Several police cars sped through the district of derelict buildings, their lights flashing but their sirens silent. Ranran rode beside Sergeant Genzo while Shinichi, Emiko and Michio sat in the back, the crackle of рolice radio commands filling their ear. The others followed behind in another police car.

There, Ran and Junko remained silent, trying to process what just happened. Seeing Ranran barking out orders at the adult police officers, especially when she is a child just like the rest of them.... was unusual.

Ran's mind was racing with thoughts and emotions, she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Ranran had just commanded a team of police officers like a boss. It was almost surreal.

Junko, on the other hand, was feeling a mix of emotions. She was too shocked to see Ranran's assertiveness and leadership skills, although amusing but at the same time, she was also slightly intimidated by her behaviour. She had never seen Ranran act so authoritative before, and it was a little unsettling.

After a moment of silence, Junko spoke up. "Ranran...was able to get adults to do her bidding."

Ran nodded slowly. "Yes, she did. And she seemed to know exactly what she was doing."

Junko leaned back in her seat and let out a long sigh. "I don't know whether to be impressed or concerned. It's not every day you see a child bossing around the police like that."

Ran couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settle in her stomach. "I know. It's almost like she's too good at this. And it's not just her, either. Shinichi, Emiko, Michio...they all seem to not be unfazed by her behaviour."

Junko nodded. "It's like she is a well-oiled machine, very put together in person. It's almost...unnerving."

Ran couldn't agree more. She had always known that Shinichi was brilliant, but after seeing Ranran in action, this was something else entirely. It was almost as if she is a seasoned detective, not a bunch of brats being annoying.

Junko grew a bit disappointed in herself, "How does Ranran does it, I wonder? I can't even get a single adult, even my own mother to listen to me. And yet, she is able to get 20-plus cops to do whatever she orders her to do just by blackmailing! Even for someone like me...."

That's right, Junko is so right. Who is she? This Kudo Ranran...to be this-

"It was as if Ranran had done this for so many years...."Junko casually comments on that.

"She has done it...for years...? Junko, maybe you are overly exaggerating." Ran chuckled.

Then those words sank deep into her head...years? If that were the case, wouldn't Ranran be around 3 or 4 when all of this began? At that age, Ran couldn't even sing ABC correctly. So it ain't possible-

But The Fox could, right?

As the realization hit her, Ran's heart sank.

Of course, 'The Fox'. The legendary real-life child detective reported on the press, who vanished into thin air wearing a Fox mask. Her best friend Sonoko once accused Ranran to be one, but she turned the tables against her when Ranran claimed it was for her role as 'Fox', based on the mysterious figure. Supposedly...that is the truth...it made sense now to Ran, doesn't it?

Suddenly, Ran is terrified of the founder. If she truly is 'The Fox', that meant she lied to Sonoko straight in the face, let alone, everyone just to keep her alter ego a secret. This also means the possibility that her ex-friend, Shinichi, knew about it, is high. He ain't that naive and is far too observant for his age, which is probably why he became Ranran's apprentice later on, even severing ties with Ran to be with Ranran.

Ran felt a mixture of shock and confusion at the possibility that Kudo Ranran could be 'The Fox.' It seemed surreal that a child could pull off such feats, but at the same time, Ran couldn't deny the evidence in front of her.

Junko noticed the sudden change in Ran's expression and asked, "Are you okay, Ran? You look pale."

Ran shook her head, trying to shake off her thoughts, but they kept racing through her mind. She couldn't believe that Kudo Ranran might be 'The Fox'. The thought of a child doing such dangerous work terrified her.

"I'm fine, Junko," she said, trying to sound calm but she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.

Regardless, Ran decided not to confront her. No, Ranran is too cunning, she can't outwit her. And she ruined Sonoko's life in the worst way unimaginable, let alone, herself. And she has no evidence to prove Ranran is The Fox.

Despite her suspicions, Ran decided not to confront Kudo Ranran. She knew that Ranran was too cunning and it was unlikely that she could outwit her. Besides, if Ranran was indeed the elusive "Fox", she had the power to ruin not just Sonoko's life, but also Ran's own life. As much as Ran wanted to expose Ranran's lies, she knew that she had no concrete evidence to prove it.

Perhaps one day, she would be able to uncover the truth, but for now, Ran decided to keep her thoughts to herself. She couldn't risk putting herself and her loved ones in danger. Even if Ranran turned out to be the infamous "Fox", she knew that it was unlikely that she would be able to win back Shinichi's trust.

But if she is able to get a tiny bit of justice, at least for herself and Sonoko, that shall do.

..............

By the time they arrived, the sergeant gave orders for Morning Mist street to be sealed. Police cars blocked either end of the street.

Michio then pointed ahead to where Takuma waved from the doorway of Number 49. Sergeant Genzo's driver pulled in beside him."Is Ryo still inside?" Sergeant Genzo wanted to know as he leapt from the car.

Takuma nodded and led the way upstairs.

But as they approached the corridor, Takuma's heart tightened. The door with the peephole hung open on its hinges. The padlock had been removed from the bolt.

Takuma's heart raced as his mind was filled with fear while feeling, felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead as he turned to face the others. The room beyond was empty Sergeant Genzo's face reddened with rage," Hikari Takuma, is this some kind of a joke?!"

"Sergeant, I swear he was there!" Takuma shrugged helplessly as the others gathered around. "He was tied up inside. I saw him. Talked to him, I said I was going to get the police!"

Sergeant Genzo let out a disappointed sigh."How long were you away?"

"Well, I had to walk ten minutes before I found a shop with a phone," Takuma explained. "Then I came straight back."

"But how would they know you'd found Ryo?"Junko wondered aloud.

"Maybe someone heard you making that call from the shop," suggested Michio.

"But it was empty," Groaned Takuma."The shopkeeper and I were the only ones there."

"Sergeant, we've found something!'' Called one of the detectives working inside the room.

He stepped into the corridor and held up a plastic evidence bag. Inside was a strand of red hair moment later another detective joined him. "Looks like a wire of some kind," he mused, holding up a bag containing a mysterious twist of thin red fibre.

"No, it's a guitar string!" cried Ranran as she observes closer.

"How do you know?"Sergeant Genzo asked.

"I have seen it in a music shop before when I was back in my old school, I definitely can tell it is a genuine guitar string." Ranran and Shinichi inspect closely the bag.

"Now that you mentioned, he had a red guitar on the floor beside him when I saw him."Takuma pointed out.

"Sir, over here!" shouted another detective. His torch beamed down on two spots of blood on the floor "That must have happened when they moved him, "Takuma looked up at Sergeant Genzo. "He didn't look injured when I saw him. Just scared."

His powerful hands on his hips, Sergeant Genzo surveyed the scene. "How exactly did you find this place?" he asked Takuma.

"Remember the bouncer with the scar on his left cheek? Did you see him this morning when we tried to get past the dressing room at the stadium?" Takuma asked, prompting the others. "He was getting tough with Junko, and you stopped him. Well, I saw him at the hotel just as I was leaving, and he recognized me. He tried to stop me, but I managed to get away. Later, when I saw him leave, I followed him here."

"Did anything else happen while he was there?" Shinichi asked Takuma.

Suddenly, Takuma snapped his fingers. "Now that you mention it, an envelope with weird cut-out words fell out of his pocket when he tried to catch me at the hotel!"

Ran and the rest of the children gasped in shock. "So he's the one who delivered the ransom note?" Ranran mouthed.

"It makes sense," Sergeant Genzo said. "He knew which room everyone was in, having worked as a bodyguard for the entertainers with years of experience in the entertainment circle. He even knew where the cops were stationed around the stadium!"

"So I was right," Ranran exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

"He probably kidnapped Ryo from his dressing room after pushing the cart with his favourite guitar to lure him, then passed him through the window to someone waiting outside," Junko speculated. "It makes sense since he's someone Ryo trusted, given that he worked alongside him and the others."

"That's probably why he didn't want any of us going backstage," Michio guessed. "In case we got in the way or messed up his plans."

"We could've stopped an ongoing kidnapping and saved us tons of money," Takuma lamented.

"Takuma, that's insensitive of you to bring up now," Ran scolded him.

"Hey, I'm just saying," Takuma protested, holding up his hands. "It's a real shame, that's all."

Michio shook his head, "No, He is right after all. We were all excited about this concert, and now it's ruined because of this idiot who wanted a freaking million dollars!"

"But now that we know this, "That was when Emiko shuddered. "Where is Ryo now?" she asked. "Where could they have taken him?"

"And how are we going to find him?"Shinichi wondered aloud.

"Don't worry" Ranran grunted. "If we found him once, we'll find him again."

Sergeant Genzo glared at Ranran. He opened his mouth to speak, but decided to say nothing for the time being.

Because at the end of the day, Kudo Ranran can't be stopped or told what to do. Just like her parents.

...............

It was dinnertime by the time Michio reached home. As soon as he stepped through the front door, he knew he was in trouble.

His mother ran forward and gripped her 10-year-old son by the shoulders, "Majima Michio, what have you been doing?" she demanded, "Do you how worried Genzo-chan was worried about you today."

"G-Genzo-chan?"Michio repeated blankly before he suddenly snapped his fingers, "You mean Sergeant Genzo, do you? Also, what is with that affectionate honorific?!" His mother's face reddened. She abruptly turned away and paced to the window. "Mother, I know Genzo is your childhood friend, but I didn't think that you would call him that."

Michio suddenly finds this amusing. For the first 10 years of growing up, she never used any affectionate honorific on any man since her husband past away, besides her own son.

Genzo and Mio (Michio's mother) had been friends since they were children growing up in the same neighbourhood. They attended the same schools and even went to Teitan Highschool together. After graduation, they went their separate ways, but they still kept in touch over the years. But they lost touch after she got married to Michio's dad while Genzo was too busy with his career. It wasn't until Tantei Association happened, that she contacted Genzo out of the blue.

Michio knew his mother's temper all too well, but he couldn't help but find the situation slightly amusing. Seeing his mother flustered and using an affectionate honorific towards her childhood friend was something he never expected to witness.

He couldn't help but chuckle, "Mom, are you blushing? Don't tell me you have a crush on Sergeant Genzo!" he teased.

His mother's face turned even redder as she turned to face him, "Don't be ridiculous, Michio! Genzo-cha-I mean, Genzo is just a friend! Nothing more. And anyway, I got word from Genzo what you and that association had been doing just now over the phone!"

Her voice sounded very controlled.

"He said you brought the entire Tantei association into getting involved in a kidnapping case." She swung round. "Don't you understand how dangerous kidnappers are? They wouldn't think twice about killing you or your friends if you got in their way."

"But Okasan, you don't understand!" he began. "We had to do it because of-"

"I know! You wanted to make all of your experience at the concert worthwhile, when you earned the ticket you all received for solving the Ruby case, especially the money you and your friends borrowed just to get there!" She shouted, before Michio to comment any further, "But Michio, we have Genzo on our side, alongside his men. Who are you all in the right mind to interfere!?"

Michio couldn't believe his ears. "What right do we not!? Some of the cops obviously hated us for our success after solving three major cases, and they wanted to solve this case for themselves in the name of their reputation!"

His mother's expression grew pale, "Majima-"

"Genzo just admitted that some of them hate us after the number of cases we have solved, and they intentionally refuse to let us get involved to protect their idiot reputation! Just to hide their incompetence! Okaasan, the moment I heard it, I realized this can't continue! We had to get involved! We are detectives, if they are not capable, why should we be stupid to put our faith in them?" Michio voiced out his anger, "Why must we live like cowards!?"

His mother's eyes widened in surprise and alarm at Michio's outburst. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. "Okaasan, I realized that ever since I joined the association, I witness victims who lived like cowards end up becoming murderers, thieves, and liars. The way they lived their lives was actually no different than the way we had both been living for the past 10 years!"

"Michio...."His mother's voice weakened.

"When I was 4, that lady who sold vegetables not far from our place constantly talk snide comments about you not remarrying a father despite being born beautiful, you bear with it just so to keep getting affordable vegetables for us both to survive. When some teenagers spray painted our shop for fun when I was around 7, you simply accepted their parents' money, simply because they are from a rich family and you are too afraid to fight back. And when I was 9, the neighbourhood bullies pushed me to the ground and took my lunch money because they knew I had no father, and you told me to just ignore them and they'll eventually stop. But they never did, until I stood up for myself and fought back!"

His mother's face was now streaked with tears as she listened to her son's outburst. "Michio, I didn't want to burden you with those things," she said softly. "I did what I thought was best for us, and I'm sorry if it wasn't enough that I couldn't give you a father."

"I don't care if I don't have one, I can live with it and this isn't the main point. But what I do care about is why are we living like that!? Are you that much afraid of confrontation, you rather hide yourself in the corner!?" He blasted out those words,"If Tousan knew about this, he wouldn't tell me to stop and confront them head-on!"

At first, Michio sees his mother shocked in horror. He was expecting her to yell back, argue, or even demand him to take those words back. But to his surprise, his mother burst into tears and ran from the living room and locked herself in the bedroom.

That was the time Michio had never felt so crushed in his life.

Michio stood there, stunned, as he heard his mother's sobs from behind the closed door. He didn't know what to do or say. Had he gone too far? Had he hurt his mother too deeply with his words?

He walked over to the door and hesitated for a moment before knocking softly. "Okaasan, I'm sorry. Please open the door," he said softly. There was no response. He knocked again, a little louder this time. "Okaasan, I didn't mean to hurt you. Please open the door and talk to me." Still no response. Michio sighed and leaned against the wall, feeling guilty and regretful. He had never seen his mother cry like this before, and it was tearing him apart inside.

Unbeknownst to him, his mother moaned her late husband's name, "Goro...I can see where our son got that behaviour from now...."

She wiped her tears, trying to calm herself down. She knew that Michio was right. She had been living in fear, afraid of confrontation and trying to avoid any trouble that could threaten their fragile existence. She remembered how hard it was for them after her husband passed away, leaving her alone to raise their son. She had to work long hours at the shop, selling things just to make ends meet. There were days when they barely had enough food to eat, and gave it all to their son.

Mio had to swallow her pride and endure the insults and abuse from the customers just to keep the shop running. She didn't want to burden her son with their problems, so she tried to shield him from the harsh realities of their situation. Most important above all was she did not want her son to join the same line of work as his father.

If he did...he will just die the same way his father did.

...............

When Shiro, Kyo and Ogawa returned to the Heiseikan Shiosaitei hotel, they went straight up to Ogawa's room to gather around, a meeting to discuss what to do since Ryo went missing.

As expected, Sulky Shiro slammed the door behind them. "Okay, what is seriously going on here?" he accused Ogawa.

The manager paled. "What do you mean?"

"The police have informed us that the kidnapper maybe someone who works for us. They had knowledge of our schedules, which is likely how Ryo was taken in the first place. I recall that you conducted interviews when hiring for our security team, as you are our manager," Shiro confront, "Did you plan this kidnapping, Ogawa? Did you do it to extort money from us?"

Kyo interjected, "Shiro, please calm down. As we've discussed before, Ogawa would lose more money if he was behind the kidnapping. He has access to our funds and could have stolen from us without this whole scheme. Additionally, if he were to refund the money for the concert tickets, he would have to find the funds to do so."

"That money is ours, Kyo! Ours and Ryo's!" Shiro shouted.

"Shiro, please," Kyo said in a calming voice.

The manager interrupted the argument by raising his hands in protest. "Can we please stop arguing among ourselves? Nobody knows who's behind the kidnapping. And besides, why would I be so stupid to do something like that? If I were behind it, I wouldn't be able to escape the wrath of millions of your fans. And I certainly wouldn't want to risk embezzling any of your money!"

Everything grew silent at that, but the tension was there. "Now why don't you guys leave me alone? I've got a headache even thinking over what is going to happen to Ryo right now. Especially his parents are coming over tonight."

The tension in the room lingered for a few moments longer before Shiro finally relented. "Fine, but I'm not dropping this yet," he grumbled before storming out of the room. Kyo let out a heavy sigh before turning to the manager. "We'll leave you alone for now, but we're not ruling you out as a suspect just yet," he said before following Shiro out the door.

The manager rubbed his temples, trying to ease the headache that had started to throb behind his eyes. He knew that it was going to be a long night, and the thought of facing Ryo's parents only added to his anxiety. But for now, all he could do was wait and hope that Ryo would be found safe and sound.

Shiro threw himself onto Ogawa's couch."I'm lonely," he moaned, "And bored. Being trapped here all day with nothing to do."

"If you are so bored, why don't you go play that game you just bought? That Mario Kart game?"Kyo narrowed his eyes at him in annoyance.

"I completed the whole game already."

"So fast?Mou....." Then Kyo suggests, "Well, we could brainstorm ideas for our next concert."

Shiro rolled his eyes. "You know we can't do without Ryo."

"Then what do you suggest?" Ogawa asked, his patience starting to wear thin.

Shiro thought for a moment before an idea popped into his head. "I'm going to ring that girl Tantei and ask her out."

"Eh? Which one?Junko?" Kyo blinks.

"No, not her. That girl has some problems within her, not that you notice anyway."Shiro shook his head, which made Kyo more confused than ever as to which girl he was referring to.

"Will then....which girl?"Ogawa too struggles to guess which girl.

"The cooler one," grinned Shiro, pulling Emiko's card from his shirt pocket. "Emiko..."

"Wait, Emiko? The snarky one?" gasped Kyo, "As in....the one that talks crap about you? I heard from Mr Ogawasan that you both had a huge argument the other day when you confronted her about being a fake Youtuber."

Ogawa's eyebrows shot up."I thought you hated her."

Shiro arched an eyebrow as he headed for the door "Hey, I like my roses to have a few thorns..."

"And when are you going to do this?" Kyo can't help but wonder.

"Tonight, at a restaurant."

Kyo and Ogawa both looked at him sceptically. "Are you serious, Shiro? That's a terrible idea," Kyo said.

"Oh come on, Kyo. We're not prisoners here. Let's live a little!" Shiro protested.

"I don't think it's safe," Ogawa interjected, "Especially with Ryo being kidnapped."

"I'm not talking about going far. Just a little walk around the block or something," Shiro argued.

Kyo and Ogawa exchanged a glance before finally relenting. "Fine, but we will send some of our guards to protect the both of you from afar, alright?" Ogawa said sternly.

Shiro grinned triumphantly.

............

Meanwhile, The Tantei Association members had gathered virtually through Zoom to discuss the latest developments in the case of Ryo's kidnapping. Each member sat in their respective bedrooms, their screens displaying the faces of their fellow detectives.

"Ok, what can we learn from this case? Let's start with...Shinichi, you are up first." Ranran ordered him to begin.

Shinichi nodded and cleared his throat before speaking. "According to my investigation, the lawsuit over the granduncle's will was caused by a family dispute over the distribution of assets. The tension between the family members remained as it isn't settled in court yet. And Shiro's parents are genuinely messed up people. The level of greed is ridiculous up to a point, it's no wonder that the paternal grandparents were the ones who took custody of him when he was around 7."

Ranran scribbled notes on a piece of paper as Shinichi spoke. "So, you think this kidnapping is related to the family's dispute over the assets?" she asked, looking up at the screen.

"It's possible," Shinichi replied, but he looked doubtful, "But I felt like it is off."

"In what way?"

"The kidnapper asked specifically for a million US dollars, and I googled about the granduncle being worth way more than hundreds of million. Why a million US dollars when they could've asked for more?"

Michio, who had been listening attentively, chimed in. "Perhaps the kidnapper only needed a specific amount for a particular reason. It's possible that they needed to pay off debts or fund something specific."

"That's a good point," Ranran agreed, "But we shouldn't dismiss the possibility that this kidnapping is related to the family dispute. It could be a way to put pressure on one of the family members."

"Speaking of family members, have we investigated the past of their parents?" Ran asked, "Maybe they could've had some enemies who could be behind this."

"I'll look into it," Emiko offered, "I have some relatives who can help me with that."

"Alright, next one, Emiko," Ranran announced over the mic, "Did you contact their security team to give us any intel about the bouncer who kidnapped Ryo?"

Emiko nodded, "Yes, I did. I managed to get hold of one of the security guards who had been working at the stadium this morning when Ryo was kidnapped. I will send all of you the information about him now." As soon as the ding notification played out, the rest of them opened the file to read while Emiko briefed, "Everyone who worked alongside with him knew him as Elijah. He joined the security team around 3 years ago, though I can't verify it yet, but they have been rumours that implied him bragging that he has a criminal record of domestic violence back in the States one time when they were drunk one night."

"If this is true, I am curious that how the hell is it that someone like him who happens to have a criminal record be allowed to work with rockstars?" Ranran can't help but think.

"I agree," Emiko agreed, "I've been digging into his background and found out that through his colleagues that he would tell people he is from here or there, but then his story would change. My assumption is that he did so to avoid being caught by the law. That is why he was able to slip through the cracks and landed this job as a bouncer."

"That's alarming," Shinichi spoke up, "It means that the kidnapper could be an experienced criminal who knows how to cover their tracks. No wonder he sabotaged the CCTVs and was that convinced that the cops can't catch him."

"So in other words, Takuma, you were lucky he didn't catch in that old building. If he'd found out you'd followed him, he might have murdered you." Junko pointed out.

Takuma nodded, "Yeah, I was lucky. But it also means we have to be extra careful moving forward. This guy is dangerous, and he won't hesitate to harm Ryo if he feels threatened."

"Agreed," Ran agreed, "We must make sure we catch him before it's too late."

"Junko, do you have any updates on anyone requesting for ransom money from Kyo's side?" Shinichi turned to the girl in glasses.

Junko adjusted her glasses while shaking her head, "Not yet. So far he said nothing much is going on."

"Keep us updated," Ranran said, "We need to move fast before it's too late."

"Michio, you are next," The blue-eyed apprentice starts at the screen to see Michio, who seemed a bit out of space after his feud with his mother. "Michio? Michio, can you hear me?"

Finally, Michio was startled when he realized his name was being called."Oh, sorry, I was lost in thought," Michio apologized, looking a bit flustered.

"It's okay," Ranran said reassuringly, "Have you made any progress in finding out about Shiro?"

Michio blinked a few times before responding, "Oh, yes. Sorry about that. So, I've been going through Mr Ogawa's old files all through Kyo with Junko, and I found some interesting information. It seems like he had been keeping tabs on the Nagano's family history for quite some time. There were notes about the lawsuit over the granduncle's will and other family disputes. And, there was also a folder labelled 'Shiro's Behaviour' that contained several reports about his delinquent activities."

Another notification, the children were surprised to see a photo of how thick Shiro's folder was, stacked with tons of paper that the folder is unable to shut properly.

Takuma grew curious, "Is this seriously a folder that contains reports of Shiro's behaviour!? And if it is, what sort of activities would Shiro do at the age of 10 to build such a thick file!?"

Shinichi looked at Michio expectantly. "Michio, can you shed some light on this?"

"Well...there were incidents of him shoplifting candy from a convenience store, bullying other students, getting into a fight with some other kids in that school, and even setting fire to the school trash bin once."

Ranran raised an eyebrow, "Setting fire to a trash bin? That's quite extreme for a 10-year-old."

"Not as extreme as you, when you set the school up on fire to solve that ruby case." Ran pointed out.

"Hey! At least Ranran is doing it for the greater good!" Takuma argued for his friend defensively.

"Is there any mention of why he did all of this?" Shinichi frowned, "This sounds like a troubled kid."

"Nothing much to go by, Michio and I checked," Junko chimed in, "But the reports also mentioned that parents didn't know how to handle him. I wouldn't be surprised if he had some sort of involvement in this kidnapping case."

Ranran jotted down notes on her notepad, "Mouri Ran, any information about the manager Ogawa's relationship with the boys?"

Mouri Ran took a deep breath before answering, "I managed to track down some information about Ogawa-san through the crew. Apparently, he was known to be very protective of the band members. And he isn't money minded as most people would think. If anything, he generally lived up to his reputation that one should not be fixated on luxuries, especially entertainers in today's society. He also had a close relationship with the three of them, almost like a father figure."

"Including Shiro?"

"Especially Shiro. Despite the bickering that is reported by the crew, Shiro is a special case. Mostly because of his horrible parents, "Ran continued, "When Shiro's parents demanded he gives up his first entire paycheck, it was Ogawa who put a stop to it."

"Really?" Emiko and the rest were surprised at that, before Takuma asked, "'Demanded'? His parents aren't working?"

"No, in fact, they never were, even when they had Shiro, he was mostly raised by the paternal grandparents." Ran flips through the pages of her notebook.

"Hah!?" Ranran and Shinichi were shaken to the core, "Then how does one raise a kid with no money?!" Ranran can't help but be perplexed by this information.

"Plus, how old were his parents when they had him?" Shinichi adds.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't able to gather that information," Ran replied apologetically, "But it's clear that Shiro's upbringing wasn't ideal, and Ogawa seemed to have taken on a protective role in his life."

"Alright, then last but not least, Takuma," Shinichi urge him, "About the views of Red Illumination members regarding their stance on keeping things frugal, despite earning millions in US currency, where they on board with Ogawa's views, or they are totally against it?"

"From what I gathered, the members of Red Illumination were initially sceptical about Ogawa's frugality. Over time, they learned to appreciate his approach and even adopted it themselves. Initially, everyone was alright with it." Takuma paused for a moment.

".....but?" Ranran prompted her friend to continue.

"Recently around this year, it seems that there has been some tension within the group about their financial situation," Takuma continued, "Some of the members have been pushing for more extravagant expenses according to the crew, like staying in five-star hotels and buying expensive equipment. Ogawa has been resistant to these requests, citing the need to save money for the future."

"Did they mention who are the ones against this?" Ran inquired.

"So far, they believed is Shiro because of the music instruments saga."

"The music instruments saga?" Emiko asked, confused before realizing, "Those drums, right? I heard he caused a huge hole when he found out the expensive drum set Ogawa bought for him went missing."

"Yes," Takuma nodded, "Shiro has been seen complaining about the musical instrument stuff, mostly thanks to his talented ears. And as Kyo mentioned, the music video production would end up getting postponed if this isn't the music equipment he wanted, and some of them seem to be sympathizing with Ryo and Kyo because of this. Especially Ogawa-san."

"That's interesting," Ranran remarked.

"Agreed," Shinichi nodded in agreement, "We should investigate more on this angle."

The rest of the team nodded in agreement as they listened to the updates on the case. Before Ranran was about to call it a day, they could hear someone's phone receiving a message. 

Everyone turned to see whose phone it was and Emiko sheepishly took out her phone from her pocket. "Sorry, everyone. I forgot to turn it off." She looked surprised as she read the message on her phone.

Curious, Ran asked, "Who is that?"

"It's from Shiro," Emiko said, showing her phone to the team. "He wants me to meet him at the restaurant nearby his hotel."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and gave her a long stare, then Takuma whistled as he joked, "Looks like Emiko's scored a date with the bad boy."

"A boy who asks a girl he likes out, he really acts like a real man, right Ranran?" Shinichi muses.

Ranran nods, "Yes, he does. It takes courage to put yourself out there and ask someone out. And it's also a sign of respect to the other person to give them the choice to accept or decline the invitation."

Emiko blushed and tried to defend herself, "It's not like that! I barely even talked to him!"

"Of course, you didn't, more like bickering like a married couple." Takuma ridiculed.

"How did Shiro get Emiko's number?" Shinichi wonders.

"He probably contacted her through Tantei Association's business card she handed to him earlier." Ranran figures.

Mouri Ran smiled and teased, "So, Emiko, are you going to say yes to the date?"

Emiko blushed at the attention and stammered, "I-I don't know yet. I mean, I'm flattered, but...." she frowns, "He knows I am still looking into his missing cousin's kidnapping case, right? If we go on a date...you can't really avoid not talking about 'that elephant in the room'."

"Then talk about the elephant, point it out," Ranran advised.

"Eh!?"

"Don't hide it, reply to him to say I might bring up unexpected questions about the case, including the uncomfortable ones. See how is his response." Ranran suggests.

"Woah, Ranran, no!" Junko had to put her foot down over the headphones, "You don't just do that! This is Emiko's potential first date with a celebrity! What you said could've ultimately killed Shiro's romantic interest in Emiko."

"She is right!" Ran sided her crossing her arms in her seat, "If you are about to go on a date, you don't say something that will ruin the atmosphere!"

"Ehem," Takuma cleared his throat as he got everyone's attention, "As someone who used to date many girls before Reina, I just want you all to know that for this particular situation, what Ranran said is justifiable."

"EH!?" Everyone's eyes grew wide, even Michio who only ever had one dating experience in his entire life was like, "Takuma, you can't be serious!?"

Takuma shrugged, "I'm serious. If the guy is interested in Emiko, he should be able to handle a serious conversation about the case. Remember when we were beating around the bush about being fake Youtubers? He didn't like that we were lying. And if he can't deal with it, then he is not worth her time."

Shinichi nodded, "I agree with Takuma. It's important to be upfront and honest about your priorities and concerns. If Shiro is serious about Emiko, he should be able to handle the conversation. It's important to be upfront about what's on your mind, especially when it comes to a case like this."

Emiko sighed and looked down at her phone, debating whether or not to take Ranran's advice. "I don't know...I don't want to ruin things before they even start."

"It's okay, Emiko," Mouri Ran reassured her, "Just do what feels right for you. And remember, we're all here to support you."

"When is the date?"Shinichi asked.

"Tonight."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow at the news. "Tonight? That's short notice. Are you sure you're ready for this, Emiko?"

Emiko took a deep breath and nodded, "I think so. I mean, I wasn't planning on it, but I don't want to pass up the opportunity to get more information about the case from Shiro. And if it leads to something more...well, I'm willing to give it a shot."

"Good for you, Emiko," Ran smiled at her friend, "We're all here for you if you need us."

"Thanks, Ran," Emiko smiled back, feeling a bit more reassured.

Takuma added, "And if Shiro tries anything funny, just let us know. We'll take care of him."

Emiko laughed, "Thanks, Takuma. But I think I can handle myself."

"Well, just be careful, okay?" Ranran cautioned her, "We don't know what Shiro's true intentions are, so keep your guard up."

Emiko nodded, "I will. Thanks for the advice, Shinichi."

"Anytime, Emiko. Good luck on your date, we will have a meeting tomorrow at the main HQ," Shinichi said with a smile before the call ended.

The rest of the team nodded in agreement, and they all wished Emiko luck on her potential date with Shiro. after a few more minutes of chatting, the Zoom call ended. Emiko was left to ponder her decision about Shiro's date invitation.