curiosity. "Oh… something like that happened?"
He stepped closer toward Sonoko, Ran, and Conan and asked, "Is that all true?"
Sonoko nodded her head immediately, and Ran did the same. Then Ran added, "I–it was yesterday… when we were about to head home… Leon-kun did say it… right, Conan…?"
Conan, still deep in thought, heard Ran's question and replied, "Y–yes… I heard it too," as he raised his hand slightly.
"Interesting…" muttered Mori Kogoro, who had just woken up from his nap and overheard their conversation. "Must be one hell of a coincidence."
"Dad?!" Ran exclaimed in shock. "Don't scare me like that!" Mori Kogoro had appeared without warning, startling her.
Megure added, "Yes… that would be an incredibly accurate coincidence."
Then he asked, "So who is this 'Leon' you're all talking about?"
"My little brother, of course!" Sonoko replied proudly, lifting her chin.
"Your little brother?" Mori Kogoro and Megure repeated in unison.
Megure nodded slowly. "Interesting… but if it's not just a mere coincidence then?—."
"C–coincidence, huh…" Mori Kogoro echoed, letting out a light laugh. "No need to think too deeply about it… hahaha." He chuckled, and Megure followed with a restrained laugh as well, though beneath their laughter lingered something deeper—an unspoken thought, a quiet unease.
And just like that, the case of the Valentine party came to a close.
Yet every single one of them remained lost in thought, unable to fully set aside what had transpired that day.
Especially Conan—or Kudo Shinichi—not because of the case itself, but because of the absurd notion… the idea that someone could predict events before they happened.
At the Suzuki mansion, Leon remained unaware that he had already drawn attention merely by speaking what seemed like casual words.
He had finished preparing the chocolates, and it was no ordinary set. They were chocolate sculptures, each one crafted with precise detail. Five different forms stood before him—each representing a different animal: a dog, two swans, a fox, and a cat.
Each sculpture stood approximately eight to ten inches tall.
The dog resembled the one his grandfather owned. The two swans were intended for his mother and father. The fox was crafted for his elder sister, while the cat was designated for Sonoko.
Leon had poured his artistic skill into sculpting each piece. Of course, every chocolate sculpture was also carefully colored using specialized fat-soluble coloring. The result brought life to each figure—the brown fur of the dog, the pure white feathers of the swans, the orange tones of the fox, and the golden-brown hues of the cat.
It was a display of craftsmanship, a clear testament to his ability. The maid who had watched him work through the entire night could only stare in silent awe as the seemingly simple chocolate transformed into something truly artistic.
Leon placed the finished pieces into boxes, and the maid took the initiative to deliver each set to their respective recipients.
The only one remaining in the kitchen was the cat—the one intended for Sonoko.
Leon placed it carefully into a white box, wrapped it neatly, and tied it off with a red ribbon.
He gave a small nod once everything was complete.
Then he reached for a clear glass mug resting on the table. Steam rose gently from the drink within—it was chocolate coffee, a favorite of his.
The maids and chefs who had been observing him the entire time remained captivated. Every movement he made seemed almost unreal. His snow-white hair flowed softly with each motion, and his sapphire and emerald eyes remained fixed and focused on his task. He carried himself like a living doll—refined, delicate, and mesmerizing.
His childlike, innocent face only enhanced that impression, making him appear even more endearing.
Leon calmly sipped his chocolate coffee when a maid approached from behind and informed him that the chocolates had been successfully delivered.
"Thank you," Leon replied with a small nod.
The maid felt as though an invisible arrow had pierced her heart. She staggered slightly, overwhelmed by the sheer adorableness of his expression. Before she could falter completely, another maid rushed to support her.
She was not alone—the effect seemed to strike anyone who witnessed that simple, gentle gratitude.
Soft chuckles echoed among the staff gathered in the kitchen, their expressions filled with quiet amusement at the scene.
AM N. NOT.
(っ－＿－)っ
♤DRAFT ♤