"Why!? Edgewood is one of the most prestigious academies in the country! It's known for its high academic standards and excellent facilities!"

"Remember while we were hiding away from Ran and Sonoko on the school rooftop, I told you I had kids approach to play with me after getting rid of some idiot irritating boy who pretended to be mentally ill?"

"You mean the boy you almost murdered by shoving a toy soldier up to his nostril when you were two incident!?" Shinichi reminded her.

Ranran chuckled. "Yes, that one. Anyway, before, that was my only social life back in the slums after getting rid of the boy. The kids there including me did not need to attend school at all. In the U.K., it's not compulsory to attend school until you're 5 years old, and even then, my parents couldn't afford it. I heard horror stories about this place call the school from those slum kids, like, they give you homework, and it is the most boring place in the world. Your brain will die at a rapid pace out of boredom."

Shinichi couldn't help but laugh at Ranran's description of the school. "Well, it seems like you had quite a different perspective on things back then. So I am surprised, you never actually attend kindergarten until Edgewood?" Shinichi asked, intrigued.

Ranran nodded. "Not till I was 3. But when the opportunity to attend Edgewood arose, they jumped at it. They saw it as a chance for me to have a better life, and they were willing to make sacrifices to make it happen. But to me back then, it was them sacrificing my entire childhood, where I had blissfully watched tv for 2 years in the living room, into a life of boredom in the name of luxury."

Shinichi listened intently, trying to understand Ranran's perspective. "But surely, once you got to Edgewood, you must have realized the benefits of a good education and the opportunities it would bring?"

"Shinichi, you yourself are those unusual breeds of kids who can't understand the joy of playing video games and watching tv," Ranran sighed, then adds, "If there is an upcoming mystery novel that comes with a huge popular puzzle that would take hours of your time, which makes it so fulfilling, but then your parents suddenly announced they are going to ship you to some prestigious school that is going to take away hours of your time investigating, how would you feel?"

Shinichi furrowed his brows, trying to imagine the scenario. "I see your point. It would feel like you're being robbed of something you enjoy and value."

"Exactly," Ranran nodded. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the opportunities that Edgewood has given me. I wouldn't be where I am today without it. But at the same time, I can't help but feel a little bitter about the childhood that I lost. I mean I have to deal with homework, heck," Ranran rolled her eyes, "I am six years old now, and still going to school and dealing with bloody homework."

Shinichi chuckled at Ranran's frustration. "I can understand why you feel that way. It's natural to have mixed feelings about the opportunities and sacrifices that come with attending a prestigious school like Edgewood. But I have to say, you have certainly made the most of your education there."

"Not really, more like eating up 2 years of my childhood to a point, I never got to finish playing GTA V," Ranran replied sarcastically, before deciding to continue the relevance of her forfeiting her actor dreams, "I threw tantrums, did everything to get myself kicked out of that school when I was 3. But I underestimated my maternal great-grandmother's family, it turns out similar to the dramas I watched, they do in fact cover up the actions of children. She pulled all the stops to keep me in this luxurious prison-cell-like school. And then they put me in a talent program, where I was sent to a theatre club. I knew I was never going to be happy from then onwards."

"Why? I thought your dream of becoming an actor?"

"To achieve that dream is simple if one enters Edgewood, but I did my research and found unsettling things," Drinking more of her drink, she went on rambling, "You see in Edgewood, the club there runs differently unlike how one-brain cell heiress runs hers."

"In what way?"

"The club itself there is a one-way ticket for any child or teenage actor to becoming an A-list entertainer overnight."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "How does that work?"

"Well, Edgewood has connections with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. They have a whole program set up where they train young actors and actresses, giving them access to top-quality training and opportunities to perform in front of industry professionals. And once you make a name for yourself in Edgewood's theatre club, it's only a matter of time before you get noticed and offered roles in films, TV shows, and even commercials."

"I see," Shinichi nodded, impressed. "That does sound like a great opportunity for anyone interested in pursuing a career in acting."

"It is," Ranran agreed. "But it's also incredibly competitive and cutthroat. I've seen kids break down and cry after not getting a role or getting passed over for someone else. And the pressure to perform is intense, cause at least you skipped the difficult tedious job-hunting process most aspiring entertainers had to go through. You're constantly being evaluated, judged, and compared to your peers. Making matters worst is the casting system."

"Why? Don't tell me it involved casting actors based on status?"

Ranran's silence was deafening to Shinichi upon guessing it accurately. "That doesn't sound fair at all!" Shinichi almost smashed his glass cup to bits.

"That's just how things work in Edgewood. Before, the more experienced and talented actors were given lead roles, while the newer or less experienced actors were given supporting or ensemble roles. So when I first joined in, becoming an Extra was nothing out of the ordinary. Under normal circumstances like Sonoko's drama club, an extra can become the main lead by taking turns. In Edgewood however, even if you remain a member for 4 years, you might not even be cast in an advancement role, due to so many ambitious children eager to get scouted and secure this dream by adulthood to get to the top. And there are qualifications in order to get scouted, which is the experience of acting in main roles. The veteran children are aware, hence, they monopolize this by not giving us advancement roles. And the worst part is, some of the parents of these young actors and actresses will do anything to ensure their children get ahead. Usually, it means stepping on others and playing dirty."

"That's awful," Shinichi shook his head. "But I suppose it's not surprising, given how cutthroat the entertainment industry can be. My mother did mention things like that happening in real life."

"Which is why I hated it, making matters worst was the plays drafted by them."

"What about it?"

"Shinichi, throughout the first 6 years of your life in Japan, how many romance dramas in total did both your mother, as well as the idiot Ran and Sonoko had made you watch?"

"Uh...around 160. Why?"

"Do you know of any main girl character who behaved the way I do?"

Shinichi ponders about it, "None."

"What about the number of female leads that are helpless, dependent on the male lead to save her all the time? Even though the description described her to be 'smart and intelligent'?" Ranran asked pointedly.

Shinichi furrowed his brow, realizing where Ranran was going with this. "Actually, quite a lot, now that you mention it. It's a common trope in romance dramas."

"And that's what I hate about it," Ranran said bitterly. "Every stage play, I had to literally pray to Kami-sama to wash off my inner urge to throw the script directly at those idiot writers' eyes, I honestly puke how is it that the kids in my school are all children of nobles and royalties enjoy watching this sort of content. I hated it so badly that I stopped going there altogether."

"Can you actually do that?" Shinichi became shocked, "I would've guessed they drag you back in, or else at least expel you from the club."

"I am an extra, a role with no relevance. Why bother to go? And for some reason, the head principal banned those kids from banning me, I assumed it was my great-grandmother's doing." Ranran grins cheekily, reminiscing her younger years, "Gradually, the other kids realized this, which led them to not take their roles seriously, and the number of extras which was originally I would say around 80 per cent, dropped to 5% after I no longer returned to the club. To make matters worst, thanks to me, a lot of the stage plays they plan to have tons of extras flushed down the drain."

Shinichi couldn't help but chuckle at Ranran's mischievous grin. "Well, good to know you left with a bang."

"But it was short-lived when one of the veteran actors, who also happens to be one of the kids who supported this corrupt casting employed me and my mentor's revenge service online."

"Eeeeeeeh?!" This was not a twist Shinichi saw it coming.

"Apparently, the client always hated this corrupted casting system the entire time. Never had the guts to voice out, that for the past 4 years, she had joined the club, although she was cast in main roles, it mainly painted her as a villainess so hateful, that the kids had difficulty differentiating her real personality and started receiving hate. At first, she shared this problem with the kids her age, but they said she shouldn't be too whiny and sound ungrateful, and she downplayed this herself a lot. But as soon as saw me storm away from them, the past feeling she had contained herself started to pour out of her eyes, realizing I was right all along. She wanted me and my mentor to scheme this revenge against her co-star, the one who always played the lovable dumbed heroine because she was inferior that someday, the client will take her spot."

"That's quite a complicated situation," Shinichi remarked, trying to process the information. "So I assumed you had no choice but to go back to the club you hate to spy on the client's co-star, you also helped her with her revenge?"

Ranran nodded. "We did. I messed with her so badly, others were beginning to think she was insane and delusional. Then, I upstaged her by changing my script, going all going impromptu, turning my role from bad guy to a pitiful reasonable character everyone in school could relate to, it was enough to completely overshadow her idiot character."

"And did it work? Did the casting system change?"

Ranran sighed. "No, not really. It was just a small act of rebellion. But you can say...the acting I did was so good, it not only earn a standing ovation, but it also caught the attention of some talented scouts who were in the audience. They ended up offering me a role in multiple stages plays that eventually became a hit, which was a big break for me."

"Wow, that's amazing!" Shinichi exclaimed.

"In addition to ruining my client's nemesis's life, the children in the audience who saw this were so in awe, it increased the interest of children joining the theatre club up to 150 percent. In addition, I kept getting cast in the main roles, and the extras were pleased with me. Of course," Ranran snickered, "Client's enemy wasn't pleased with me supposedly 'humiliating her', and retaliated with the other veteran actors. Towards the end, she was kicked out of the club. And I learned that sometimes, even if you can't change the system, you can still make a difference in your own way. And that acting was in fact, fun."

"But wait, if you are doing so well..." Shinichi grew confused, "What led you to qu-?"

Then, a memory in his head played out their previous conversation he had with Ranran the other day, where she revealed that her mentor was murdered by his mother.

A thought suddenly occurred to him, if Ranran was still acting in school, judging her abilities as a detective, it then dawned on him why she was far more qualified as a child detective compared to him. If he were Ranran, where was he going to get that much experience to be up to par at her level?

The answer was pretty straightforward to the blue-eyed boy: Juggle both as a child actor, as well as becoming The Fox back in the U.K.

This deduction left him more perplexed than ever: Ranran's dream was to become an actor originally, not a detective. So...how did this come about? Her becoming The Fox?

Ranran noticed the change in Shinichi's demeanour and knew exactly what he was thinking. "I can't answer to you all of the questions about how I became what you know me to be now, but when I look back..for some reason, whenever I did contemplate on leaving as 'Fox', I throw tantrums. It wasn't until my mentor died, and the professional contract as an actress was right before me, I dreaded signing it and realized why."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And why is that?"

Ranran took a deep breath, staring off into the distance as she recalled the memories. "When he died...I mull a lot over why I didn't sign it. Naturally speaking, I am not the type who will quit my dream even if someone close to me died because of it. And I have been wanting this contract since I was 2."

"...but? What changed?"

"I then...thought about the dream my late mentor couldn't fulfil," Ranran answered with bitterness, her hand clung tightly to the cup, "When he was still alive, I once paid a visit to his bedroom, and he used to draw this large paper on the floor, strategizing how he was going to confess to his first love, date, get married, had kids with her, grow old together and die as soon as he breaks his engagement with his ex-fiance. He was so heavily invested in the planning, I asked him why must he go this far. His answer was this has been his biggest dream since he was younger, to have a warm family of his own. If one treasure this dream, and love it wholeheartedly, one will do anything for it. And then his death hit me: Did I ever do anything to achieve my acting dream? The same passionate way as he did?"

Shinichi listened attentively, feeling the weight of Ranran's words.

"I mean...although the scheme I came up with for my client was something I have been wanting since I was 2, not once...not once have I ever considered scheming my way into getting this dream. And it at first irritated me why this thought never occurred to me, like, did this slip my mind? Maybe because I was around 3 years old at that time, it made sense. But when I turn 4...it wasn't until my late mentor willed me everything he had ever owned, that it all made sense."

Ranran continued, "When I started receiving his things, I found his diary among them. In it, he had written about his struggles to achieve his dream, the sacrifices he had to make, and the obstacles he had to overcome. Reading his words, I realized that he had been willing to do anything to make his dream a reality, even if it meant risking everything. And I realized that I had never been willing to do the same for my acting dream. I had always relied on my natural talent and charisma to get me by, without putting in the hard work and effort required to truly succeed. Even when...that child actor who secured his place through the contract I left behind mocked me, I didn't feel as mad as the way you did when you found out I used our family connections to become a detective."

"Ranran..."

"Without that passion...who am I to say I am in the right to remain as a child actor?"

Shinichi could see the pain and self-doubt etched on Ranran's face.

"Becoming The Fox, however...gave me the feeling of rush and excitement, I get...to be the real me without noble lessons, let alone, it won't get into trouble since no one knows who I am. Gotten to relate with my clients and they end up becoming my second family...that kind of connection, not all of the money in the world will I ever trade it off."

"I see," Shinichi said softly, sensing the guilt and regret in Ranran's voice. "You enjoy helping people just for the sake of fulfilment?"

"No," Ranran shook her head at him, "I enjoy the satisfying hell that those tormentors had to suffer through me since they almost made my clients into monsters. Becoming an actor...the thought of me letting injustice slip through the cracks... will continue to irritate me unless I do something. And this is why...I choose not to become a child actor anymore, but become The Fox."

Shinichi could understand why Ranran might have left her acting career behind. In a way, he always looks back to his past when he was with Ran and Sonoko, somehow feeling something was off and wrong about his feelings of suffocation, but he never wondered what it was till Ran sided with Rokuro, as well as discovering Ranran's other identity as The Fox woke him up.

In a way...he sees Ranran as someone who cut off the strings after realizing she was a puppet, dancing gracefully and elegantly without having to rely on those strings while he remained as Mamiko's plaything. The moment he realized one could easily dance without the strings, he severed all of it before dancing to his own beat as a child detective.

Sure, his move might be staggering at first without the reliance on those strings, but gradually, he will be able to do it the way Ranran does. He had faith in himself.

Even so, he can't help but ask, "Neh Ranran."

"Hmph?"

"Do you...do you still regret leaving it behind? This acting thing?"

Ranran paused for a moment, contemplating the question. "Regret...it's not the right word," she finally answered. "I do miss it."

"Eh?!"

"I miss the feeling of being on stage and bringing a character to life, the thrill of the audience's applause, and the camaraderie of the cast and crew. At the same time, however...I don't regret leaving behind a career that I know if I continued on in the long run...I would eventually grow to resent it. It's bittersweet, I suppose."

Shinichi nodded in understanding. "I see."

"But I don't regret it," Ranran said, her expression softening. "My acting is what made me able to drop the guard of those suspects down. No one suspects that I am The Fox...yet."

Shinichi smiled, "True."

But then, he recalled feeling watched while heading to Tantei Association hours ago. Suddenly a dreadful thought surfaced, "Those clients of yours...do they know you are The Fox?"

"Of course they do," Ranran answered, sipping her drink completely, "They are my 2nd family. Even if I don't tell them, they always seem to know. I was shocked when they approach me the first time I left my classroom without wearing a mask, they even knew my name. But my mentor reassured me it will be alright, they can be trusted. And they sure are reliable, having to eliminate idiots who tried to expose me."

So Takuma was right about her being The Fox before coming here.....wait, expose Ranran-

Shuddering at her confession when he thought about Ran and Sonoko, he then asked, "Then...if someone tried to expose you as The Fox...."

"They will make them shut up if it was necessary, torture is even an option."

Knowing he shouldn't had ask this next question, he had the right to know, "May I know an example?"

Ranran looked at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Why do you want to know?"

"I just...I want to understand the situation better," Shinichi replied, trying to keep his tone casual.

Ranran took a deep breath before answering, "There was a case a few years ago where someone threatened to expose my identity as The Fox. My clients took matters into their own hands and...silenced the person permanently. It was...messy."

"By silence, you mean..."

Ranran's eyes flickered, a mix of emotions crossing her face. "I mean...they shove a slug into that kid's mouth. It resulted him into a coma. Till now he ain't awake."

Shinichi's eyes widened in shock and horror. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That's...will he wake up?"

"We couldn't be bothered, he kept ruining so many lives before meeting me, it was better he remain in limbo for life."

Shinichi felt a wave of unease wash over him. He had always known that Ranran's work with The Fox was dangerous, but he had never imagined the extent to which her clients would go to protect her. "How old was that kid?"

"Uh...around our age, the last time I saw him I was around 4." Ranran answered nonchalantly as if it was nothing.

Shinichi felt a pit form in his stomach. He couldn't imagine someone his own age being subjected to such violence, no matter what they had done. "T-then...if, let's say if...Ran and Sonoko are looking into you as The Fox, will they spare them?"

He wasn't going to let Ranran know they are in fact suspecting her.

"If that happens...then they had just signed their death warrant," Ranran replied, her tone cold and serious. "...they won't spare anyone, not even 1st graders."

Shinichi felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn't believe that Ranran's clients were capable of such ruthless actions. "Why would they-"

"Resort to that?" Ranran finished before he could, "Simple, it's years of pent-up resentment that no one is willing to listen to their cries, that they assumed they are seeking attention, so violence is the last answer as a cry for help."

"Resentment? Like...what is there to resent about to go that far?"

"Like that time you broke into my house to threaten me to quit my Fox duties," Ranran walked towards the windows to admire the night city view, without looking back at Shinichi with her drink in hand, "If your friendship with Ran and Sonoko were a lot stronger, although they made the mistake on trusting the wrong person, you would naturally forgive them, correct?" He nods, "And yet, you resorted to this. Why is that? It's simple because deep down, you knew this won't be the first nor last time you will end up getting disappointed by those two again and again. You hated it, that I am living the dream that you were close to abandoning, all thanks to their idiot nagging."

Shinichi was taken aback by Ranran's words, realizing that she had seen through his actions that night. He had never considered his own feelings of resentment towards her success, and now he felt guilty for taking it out on her.

"I...I didn't mean to-"

"I know you didn't," Ranran said, turning back to face him with a small smile. "Everyone has their own demons to fight, and sometimes those demons can drive them to do terrible things. My clients...are no different than you, except they have been hurt, ignored, and dismissed by society for too long....my way of justice prevented them from becoming the demons they could've become."

Shinichi nodded slowly, starting to understand a little more about the world of The Fox. "What about your inner demons? Did you conquer them?"

Ranran's smile faded a little at the question, and she looked away, staring out the window once again. "I don't know if I'll ever get over them completely," she muttered. "Many things had happened so fast...I wonder if it's all worth it."

"....Did you not consider the fact that you might die young doing this job?" 

"I did, but I did not consider the possibility of getting killed by two erratic members of the association to speed up my death. I mean after that plane incident where I couldn't call anyone...." Ranran chuckled bitterly, "Who am I to kid? I should've accepted that even though I plan with caution, life just wanted me to suffer."

Shinichi could see the pain and uncertainty in her eyes, and he wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he didn't know how. "I don't know...what you went through in life to say the decisions you made are right. But what I do know is...you are the type who put a lot of thought before making a decision," he said gently. "You are not like Mouri, indecisive and constantly burdening others. When you want something, you go after it full-heartedly and ensure that others are safe. Yes," He huffed, "I had to agree Ran and Junko was something beyond our control, but if we were to look back now, we solved 4 major cases and protected innocent people because of you."

"Shinichi..."

"So don't ever question whether you regret this, cause at the end of the day......you made the decision that felt right for you leading up to now. And that's not many of us can do. To do it with courage as you did."

Ranran looked back at Shinichi, her eyes softening as she listened to his words. She knew he was right, and she felt a sense of comfort and relief wash over her. "Thank you, Shinichi," she said, a small smile returning to her face.

Shinichi smiled back at her, relieved to see her feeling a bit better.

The founder then turned back to the window, while Shinichi gaze at her, couldn't help but wonder how many other people like Walter and those children Ranran has helped over the years. He realized that, as a detective, he had a responsibility to uncover the truth, even if it meant confronting uncomfortable realities.

But for now, he decides to keep the conversation he overheard to himself, respecting Walter's privacy and the delicate nature of their conversation. Instead, he makes a mental note to investigate more about Ranran's past and the work she did in the UK.

Now, his main problem is those two idiots behind him.

He gave a glance at Ran and Sonoko, who are both giving them a side glance at Ranran.

Shinichi couldn't help but let out a sigh as he noticed Ran and Sonoko's behaviour. He knew that their hatred towards Ranran runs deep, but to go as far as to investigate her identity as The Fox? How dare they!?

Sure, he himself at one point admittingly did the same to Ranran in the past, and it was all thanks to Mamiko's manipulation, but Ran and Sonoko's motivation was way more sinister than his.

He had assumed after having severed any form of deception between Mamiko and those two, they would've woken up to their senses. Clearly, as Ranran predicted, they did not.

Instead, they grew resentful towards Ranran and are eager to destroy her.

"When you cut off the supply of drugs from a drug addict, the scariest part is their addiction, they would even resort to murder to get those drugs. Ran and Sonoko...God knows how long has it been since Mamiko had influence over them, I doubt they are ever going to wake up from her lies after being addicted to her lies for so long."

Those were the words of his mentor days after his denouement toward the two as friends, and as each passing day goes by, it was evident Ran wasn't going to leave the association. She no longer nags anymore, but it was evident the hatred still burn in her eyes.

This is something he won't tolerate. This is cruel even to his standards.

His sins towards Ranran, he will fix this!

Shinichi raised an eyebrow as both Ran and Sonoko simultaneously received text messages on their phones. Suddenly, the two grew pale, "What's that about?" he asked.

Shinichi noticed the change in Ran's expression from afar, while Sonoko asked her friend, unaware he was observing them, "What's wrong, Ran?"

Ran hesitated for a moment before answering. "It's a message from an unknown number, photos of us together when we are not looking. Even said 'I am watching you, better behave, or else....' in English," she said.

Sonoko's expression darkened, "Wait, you received them too!?"

The two friends looked at each other with concern and confusion, wondering what was going on. 

As they opened the messages, their expressions shifted to horror as they saw photos of themselves even in Teitan Elementary School, taken without their knowledge or consent. They felt violated and exposed, wondering who could have taken such photos and why they were being sent to them.

"Who on earth...is doing this!?" Ran can't help but wonder.

Sonoko's mind raced with possibilities, "Could it be one of the enemies you all made when you were in Tantei Association?"

"If that were the case," Ran cast her glance at the other members, who are too distracted conversing with others happily with Shiro, "They would've responded the same time as us, no?"Her eyes then lay on Ranran, who seems to be conversing with Shinichi, "You see? Even Ranran and Shinichi received nothing." Then a thought popped out of her mind, "But you are not a member of the association either, why are they doing this to you?"

Sonoko's mind raced as well, trying to come up with possible suspects. "I don't know, Ran." She then hardened her gaze to no one in particular, "Could it be the kids who wrote those horrible things on our table in school?"

"But they barely know our numbers! And I haven't even handed my number to the Tantei Association business card yet," Ran frowned, "Except for you, Shinichi, and the members of the association."

"Then...could it be one of them doing this to you?" Sonoko suggested, "I mean Ranran and Shinichi hate you for remaining in the association."

"Shinichi? No, he won't do this to me," Ran denies this.

"But he denounced you in school over the speaker broadcast. You also mentioned he never used to do any of this to the both of us until he met Ranran."

"Wait, maybe not Shinichi, but Ranran." It suddenly dawned on her while she growled, "She has been wanting me out of the association long enough-"

Suddenly, without warning, a hand reached out and snatched Ran's phone. "Hey! Who are-eh!? Shinichi!?"

Shinichi quickly went through the photos, examining each one carefully. They were all candid shots of the two girls, taken without their knowledge. 

"What's going on here?" Shinichi demanded, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Ran and Sonoko. "Who sent you these photos?"

"We...don't know," Ran said, her voice shaky with anger and fear. "I felt like...it could've been-"

"It's not Ranran," Shinichi knew from that moment on, this isn't good.

Those photos aren't from his mentor but from his mentor's clients.

The reason Shinichi knew this was that he checked the timestamp of the photos taken, it was during the 4-day period while looking into the Red Illumination case, his mentor had been with him all the time, too busy to do this sort of thing to Ran and Sonoko.

It seemed that after what Ran did to Ranran in class while the founder was busy face timing in front of her overseas fans through the smartphone, they must have caught on that this wasn't the first time Ran was harassing his mentor. So they have been using various methods to gather information on Ran and Sonoko, including taking candid photos.

"It seems the both of you had dug your own graves," he said, his voice grave.

Ran and Sonoko stared at him in shock. "What do you mean?" Ran asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Listen, whatever you are investigating about Ranran, stop," Shinichi gave them a warning before handing the phone back to Ran, "They are already onto the both of you."

Ran and Sonoko looked at each other, worry etched on their faces. "Shinichi, what are you talking about? Who are 'they'?!" Ran asked.

"Ranran's 2nd family, those are the kids who you all need to be wary about." Shinichi gave them a serious expression.

"Her...what?! 2nd family!?"

Shinichi sighed, "They are kids she knew from her old school, her friends." Refraining from sharing about her past as The Fox in Edgewood, he glared at Ran, "Ranran shared with me before how protective they are over her. So when they saw that video of you harassing Ranran, it was clear cut where they are heading with this." 

Ran and Sonoko were shocked to hear this revelation. They had no idea that Ranran had another group of friends, let alone a group that was so fiercely protective of her.

"We had no idea," Sonoko said, her voice filled with concern. "But why would they send us these photos? What do they want?"

"They want you to back off," Shinichi said, his tone serious. "They see you as a threat to Ranran's safety and well-being. They want you to leave her alone. Clearly, something you both are doing must have made them so unsettled, they flew all the way from the U.K. to spy on you both. So, I am trying not to be mad at you, but I have to know what have you been doing to catch their interest?!"

"But we're not doing anything wrong," Ran protested before letting slip, "We're just trying to investigate her as The Fox."

"Ran!" Sonoko warned her, but it was too late, Shinichi caught wind of this.

"The Fox? That child detective you kept comparing me to back then!?" Shinichi's eyes narrowed in suspicion, pretending he had no idea to protect his mentor's other life.

Ran bit her lip, realizing her mistake. "We...we just wanted to know whether she is. We didn't mean any harm."

"Are you sure?" Shinichi's voice sounded doubtful before responding firmly, "Why are you two so invested in that idea in the first place? Don't tell me you both still believed in Mamiko's lies!"

"I mean who knows!? She could be in the right!" Ran snapped back at him, but he ain't wavering.

"Right?" Shinichi scoffed, "She attempted to murder Ranran with a knife, and you rather believe a murderer over a detective like me?"

"I-"

"How long will you stop meddling in people's affairs!? You already endangered the lives of others so many times...I am beginning to wonder are you really in on this idea of discouraging my dream to marry me!? Cause otherwise, why would you both be looking whether Ranran is truly The Fox or not?!"

"You-"

"And how much more disrespectful can you both be!? Ranran is going through a lot as a child detective, so the last thing she needs is adding more unnecessary stress!" Ran and Sonoko both flinched at Shinichi's words while he ranted at the two, "What do you both have to be so burdensome to her!? If you still carried a grudge over why I left you to sit with Ranran in the classroom, you didn't have to go after her! It was me who came up with the idea, and she didn't order me!"

Turning his back against the girls, as he was about to leave them, Sonoko suddenly confronts, "So if Ranran was truly The Fox, will it truly not matter to you at all!?"

He stood still, not showing his face back at them while letting the heiress' words run in her head.

Before, maybe he would've hated Ranran. For being so successful as a child detective, her life was far better than his pathetic life. 

But after working alongside her in Tantei Association for a while, learning the world isn't as black as white as it was and realizing the mantle of The Fox Ranran carries was far too heavy for anyone to relate to, he turned back with waves of anger flashed in his eyes to reply, "It would not matter to me. Cause at the end of the day...the one that brought pain to me was never The Fox or Ranran, but Mamiko, as well the two of you who I thought were my real friends."

And that was something true he has come to terms with, from the bottom of his heart.

Ran and Sonoko were taken aback by Shinichi's words. They had no idea that their actions had hurt him so deeply. They looked at each other, guilt written on their faces.

"I...I'm sorry, Shinichi," Ran said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't say sorry so casually," He remembered his mentor's words, saying the exact same thing to him back then while he replies bitterly without looking back, "If you truly were, you could've left the association after that video came out, or at least apologize to Ranran for praying for her death. Hell, I didn't even know you two even had the audacity to harass her during the death anniversary of some child she was hosting, in front of so many important people years ago! Really? All because your birthday wouldn't take place there?! God! What is wrong with the both of you!?"

The two girls had their eyes on the floor, flustered and mad that Shinichi is siding Ranran rather than regretting the things they did to her.

And that obviously irritates the observant Shinichi even further.

He hates it when he sees anyone who does shameless despicable things like this with no hint of remorse. Just like that sociopath Mamiko, who gleefully enjoys hurting other innocent children. "You know...considering you are still remaining in the association, despite knowing you are not being welcomed by Ranran....you and Sonoko clearly had no remorse for what you did to her, let alone, me."

And those words were enough to make them shake still.

"Then what, are you threatening us not to look into it!?" Sonoko asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"It ain't my place to tell you two what to do and not do," His bangs covered his eyes, "But I can only tell you that those children Ranran are friends with...they are way more ruthless than what Ranran is capable of. If you both keep insisting on looking into it," He left them with his final words, "Be prepared for the consequences. Let alone, pay with both of your own life."

Ran and Sonoko stood in stunned silence as Shinichi walked away from them, his words ringing in their ears. 

As Shinichi walked away, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment in his former friends. He had once thought highly of them, but their actions towards Ranran had shattered that perception. He knew that he couldn't force them to apologize or make things right, but he also couldn't stand by and watch them continue to hurt his mentor without consequence.

As he walked, his mind drifted back to Mamiko, the girl who ruined his life. 

He had never forgotten her cruel actions, and the memory of her attempting to manipulate him still haunts him to this day.

But he also knew that not everyone was like Mamiko. There were still good people in the world who cared about others and did their best to make a positive impact. And he was grateful for those people, especially Ranran, who had always been a beacon of hope in his life.

He knew that he couldn't protect her from everything, but he would do everything in his power to make sure she was safe and happy. And if that meant standing up to former friends who had done her wrong, then so be it