Chapter 231: A Senior's Visit
"The squinty-eyed adult who likes the doctor and little girls—Big Brother Okiya Subaru."
In an instant, the air went still. The playful chatter died, replaced by a deep, awkward silence.
Likes… little girls?
Conan's mouth twitched, a corner of his lip pulling back in a grimace. He had a strong feeling that this particular description was more than a little off-kilter.
Okiya Subaru simply stood there, a mask of strained composure failing to hide the dark lines that seemed to materialize on his face. He was utterly speechless, watching as the three young girls present—Ai Haibara included—fixed him with gazes of extreme wariness. He had never imagined that his carefully constructed persona would be so thoroughly dismantled, leaving him branded as a suspicious individual in the eyes of children.
A deep sense of helplessness washed over him, yet he couldn't offer any real explanation. His current identity was, after all, just an ordinary graduate student renting a room.
Besides, if Haibara were to learn the truth, it would only invite unnecessary trouble. At that thought, Okiya Subaru could only let out a quiet, internal sigh. 'It seems my reputation is completely ruined today…'
However, this humiliating setback didn't deter him from the idea of moving into the Kudo residence.
This location was strategically perfect. It would not only allow him to better observe Haibara and the others, making it easier to protect the girl, but also enable him to immediately notice if anyone from the Organization appeared in the vicinity.
And so, despite the skeptical and probing looks from everyone around him, Okiya Subaru remained firm. He finalized the arrangement and committed to moving into the house next door.
Fortunately, Dr. Agasa seemed to pay no mind to the scandalous description Natsume had so helpfully provided. He raised no objections to Okiya Subaru becoming his new neighbor, a fact for which Okiya was deeply grateful.
In the end, Okiya Subaru successfully moved into the Kudo residence.
A few days later, on the street leading to Shinichi Kudo's house.
Suzuki Sonoko let out a dramatic sigh. "Ugh, now that the klutz has already left Japan to study in America, it's actually kind of weird not seeing him around all of a sudden."
"Yeah, I wonder how Eisuke is doing now," Mouri Ran added, her expression tinged with a hint of worry.
But the mention of leaving Japan made her turn to Natsume, who was walking beside them. "By the way," she asked, her curiosity piqued, "I heard Lisa is also leaving Japan. Has she already gone?"
"Mhm," Natsume nodded. "She left two days ago."
"Sigh… She sure moved fast." With her friends departing one by one, Sonoko couldn't help but feel a wave of melancholy.
Natsume gently patted her shoulder, her voice soft and comforting. "It's okay. It's not like Lisa isn't coming back. When she does, we'll all get together again."
"That's true." Sonoko nodded, a faint smile gracing her lips at the thought.
Natsume then turned to both Ran and Sonoko, her eyes lighting up with an expectant look. "By the way, an elder of mine is coming to visit in a couple of days. Ran, Sonoko, could I ask you to take us around then? To be honest, I still don't really know what attractions are in the area." She scratched the back of her head, offering a slightly sheepish laugh.
Ran and Sonoko exchanged a quick glance before breaking into warm smiles. "Of course, no problem! We'd be happy to be your tour guides!" they replied in unison, readily accepting her request.
Natsume beamed. "That's great! Thank you so much."
Ran waved her hand dismissively. "It's nothing. Besides, Natsume, didn't you also agree to help us clean Shinichi's house today? Good friends are supposed to help each other out."
Sonoko nodded emphatically. "Exactly, exactly."
With the conversation settled, the three of them continued their walk toward the Kudo residence.
Meanwhile, at Teitan Elementary School.
Conan Edogawa had overheard from Kogoro Mouri that Ran was going to clean his old house today. The thought of Okiya Subaru now living there made him uneasy. He worried about what might happen if Ran were to suddenly run into him.
He was just contemplating whether he should call and give her a heads-up when his phone suddenly buzzed.
He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. The name displayed there instantly lifted his spirits: Heiji Hattori.
Conan immediately remembered the information he had asked Heiji to investigate earlier. A surge of anticipation coiled in his gut as he quickly pressed the answer button, his voice sharp with impatience. "Hattori, what's the word? Did you find anything?"
Heiji Hattori's hearty laughter boomed from the other end. "Haha, Kudo, it's been a while! Did you miss me?"
"Hattori!" Conan's voice grew heavier, laced with a clear warning.
"Ahem." Hearing the undisguised threat in Shinichi Kudo's tone, Heiji Hattori cleared his throat and finally got down to business. "Alright, alright. I don't know why you're suddenly looking into that Miss Lisa, but I did find some useful information. However…"
He deliberately trailed off, letting the silence hang in the air to tease Conan's curiosity.
"Just say it already, stop stalling!" Conan pressed, his patience wearing thin.
Only then did Heiji Hattori continue in a slow, measured drawl, "According to my investigation, that Miss Lisa does, in fact, have a slight connection to the Black Organization."
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