"What!? Ranran is out to buy meds now that Ran's friend is sick!? Is she alright?!"

Michio, Emiko and Junko are all in their respective homes, in their bedrooms talking through the computer where Shinichi is currently in the penthouse.

Shinichi looked concerned as he heard the news. "Judging the situation, according to Ran, I think it's nothing serious. But her fever might go up if she doesn't get a specific brand of medicine."

Michio, Emiko, and Junko all nodded in silence.

"If the weather is better tomorrow, I will ride the horse and hand it over before leaving the campsite. So for now, Ran will be accompanying her tonight under the same tent and make sure she gets plenty of rest."

"Why isn't Ranran doing the medicine delivering and it had to be you?" Junko asked.

"That is why we are having this meeting tonight," Shinichi's tone suddenly turned serious.

Michio, Emiko, and Junko listened intently as Shinichi recounted the recent events on the island, including the discovery of a second dead body, the failed attempt to catch the killer, and the worsening condition of Sonoko.

"Wait, the second victim, Mr Iwao, his corpse...was locked-up in a walked-in fridge!? The same place where the food is at!? Yuck!" Junko stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"Seriously!? That is gross!" Even Emiko was feeling sick at this.

Michio was close to vomiting after hearing the details, "His corpse...why did they leave it in the walk-in fridge after discovering it!?"

"As soon as a person dies, the decomposing process begins." Shinichi explained while he adds, "While we wait for the cops to arrive here, the instructors decided to put his corpse back in there, to slow down the decomposition process. Otherwise, if they don't, the smell would spread throughout the activity centre and make the situation even worse."

"And let me guess, Takuma and Ran...as well as the others," Emiko is hesitant to ask, but she had to know, "Had to eat food from that same fridge? Where the corpse is?!"

Shinichi nodded grimly. "Yes, unfortunately. But don't worry, they only ate the food that was sealed and untouched. The instructors made sure of that."

"I doubt it," Junko muttered, shaking her head, "Even if the food was sealed, the fact that a corpse was in the same fridge is just too disturbing."

By this point, Michio could feel the contents of his stomach about to come out of his throat.

"Michio, go to the washroom, don't hold it," Junko advises over the headphones.

Michio quickly nodded and ran out of the room, trying not to make a mess as he made his way to the bathroom.

Shinichi waited until Michio was out of earshot before continuing. "Anyway, back to the issue at hand. While our classmates in 1-A are in peril, we have also reason to believe that the killer might also be aware of this hotel's existence, since the first murder victim of this island, Eiji Ishida died by falling off a cliff after the rope was cut with a knife, his social media accounts were wipe out. Since the campsite area barely had any Wi-fi besides her on this entire island, we have reason to believe the killer...may have come here to delete it."

Junko's eyes widened in shock. "So you're saying that being in the luxurious hotel...is no longer safe as well!?"

Shinichi nodded. "Exactly. So the killer might have come to this hotel lobby, and connected the public wi-fi to delete the account, which also means we might bump into them without realizing."

Michio returned to the computer screen, looking pale. "I'm sorry about that, guys. That information was just too much for me to handle."

"It's okay, Michio," Emiko said, trying to comfort him. "We understand how you feel."

Shinichi continued, "So we have no choice but to be on guard here as well. Doesn't matter that if we move our classmates here, the killer is familiar with the hotel and the campsite. And there are no cops on this island, and the typhoon is still not any closer to dying out."

"So what are the both of you going to do now?" Junko asked, her voice tense.

"We have to find a way to catch the killer before they strike again," Ranran's suddenly replied out of nowhere as the door to the penthouse opened before shutting it, her voice equally tense as she held a bag of medicine.

"Oh Ranran, you are back!" Shinichi was a bit startled as Ranran put the medicine aside on the table before sitting next to Shinichi in the living room.

"But to do this, while Shinichi and I are busy investigating around the hotel, Ran and Takuma will be investigating the campsite heavily. While we are all stuck on this island, you all better do your parts back in the city, alright?" Ranran ordered.

Junko, Michio, and Emiko all nodded in agreement, their expressions serious.

"But please, be careful," Emiko pleaded. "This time you have no police officers by your side."

"If you all get killed, I swear I will be traumatized for life," Junko's voice is laced with concern.

"Don't try to do anything stupid like going after the killer, alright?" Michio advised.

"We won't," Ranran reassured them. "I told Takuma to be careful and not take unnecessary risks like that for now."

Shinichi added, "And we'll keep in touch through our phones and computers. If anything happens, we'll let each other know immediately."

Junko, Michio, and Emiko all nodded in agreement.

"Okay, then it's settled," Ranran said. "Tomorrow's meeting will start around 6 pm."

"Over and out." Shinichi brought the meeting to an end.

With that, the group ended their online meeting, each of them feeling fear, "Guys, do you think Ranran and everyone will make it out of that island alive?" Junko can't help but think.

"It's hard to say," Emiko replied. "But I believe in Ranran. She is unusually intelligent and resourceful, and she knows how to take care of others."

"I agree," Michio chimed in. "Ranran is a talented detective, she can handle this."

"I don't doubt that, but we are talking about multiple lives here! And no cops," Junko reminded them, "I am 10 years old, but I am damn worried that even the unusually intelligent 6-year-old girl Ranran might not be able to pull this off."

"Hey, Ranran saved us once when Mouri and I were kidnapped by the Snake with no cops during the 'King of Rubies' case, have you forgotten?" Emiko recalled, "I mean we had no one to help us, and we owed her for stealing The Snake's plane and flying us back home!"

"Yes, but there were two lives Ranran had to worry about. Not 23 of her classmates lives, her teacher, even those instructors and hotel staff living on the island!" Junko calculated.

"I understand your concerns, Junko," Michio interjected. "But right now is either fight or flight mode. There is no means of escaping, is a fight to the death."

"That's true," Emiko agreed. "And we can't just sit here and do nothing. We have to do our part and help in any way we can."

"I know, but what can we do?" Junko asked.

"What we do know about Jun and Miki's families, Kichiro, Kiryu, Eiji and Iwao's death, the expedition, everything," Michio suggested.

"We'll do our best," Emiko said determinedly.

"I'll be on high alert," Junko added, clenching her fists.

"Good," Michio said, looking relieved. "See you at the HQ tomorrow around evening. Take care, everyone, and good night."

With that, the call ended.

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

There were memories Sonoko could recall the time she ever felt miserable.

The first time she felt this way, was when she was around 4.

The memories of that day were still vague, but she could remember feeling an endless way of feeling suffocated as if she committed a crime, everyone look as though they want to behead her.

It happened in a cathedral, it wasn't clear what she did, but she remembered tense and disapproving glares in there, even a child who stood in front of her look down in contempt towards her, kneeling. There were angry yells, boos and jeers towards her, she burst into tears and cried out to her parents for help, but they look helpless, including her beloved eldest sister who stood there helplessly.

She was so traumatised by this incident, that she had a fever for 2 weeks, and then that memory became a distant nightmare she no longer want to know or ask. In her opinion: If one forgets this, it must be a good reason to stay forgotten for good. And she will leave it as it is.

The second time, was when she burst into this anniversary event.

It wasn't your typical event, since it involved a death anniversary of a deceased little duke whose life was cruelty robbed. This happened around a year after, and she got word that the person who allegedly erased her birthday booking venue to have this event held, was none other than Kudo Ranran, Shinichi's no.1 enemy at that time.

Vividly, she didn't have a good impression of Ranran, not one bit.

When she heard that Shinichi pushed Ranran down the parkour obstacle and broke her leg, Sonoko knew she was smelling something fishy. Shinichi will never harm anyone unless provoke, so she knew Ranran framed him.

Determine to confront her, she soon did. But it was a costly mistake.

The attendees at that event were all aristocrats from the U.K. People born of either royal or noble lineage, and she had initially assumed that since in Japan that kind of system is abolished, they would have no supposed power to stop her from confronting the scheming brute.

Oh, how dead wrong she was.

Within hours after she did so, the value of stocks for her father's company plummeted at an alarming rate, so much so, that it got to a point that the family was almost at risk of not only losing their homes but also ending up on the street homeless. In a way, Sonoko was genuinely scared of how powerful they were, and her mother who did not like the idea of living like a penniless peasant thanks to her second daughter's idiocy, ultimately forced her to apologise against her will.

And when that finally happened, she cried in her own bedroom violently for her pride trampled so cruelly by that cunning red lip girl.

The third incident was what transpired a month ago.

The day Shinichi severe all ties to be with Ranran, that became their tipping point.

Upon breaking and entering their grandparent's house, it was one misfortune after the other. What followed later was a path so miserable, she knew her days were numbered as long as Shinichi is still under the influence of that manipulative little girl.

But seriously, Sonoko never thought out of all of the misery she had lived through at the age of 6, she is now heavily depending on the same she-demon to buy her meds and tried to have Shinichi deliver to her by tomorrow, only if the typhoon subsides.

Sonoko was feeling miserable with her sneezing and down with a fever. Her body ached all over, and she had a headache that wouldn't go away. Every time she tried to move or even open her eyes, her head pounded with pain. The constant sneezing only added to her discomfort, making her nose red and sore. She felt weak and tired, with no energy to do anything.

The typhoon outside only made things worse. The wind howled and the rain poured down, making the tent shake and causing a constant din. The sound of the raindrops hitting the tent was like an incessant drumbeat that wouldn't stop. The temperature had dropped, making the inside of the tent cold and damp.

Sonoko wished she could crawl into a warm bed and sleep the day away, feeling envious that Shinichi and Ranran are probably enjoying life in the hotel, but she was stuck in the tent, with no relief from her symptoms.

With a combination of envy and past memories, she shed tears while laying down on the ground of the tent. "Sonoko, I know it hurts a lot now that you are sick, but try not to cry. It will worsen your fever," Ran said with concern.

Sonoko nodded weakly, trying to suppress her tears. She knew Ran was right, but it was hard not to feel miserable in her current state. The memory of her past traumas mixed with the discomfort of her present illness was too much to bear.

Ran sat beside her, offering comfort and making sure she had everything she needed. She had a warm blanket wrapped around her and a cup of hot tea in her hand, but nothing seemed to alleviate the pain and discomfort she was feeling. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Sonoko shook her head weakly. "No, I'll be okay. I think I was stupid to think that I completely recovered from that seasickness days ago."

Ran nodded understandingly. "Well, if you need anything, just let me know. I made some ginger tea with me that might help settle your stomach."

Sonoko smiled weakly. "Thank you, Ran."

"....what is with you crying like that? You rarely cry when you are sick." Ran can't help but be concerned about her friend.

"I'm just feeling overwhelmed," replied Sonko, wiping away their tears. "The serial killer is on the same island we are in, with no means of escape. While I am now sick and longing for my parents, and a warm bed, Ranran and Shinichi are probably enjoying life in that hotel. I guess it all just became too much to handle. Also the damn typhoon...it's going to be way worse for me if it doesn't go down. That I am stuck for another day with no meds."

Sonoko cough roughly as Ran pat her back.

"It's going to be alright, Sonoko," reassured Ran.

"I never thought I say this, but I should've listened to Ranran that camping sucks!" Sonoko sobbed to Ran.

Ran gave Sonoko a sympathetic smile. "It's okay, Sonoko. We'll get through this together. And don't worry, I'm sure Shinichi is doing everything he can to catch the killer and keep us safe."

"I know," Sonoko said, nodding. "I'm just feeling really down right now."

"That's understandable," Ran said. "But we'll make it through. And once this is all over, we can go back to our normal lives. You'll be back with your parents and your warm bed before you know it."

As the night went on, Sonoko started to feel a little better, and they all settled in for the night, tired from the day's activities but happy to be together

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

On a Tuesday morning, however, the weather did not get any better.

And if the weather was like a fortune teller, it was predicting to Ranran that things are about to become far worst for her back in the penthouse.

"Shinichi, you overslept. It's 11 am. Wake up."

Ranran's voice was urgent as she shook Shinichi awake. Shinichi groaned and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?" he mumbled.

"It's 11 am. You overslept," replied Ranran.

Shinichi sat up quickly, suddenly wide awake. "11 am? That's impossible. My watch must have stopped."

"It's not just your watch, Shinichi. Mine says the same thing," said Ranran, showing him her watch.

Shinichi frowned. "This is strange. I don't remember ever oversleeping like this before."

Suddenly, he was coughing profusely Ranran's expression turned to concern as she watched Shinichi cough. "Are you okay, Shinichi?" she asked, putting her hand on his forehead.

Shinichi nodded weakly. "I'm fine, Ran. It's just a cough. I'll be okay."

But Ranran wasn't convinced. "You're running a fever," she said, checking his temperature with her hand.

Shinichi sighed. "I guess it's my turn to catch the bug," he said, a hint of resignation in his voice.

"How did you get sick-"

Then it dawned on Ranran that thanks to Mouri Ran constantly screaming that there was a ghost back in the campsite at around 12 am, and him constantly having to deal with the heavy typhoon under a small tent, plus him staying up most of the night to look into the case shortly after moving into the penthouse, it was no wonder that Shinichi having lack of proper rest had reduced his body immunity so much so, he had caught a cold.

"Great, so in addition to Sonoko falling sick back at that campsite, you too are now sick."

Shinichi nodded weakly. "Yeah, I guess you are one sick detective down," he said with a small smile.

Ranran shook her head. "This is no laughing matter, Shinichi. We need to get you some medicine."

"But what about Sonoko? She too is sick back at the campsite. Someone needs to ride a horse and give her the meds as well." Shinichi asked, gesturing towards the storm raging outside.

Ranran thought for a moment. "I think Sonoko may have to wait another day, the weather forecast states that it is now too dangerous to go outside. Right now, you are the patient that needed caring."

Shinichi nodded, understanding the situation. "Okay, then let's focus on getting me better first. Do we have any medicine here in the penthouse?"

Ranran nodded. "The medicine I bought for Sonoko. Let me go get it. I will get her another bag later."

She quickly retrieved the medicine from her bag and brought it over to Shinichi. "Here you go. Take this and get some rest. Don't worry about the case, I will take over your share of the work."

Shinichi took the medicine and swallowed it, grimacing at the taste. "Thanks, Ranran. I'm sorry for being such a burden."

Ranran smiled gently. "You're not a burden, Shinichi. Unlike that heiress."

Shinichi nodded, already feeling drowsy from the medicine. He lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes.

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

"Are you serious, Ranran!?" Takuma and Ran were appalled on a Tuesday Morning back at the activity centre, Kodama Forest while talking through the walkie-talkie Shinichi had given them several days earlier. "Shinichi is sick too!?"

Ranran nodded solemnly, speaking into the walkie-talkie. "Yes, Takuma. He caught a cold and is running a fever. A combination of Mouri Ran's screaming while sleeping in a cramped little tent with the typhoon outside, the worries of the serial killer situation on the island, plus him staying up all night investigating taken its toll on his 6-year-old body."

Takuma's voice was full of concern. "That's not good."

"I am sorry," Mouri Ran apologize, "I didn't mean to scream every 12 am, because I thought I saw a ghost-"

"This time, this isn't your fault," interrupted Ranran. "You didn't see a ghost, but the serial killer, alright?"

Takuma's voice then groaned, "Why must the timing be a lot worst than it already is!? Seriously, I swear that Kami-sama wants to murder us."

Ran out a sigh. "I don't think it's Kami-sama's doing, it's just bad luck."

"Even if it was bad luck, this feels like an overkill," Takuma respond.

"Listen, you two will continue your parts. Meanwhile, I will be doing Shinichi's part and mine, while I do a video face meeting with the other members of Tantei Association back in the city. Alright?" Ranran ordered.

Takuma and Mouri Ran nodded in agreement over the walkie-talkie.

"Okay, Ranran. Just be careful, and take care of Shinichi as well," Takuma advised.

"Don't worry, I will," Ranran replied.

With that, they ended the call, and Ranran went to check on Shinichi, who was now lying in bed, shivering from his fever. "How are you feeling, Shinichi?" she asked, sitting down beside him.

"Awful," Shinichi replied weakly, "My head is throbbing and I feel so cold."

Ranran placed her hand on his forehead. "Your fever is still high. I need to get you some medicine."

"Wait, Ranran."Shinichi interrupted her, "The medicine you bought for Sonoko earlier, what brand is it?"

"It's a generic brand that the pharmacy recommended. Why do you ask?" Ranran replied, curious.

Shinichi closed his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking. "Go down the hotel lobby and head to the pharmacy, buy me something that will speed up my recovery within a day."

Ranran looked at him, "What makes you think I would know which brand will do you good? Also, are you sure your body can handle it? You are 6 years old like me."

"Firstly, when I dropped by your house one time, I saw your mother ask you to open the cabinet to hand over your father the cough drop when he was recovering from flu at that time. I saw that there was a variety of cough drops there with all sorts of names. She didn't mention the name, and yet, you were oddly able to pick out which specific drug for your dad. It was then I knew you were knowledgeable about which brand of medicine is good for anyone. And secondly, I don't want to lie here in bed for days, especially with the killer on the loose. I need to get back on my feet as soon as possible."

Ranran's mouth fell agape, "You are too observant, you know that?"

Shinichi chuckled softly, "It's one of the skills of being a detective. So, will you do it?"

Ranran sighed, "Fine, but promise me you'll take it easy and not overdo it."

"I promise," Shinichi replied with a small smile.

Ranran nodded, understanding his concern. "Alright, I'll go buy you the meds. But promise me that you don't do a single investigation work while I'm gone."

"I will," Shinichi assured her.

Ranran quickly got up from the bed and headed out of the room. She went down to the hotel lobby and found the pharmacy.

As she walked, Ranran mentally went over the different types of medicine that could help reduce fever and boost the immune system. She remembered reading about a certain brand that was known to work quickly and effectively. She reached the pharmacy and asked the pharmacist for the specific brand.

As she waits for the pharmacist to collect the medicine she requested, Ranran couldn't help but feel the weight of the situation they were in. The typhoon had trapped them on the island, and now with Shinichi sick, it felt like everything was working against them. She also couldn't shake off the worry about the serial killer, who was still on the loose.

Remembering Shinichi's request, she approached the pharmacist and requested specific brands of medicine, which the pharmacist later frown at her and said, "How old are you?"

"Six."

"You are too young to know the name of those drugs you requested. Do you know how much to take? If you take too much, you can die of an overdose."

Ranran was a bit agitated by that statement, but she didn't let it show. Originally she was going to counter back with a rude comment, but then she decided to go for the softer approach by acting like the pitiful child, "I'm sorry, but my Tousan is the one who taught me which brand is the most effective. He usually leave me and Oniichan alone when he and our mother fly overseas to work, so I had to memorize their names to know which meds work. Right now, these meds here are for my Oniichan who is recovering from the flu and having a hard time."

The pharmacist's expression softened at her words. "I see. Well, in that case, let me give you some advice. Always make sure to read the instructions carefully and never take more than the recommended dose. And if you experience any unusual symptoms, seek medical attention immediately."

Ranran nodded, "Thank you, sir. I will keep that in mind."

The pharmacist handed over the medicine, and Ranran paid for it before quickly heading back to the penthouse.

Ranran nodded, "Thank you, sir. I will keep that in mind."

The pharmacist handed over the medicine, and Ranran paid for it.

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

"Now open your mouth and say ah for the medicine!" Ranran chirped with a spoon in her hand with the syrup.

Shinichi opened his mouth obediently, and Ranran poured the medicine into his mouth. The syrup tasted sweet, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Shinichi swallowed it down and made a face.

"Eww, it tastes terrible," he complained.

"You are likely to fall asleep a lot more than usual within the first 24 hours, but it is normal after you take the medication, as this is the side effect."

"Sleep more!? Wait, then what about the case!?"

"You said you want to recover as soon as possible within a day, right? This is the price one has to pay if one is eager to recover quickly."

Shinichi sighed, feeling frustrated that he couldn't work on the case while he was sick. But he knew that Ranran was right and needed to rest to recover properly.

"You're right. I guess I'll just have to trust you to keep an eye on things while I'm out of commission," Shinichi said, his voice tired.

"In addition to that, for your meals," Ranran grins wistfully, "You would be eating porridge for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

Shinichi groaned at the thought of having to eat porridge for every meal. "Can't I have anything else?"

Ranran shook her head, "Sorry, but your throat looks very red when I use torchlight to shine into your throat earlier. Eating anything else might worsen your condition"

Shinichi sighed again, resigned to his fate of eating porridge and sleeping a lot. "Alright, I'll do whatever it takes to recover quickly."

Shinichi let out another sigh, feeling defeated. "Fine, I'll eat the porridge."

Ranran smiled at him, "Good. Now rest, and I'll make sure to keep you in the loop of the case."

"By the way, Ranran, did your parents teach you to do all of this on your own when you were in the U.K.?"

Ranran's smile faded slightly at the mention of her parents. "They taught me some basic survival skills, but most of what I learned was through trial and error," she said, her tone a little sad. "They were often away for work, and though I was under the care of my stepgrandfather...I was mostly on my own. But....even that wasn't enough when my mentor fell ill," Ranran added.

"Your mentor?" His eyes blinked in confusion, "The one who was murdered by his mother, right?"

Ranran nodded, a sombre expression on her face. "While...his dad and step-mom were in prison thanks to his mom...his mom was out seeking 'company'. So even when he fell sick...he had no basic skills on how to look after himself if the parent is away."

Shinichi's expression softened with understanding. "I see. You had to take care of your mentor when he was sick, just like how you're taking care of me now."

A hint of sorrow lingered in her eyes. "You know....when I went around his kitchen to find some medicine...there was not a single in existence left for him."

Shinichi frowned, "Did it run out?"

"At first, I thought it was the case. He...reassured me that his mom had people buy it to restock the meds. But then the days turn to almost a week, I knew she was either lying to him or that he was lying to me so that he doesn't make me look after him when he was sick at that time. Until he collapses....he was 7 at that time."

Shinichi's heart sank as he listened to Ranran's story. "I'm so sorry, Ranran."

Ranran shrugged her eyes curtained with bangs,  "It wasn't enough towards the end, it was never enough to keep him alive."

Shinichi felt a lump in his throat.

"I'm sure you did everything you could for him, Ranran," Shinichi said softly, trying to offer her some comfort.

Ranran looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. "I felt like it ain't enough. He was murdered by his more towards the end....succumb to his injuries just like that..."

Shinichi who saw her sorrowful back for the first time, wanted to reach out to her to say it wasn't her fault, but then Shinichi was beginning to feel the effects of the medicine taking over his body.

"Rest now, Shinichi. Don't force yourself to be awake. I will wake you up when hotel service is done with your porridge."

"Ah right, alright then," Shinichi said, his voice already growing weaker.

Ranran placed a hand on his forehead to check his temperature and was relieved to find that it was beginning to drop. She then turned off the lights and closed the curtains, making the room as comfortable as possible for him.

As Shinichi drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but think about how much he had learned about Ranran and her past in such a short time. He knew that there was so much more to discover about her, but for now, he needed to focus on getting better so he could continue to help with the case.

With that thought in mind, Shinichi surrendered to the medicine's effects and drifted off to sleep, knowing that he was in good hands with Ranran watching over him.

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

"So as you can see here..." Ranran panned her smartphone with the face-to-face video call with the other members, Emiko, Michio and Junko who are gathering at the main HQ of Tantei Association while directing their eyes at a snoozing Shinichi, "He is too sick to do a thing at the moment."

Emiko, Michio, and Junko all looked concerned when they saw Shinichi sleeping on the screen.

"Is he going to be okay?" Michio asked, her voice full of worry.

Ranran nodded. "Yes, he just needs to rest and recover. I'll be taking care of him in the meantime."

Michio frowned. "But what about the case?"

"He has done his part and his notebook is in his bag, so I will go through with what he had found so far. In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep up with the investigation on my own. I will also make sure to keep Shinichi in the loop once he's feeling better."

Junko smiled. "Don't worry, Ranran. We'll all help you out as much as we can."

Ranran smiled back. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it."

Michio quipped, "As both you and Shinichi's babysitter, I suggest you make sure he eats on time, set alarms on your phone, as well as order the maple porridge. Its sweetness will heal the throat a bit faster."

"Maple porridge?! What is that?" Junko became confused.

Ranran then explained, "It's a type of porridge that's sweetened with maple syrup. Apparently, it's good for sore throats. In the U.K., we have that."

Junko nodded. "Ah, I see. Well, I'm sure Shinichi will appreciate a change from plain porridge."

Emiko added, "And don't forget to make sure he drinks plenty of fluids too."

Ranran nodded, "I won't forget. Thanks for your help, guys. I'll keep you updated on the case."

With that, the call ended, and Ranran focused on taking care of Shinichi and continuing the investigation. "I wonder how is Sonoko doing at the campsite? She is still sick after all."

Ranran then stares out the window outside, the typhoon is still raging outside, the rain slamming against the glass panes and the wind howling. She couldn't help but worry about what this weather meant for the case.

As she sat by Shinichi's side, checking his temperature and making sure he was comfortable, Ranran continued to ponder the case.

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

At the Kodama campsite, with the howling wind and the relentless rain, Sonoko was feeling even worse than before. She had been lying in her tent for hours, unable to sleep, feeling feverish and achy all over.

As she lay there, she thought about Ranran and Shinichi and wondered how they were doing. She so badly wants to sleep on a warm bed they have in the penthouse, rather than in this cold and damp tent. She knows they are safe in the typhoon, which frustrates her more because she wanted to join them in that hotel, whichever room there is. She hated feeling helpless and useless.

Suddenly, she heard a loud thud outside her tent. She sat up, her heart pounding in her chest, wondering what it could be. She took a deep breath and mustered up her courage, then unzipped the tent flap and poked her head outside.

She saw a fallen tree branch lying on the ground near her tent and realized that the wind had knocked it down. Sonoko sighed in relief, glad that it was nothing more serious. But as she looked around, she noticed that several other trees were swaying dangerously in the wind.

"I want my medication...." She moaned.

That was merely wishful thinking for the heiress, it wasn't possible for Shinichi and Ranran to ride a horse and come here, due to the typhoon.

If that didn't sound bad enough, even Shinichi has fallen ill back at the hotel.

But what frustrates her, was that, unlike Sonoko, he had Ranran to look after him in their warm bedroom in some hotel, while Sonoko was stuck in this miserable weather in a tent. She knew she shouldn't be comparing herself to others, but the thought still lingered in her mind.

Feeling more helpless than ever, Sonoko retreated back into her tent and tried to get some rest. Ran is out in the activity centre of Kodama forest with Takuma, searching around for anything suspicious, so she and the other kids are in their own respective tents.

"I will do anything to leave this place and check into the hotel," Sonoko suddenly felt irritation, as she uncontrollably began to scratch her arms and legs covered with red angry spots.

Sonoko's skin felt hot to the touch, and she realized that her fever was getting worse. She groaned and tried to ignore the itching and discomfort, but it was becoming unbearable. Yesterday, there were no visible spots,  but now, her whole body was covered in them.

Sonoko was a vain little girl, although she knows she wasn't closely or remotely as beautiful as Ranran, her one good point was that she had fair complexion. But even that was no longer a bragging right for the heiress, now that she is covered in red itchy spots.

Feeling miserable and self-conscious about her appearance, she couldn't stand the thought of anyone seeing her like this, especially Ranran of all people. She wished she could just disappear or magically be healed of this sickness.

As she lay in her tent, she thought about all the things she was missing out on. The camping trip, the company of her friends, the comfort of a warm bed, and the thought of delicious food all seemed so far away and unattainable.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus on breathing, but the itching and discomfort were too much. She tossed and turned, hoping for some relief, but nothing seemed to work.

"Please, let this be over soon," Sonoko whispered to herself, tears streaming down her cheeks.

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

"Sonoko had red spots?!" Ranran's voice was startled from the walkie-talkie."Does she have chicken pox!?"

"Ah no, it defiantly ain't." Ran insists in the dining room of Kodama forest while Takuma sat opposite her, "She had it once way back then, so it shouldn't be the case anymore."

"How bad is it, really?"

Takuma's voice dripped with sarcasm, "Oh, it was a sight, Ranran," he said. "Red spots all over her body, like a field of poppies in bloom. She looked positively radiant."

Ran rolled his her, clearly unimpressed with Takuma making a joke out of her friend's illness.

"I think...this isn't good."

"What is not? Sonoko's illness?" Ran thinks.

"I mean...I could be wrong, but..." Ranran paused.

Takuma looked at the walkie-talkie, waiting for her to finish her sentence. "But what?" Takuma asked, her tone filled with concern.

"I think there might be something else going on here," Ranran said, her voice low.

"What do you mean?" Ran asked, feeling a little uneasy.

"Well, I don't want to jump to conclusions, but these red spots on Sonoko's skin...did they look almost like bites?" Ranran said, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Bites? Like from an animal or insect?" Ran asked.

"I ain't complete sure," Takuma said, "But she had red rashes all over her body. She was as red as a lobster."

Ranran's face paled. "That's not good," she said.

"Why?!" Ran demands.

"Because I think...after hearing the symptoms she had, she may have caught dengue."

"Dengue?!" Ran exclaimed in shock. "What is that?!"

"Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes," Takuma explained. "It can cause high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, and a rash. If left untreated, it can lead to complications and even death in severe cases."

"What?! How is that even possible?!" Ran was shaken, "We have a freaking typhoon here, and those blood-sucking insects are still able to come around and give people dengue?!"

"It's rare, but not unheard of," Takuma explained. "It's a mosquito-borne disease, and with the heavy rain and typhoon, there could be an outbreak of mosquitoes in the area."

If there is a proper definition of how Takuma is about to describe Mouri Ran right now, who is fuming with panic and stress, it's that she is a bundle of nerves. Her face was flushed with worry, her eyes wide and darting around as if searching for a way to fix the situation. She was practically vibrating with stress, her hands clenched tightly at her sides as she tried to process the information and think of what to do next.

It was then a cruel reality set in for Takuma.

Either one gets killed by the serial killer or dies by contracting dengue. He didn't know which of these is the worst.

For the first time ever, Ranran's words about hating camping began to make sense for him.