In a Gothic-looking mansion which was reused as a camping activity centre, the 4 members of Tantei Association, Kudo Shinichi, Mouri Ran and Hikari Takuma are having a discussion about what normal 1st graders don't normally do: To locate Tantei Association's first-ever potential serial killer.

Well, it ain't really the first. During the 'Illegitimate Extra' case, when the murderer was revealed to be the Extra's mom, although there is circumstantial evidence that suggests she committed the murder of 2 people, that case, in particular, had two killers with different motives, so it doesn't really count as a serial killer case.

While all of this is going on, on an afternoon whereby the rain pours heavily once more, the children of class 1-A are in a panic state outside the hallway.

If one is the description what the mental state of the children is like at the moment, it would remind Reina of the state of friends and family members, waiting outside anxiously in the hospital hallway as their loved one is waiting for the results, uncertain if their medical report is going to say they are clear state of health, or it is the beginning of hell.

But the children of 1-A, are waiting outside for an entirely different matter.

When you have classmates who have intelligence that is almost to the level of Sherlock Holmes, let alone, looking into the possibility that there is a possible serial killer among them, on an island where there is no way of contacting the outside world, it is understandable why they are feeling so anxious and fearful.

The rain outside only adds to the sense of isolation and claustrophobia that they are feeling. They huddle together, trying to make sense of the situation and wondering what they should do next.

Waiting outside, their worst fear is that 6-year-old Shinichi would come out and announced two worst possible outcomes.

The first possible outcome is that they have found evidence that confirms the existence of a serial killer on the island and that they are all in danger.

As they wait, some of the children try to comfort each other, while others pace back and forth, unable to sit still. Some whisper nervously amongst themselves, wondering what their next move should be. Others try to distract themselves by playing games or singing songs.

The atmosphere is tense and heavy, and it feels like time is moving at a snail's pace. Every passing moment feels like an eternity, and they are all desperate for answers.

Matsuyuki Reina was standing still, having been used to this atmosphere since her boyfriend and best friend are both members of the association.

Reina had learned to trust in the abilities of the members, even though she herself wasn't part of the association. She knew that they were all intelligent and resourceful kids who were capable of handling even the toughest of situations. However, the current situation was different. The possibility of a serial killer among them was not something to be taken lightly, and it was causing Reina to feel anxious and uneasy.

As she stood there, waiting for some news, she couldn't help but think about the worst possible outcomes that Shinichi might announce. The thought of losing any of her classmates was terrifying, let alone the thought of a killer among them.

Also...if she dies...who is going to protect her cousin, Moriko?

Moriko is her cousin through her mother's remarriage to her stepdad. Though they had no blood relations with each other, Reina is very protective of Moriko and considers her as her own sister. Moriko is the same age as her and they have always been very close. Reina has promised herself to protect Moriko at all costs and ensure that nothing bad happens to her. If she ever dies through such means, Moriko...she won't be herself anymore.

The worst part of all of this is...she ends up like Reina's best friend Ranran.

Blunt, calculative, cunning, at times even ruthless, all because Ranran lost someone close to her.

The thought of Moriko becoming like that is unbearable for Reina. But Moriko probably wouldn't be as bad as Ranran, if she ever finds out Reina dies.

Whenever Reina sees Ranran, she is reminded of that state funeral when Ranran was 4, carrying a heavy frame of photos that is beyond her size,  of her 8-year-old friend who was murdered by his mother in the name of greed and royal connections.

When Reina first heard of this, she too was the same age as Ranran. But she couldn't understand complicated terms the adults in her family mentioned how he died. Things like 'mother killing son' was something she couldn't comprehend. Reina had disagreements with her mother, and she ain't as close with her as her biological father, but overall: This was the first time she hears such disagreement could end in murder.

Reina can still vividly remember the look on Ranran's face as she held onto that heavy frame of the photo. The long herse driving the corpse of 'The Boy' followed behind her as the 4-year-old walked a dignified walk that was too mature for her age. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, yet she did not shed a single tear as she carried the weight of her friend's memories with her.

Reina watched from a distance, standing with her mother and uncle as they paid their respects. She couldn't help but see the sense of sadness wash over her as she watched Ranran struggle with the heavy frame. It was as if she could feel the weight of the tragedy that had befallen Ranran's friend and her family.

Even at such a young age, Reina understood the gravity of the situation. She knew that what had happened was terrible, and it had left an indelible mark on Ranran's life. The funeral she recalled was held in a grand cathedral with high ceilings and stained-glass windows, and there were rows of chairs lined up for the mourners to sit on.

Yes, all of that she definitely remembered as if it was yesterday, including the time the then 4-year-old Ranran humiliated the then 4-year-old Sonoko, after speaking ill of her during the funeral possession, which left the mourners in bad taste directly at Sonoko.

At that time when Reina was watching all of this from her seat, a lot of children in strange school uniforms cheered for Ranran, encouraging her to punish Sonoko further.

Reina also remembered how shocked and confused she was when Ranran had lashed out at the ill-mannered Sonoko. A normal child would've assumed that Ranran was being unreasonable and illogical.

But Reina knew better: She knew Ranran was doing this because she was provoked.

Nobody noticed it back then, while everyone stood outside the road as Ranran lead the funeral procession, how that rude Sonoko at that time was telling her own mother she can act pretty than Ranran, and that it's all about looks and acting.

When she first heard of that, it was the first time Reina feel a twinge of anger, towards Sonoko for saying those things to a girl who had just lost a friend through murder. She knew that Ranran had been through a lot, and she didn't deserve to be ridiculed and humiliated like that, especially not during a funeral procession.

So it was no surprise that Ranran's outburst towards Sonoko was a result of her pent-up pain and anger. But then Reina heard more stories about "The Boy's" death.

That Ranran was after all his only friend. And that he sacrificed himself one last time for Ranran, resulting in his death.

As Reina grew older, she began to understand the depth of Ranran's pain and the reason for her cold, calculated nature. She knew that Ranran had been forced to grow up too fast and that the weight of her friend's death had left a permanent mark on her soul.

Maybe that is why even up till now, in addition to feeling protective over Moriko, Reina felt a strong sense of responsibility towards Ranran more.

So no matter what, she must stay alive.

Reina knew that she couldn't take away Ranran's pain, but she could be there for her and support her in any way she could. She would often invite Ranran to spend time with her and Moriko, hoping to create some happy memories to counterbalance the darkness in Ranran's life.

At times, Ranran would open up to Reina about her feelings and the struggles she was facing. Reina would listen without judgement, offering words of comfort and encouragement. It wasn't always easy, as Ranran's emotions could be intense and overwhelming, but Reina was determined to be a constant in her friend's life.

Over time, Reina noticed that Ranran was beginning to...she wouldn't say the word 'soften around the edges', but it was in her own way. She would smirk a bit more, and her interactions with them...was a mix of sarcasm and amusement. It was as if Reina's love and support were slowly chipping away the fancy gates that Ranran had built around herself.

It was a tiny step, but she was proud of the progress that Ranran had made.

Which is why she must stay alive no matter what. But with the possibility of a serial killer among them, Reina knows that it's a tall order.

While waiting, a familiar voice said, "Ranran's influence must have done you wonders, you are able to be so calm about this."

Reina turned to see it was none other than Suzuki Sonoko.

Reina stiffened at the sound of Sonoko's voice, her body tensing up as she remembered the incident at the state funeral all those years ago. She had never forgotten the way Sonoko had insulted Ranran during the procession. Until now.

However, she didn't want to start any drama at the moment, so she forced herself to remain calm and composed. "I am calm because I trust in the abilities of the association and its members," she replied coolly.

"I know they are capable, I never doubt them," Sonoko found herself leaning against the wall next to Reina, "It's just...I mean if they do find any traces that there is in fact a serial killer, does this not bother you?"

Reina looked at Sonoko and paused for a moment before answering. "Of course, it bothers me. No one wants to live in fear of a serial killer. But I have faith in the association and their abilities to protect us. Besides, living in fear is not the way I want to live my life. It's better to be cautious and aware, but not to let fear control us."

"It's easier said than done," Sonoko scoffed, before adding with a hint of distress, "There is a total of 23 of us-"

"24." Reina corrected the heiress, "You forgot Ranran."

"I didn't cause I know she can protect herself, but as for the rest of the 23 of us...plus sensei, and 3 of the instructors, supposedly if one of them is the killer...."Sonoko sighs in scepticism, "I just can't wrap my head around it. How can someone be capable of such heinous crimes while living amongst us? It's unsettling. And it just had to occur during our camping trip of all days too! If I had known this was going to happen, I would've wanted out of this trip!"

"Don't we all," Reina silently cast a glance at the other children across the hallway, who are very likely feeling the same way.

"And I have so many things I want to do in life...." Sonoko can't help but be a bit saddened by this, "I am only 6, and yet we are already dreading the worst that will happen to us, all thanks to two deaths-"

"Three."

"I am sorry?!" Sonoko blinked.

"Three," Reina repeated in a low voice, not wanting the other kids to hear what they are conversing, "Ranran....found out there was another confirmed death linked to the other two outside the camp. So three deaths."

Sonoko's eyes widened in shock. "Three...that's even worse," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, before curiosity got the better of her, "Who was it that died?"

"The previous instructor's shift Eiji took over, he died when his shower unit exploded."

"Hah!?" Sonoko's eyes widened in shock at the revelation. "What brand was it?"

"Toshiba. And it is the latest model."

"Jesus, seriously!?" Even Sonoko was in disbelief before lowly hissing, "I had 20 of those shower units in the many mansions my family has bought, and it has never gone faulty! How in the world it just simply explode out of the blue!?"

Reina shrugged, "I don't know the details. But it's been confirmed that his death...isn't an accident according to Ranran. Which is why Shinichi is now having a huge discussion with the association over what to do with the situation."

Sonoko's expression then turned serious after hearing this, "If Ranran said is true, that this is way more serious than we had initially assumed!"

Reina nods glumly, as their eyes remained on the door.

The silence stretched on between them, the only sounds in the hallway being the soft whispers of the other children and the occasional footsteps of the instructors and teacher. Reina couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach, despite her attempts to remain calm.

"Neh, Reina ...considering that the weather is severe to a point that no one can send help to the cops here...if there is a said confirmed serial killer...what is Tantei Association's contingency plan should that happen? Will they be evacuating us out of this place?"Sonoko pressed.

"That would be in Ranran's books the 'dumbest move' in history," Reina stared up at the ceiling, "Doing that will easily tip the killer off that people are aware of his killings, and they will do anything to silence them to prevent this from ever coming out. The solution to this is to lie to them that there isn't one, or that they couldn't determine due to lack of evidence."

"But Reina, the person is a murderer. It would be stupid to stay back. Also, why lie?" Sonoko said.

"Neh Sonoko, have you ever heard of a formicarium?"

Sonoko shook her head, looking confused.

"It's a structure that houses ants, this one is something Ranran taught me," Reina explained, "The walls are made of glass, so you can observe the ants without disturbing their natural behaviour. The ants inside don't know they're being watched, so they act as they normally would. But if you were to tap on the glass or try to interfere with them, their behaviour changes and they become more aggressive or defensive."

With any ounce of colour draining out of Sonoko, "The same applies here. If the killer becomes aware that we know that he or she stages all of the accidents into murder, they might flick the switch and end up...killing us all."

Reina's words seemed to sink in for Sonoko, who looked visibly shaken by the implications. "So, if they found evidence of serial killing....they had no choice but to lie? Just to protect us?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Reina nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's the plan for now. We have to trust in the Tantei Association and their ability to keep us safe. And in the meantime, we have to be careful and stay vigilant."

After thinking hard about it, Sonoko probed, "How do we know if Tantei Association is lying?"

Reina paused, considering the question. "You will know, and it won't be pretty."

Suddenly, Sonoko is wishing the door doesn't open one bit.

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

"Alright, let me recap everything about this case from scratch."

With a laser and a whiteboard before the dining table, it was time for Shinichi to take over the briefing of today's meeting in front of Ran and Takuma.

Shinichi cleared his throat and began, "The case we're dealing with is a series of accidents that have been happening at this campsite. However, we suspect that these 'accidents' are actually staged murders."

Ran and Takuma leaned in, listening intently.

"And Ranran and I dug around, everything seemed to trace us back to this place," He then taps the photo of a campus-like building, "Midori no Daigaku, a university based in Hokkaido, that is where all the murdered victims had in common."

Shinichi then cast several photos of suspects and victims on the board one by one, "Itsuki Jun, this was before she changed her married name to Yasuo, was around 19 or 20 at that time before she met a young man whom she was planning to spend the rest of her life with A young man named Nakamura Kichiro, who is also studying environmental engineering at that time."

"Eh...so that is the fiance Junko mentioned, huh?" Takuma leans his head on his hand.

"He is quite good-looking," Ran observed the photo of Nakamura Kichiro, whose appearance was indeed striking. With black hair, harp features, and piercing eyes, he seemed to exude a sense of confidence and charisma.

"And then we have Yasuo Miki, Jun's current husband. Before, he seems to be the third wheel between Kichiro and Jun, and they had a close bond as friends. Everything was going smoothly for them, with bright futures hanging above them, but then this man here," He points to the next photo, "Another young man, who is their senior, Kagetora Kiryu changed the trajectory of their relationship when out of the blue, they supposedly went on an expedition in South America, Argentina."

"Supposedly?" Ran asked.

"Yes, supposedly," Shinichi confirmed. "Because Ranran sent one of the members to that university to look into the record, but for some odd reason, they had gone missing. But there was one thing we were able to confirm."

Pointing at a news clip with a headline about a climber dying after an accident went horribly wrong, Shinichi reveals, "Now another odd reason, I was unable to find any shred of news reporting this, even the campus news as well. So I dug for news overseas, and from the Argentina local paper which someone fortunately translated into English, a student from the same university passed away after falling to their death. Judging by the timeline the news was published, plus the fact that this specific post-graduate program was only offered to those who graduated that particular semester at the same time our suspects and victims did, it all adds up to something going horribly wrong with that expedition."

Ran nodded in agreement, "So it seems like Kiryu might be the key to this case."

"Exactly," Shinichi sighs disappointedly, "The problem with that was..."He tap at Kiryu's photo, "He died not long ago when the shower unit he was using exploded."

Takuma raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Wait, so Kiryu is dead? How are we supposed to get any information from him?"

Shinichi shook his head, "I honestly don't know."

"How is it possible that any records regarding whatever expedition the suspects and victim used to go on would go missing?" Takuma bridged his eyebrows, "I get it that the incident happened in Argentina, which is why any news about him probably didn't surface here in Japan. But I doubt that the university campus would simply lose the records of their students doing something, especially when it is going to involve the students going overseas doing research on...whatever they are doing."

"You seemed familiar with how university campuses work," Ran noted, impressed.

"My paternal grandfather used to work as a professor in a university, so I've been around campuses quite a bit," Takuma explained with a small smile, then adds, "The reason I said this is because it is common for universities to document every single activity to promote campus life to attract students to enrol there, make sure whatever they feature is better their competitor."

Ran nodded in agreement, "You have a point, Takuma. It is highly unlikely for the records to simply disappear, especially when it involves an international expedition. But we don't have any concrete evidence to prove otherwise."

"Anyway, shortly after Kichiro passed away, that is how Jun ended up with Miki," The laser point reached the husband and wife photo, while Shinichi narrates, "From what the members had gathered, Miki has become Jun's shoulder to lean on after as she was very grief-stricken over his death, then later got married a month after Kichiro died."

"Wait, hold on a minute," Ran stopped the meeting, "Shinichi, how long do they know each other? Jun and the previous fiancé?"

"For four years."

"Then what about Miki?"

"Around the same time, they enrol during that same year."

"And how long did Jun begin dating again?"

"A week after Kichiro died, they dated for a month, then they got married."

"So what...this would be like....what?" Ran counted her digits before her eyes widened, "It took 7 days for her to move on after he died, and it roughly took 30 to 31 days for her to get to romantic date another man, then simply just got married after all of that?! That woman... barely had any feelings for Kichiro at all! What a scum bag!" Ran spats, then add, "Who in the world does this to someone within a week after their death?! Ain't that heartless!?"

"Now Ran, let's not get riled up-"

"No, she is right!" Takuma jumped from his seat and slams the table, angered by this revelation while ignoring Shinichi completely, "You know Miss Rika and I chatted earlier about Jun always belittling Miki non stop for every single time he had tried to please her, and at first, I assumed it was jealousy, but hearing all of this investigation made me realise that Jun is such a wench! If we calculated the time they got married leading up to now...that would've been 12 years since they got together. The marriage is way older than Kichiro's death. I guess Jun really wasted no time in getting herself a new man."

"How does one just simply ditch aside someone whom they had known for years just to...marry another?!" Ran was in dismay, and also disgusted, "That is so low of her."

"But Mouri, your Tousan also end up hanging out with those hostess bar women after he and your mother split up." Shinichi reminded her.

Takuma couldn't help but interject with a quip, "Well, in his defence, at least he didn't marry them a month after splitting up."

"Exactly!" Ran voiced in agreement. "If Jun was so grief-stricken over Kichiro's death, then why did she get married to Miki so soon after? It doesn't make sense."

Takuma nodded in agreement, "It definitely doesn't. No wonder Rika despise Jun, she is not only heartless but also a horrible person."

Shinichi sighed, "We can't jump to conclusions just because of this heartless act, Mouri, Hikari."

"You know, Kichirou fell off a cliff on the news, right?" It suddenly dawned on Takuma, as he snapped his finger, "Maybe, this is just speculation, but what if Miki and Jun have been secretly having an affair behind his back? Then killed him, and staged it to look like an accident just so they married a month later? Which explains why Jun said 'They are being punished'."

"But they were not married yet at that time," Ran disagrees, "She could've just easily broken the engagement, and that is about it. No need to go that far as to kill him. Let alone kill Yoshinaga Iwao, or even..."She glances at the photo of a scarred-faced man, "Eiji...I mean Eiji barely knows them. He is only friends with Kagetora Kiryu, the couple's senior in university, so why did he need to die?"

"Maybe Eiji could've been having an affair with Jun behind Miki's back, and he secretly found out about it, which is why the rope was cut," Takuma suggested.

"However, to do it in front of us....one needs to be way brazen, and not really smart move," Shinichi doubts, "I mean then everyone would know Miki did it, everyone recorded it on their smartphone, no? Also, he had no motive to kill their university friend, Yoshinaga Iwao, by leaving him in the freezer to die."

"But supposedly if Mr Iwao personally witness Eiji and Jun having an affair but covered it up behind Miki's back, it would be a difference," Ran suggested.

"And then we have another question that needs solving," Shinichi points at the horse instructor's photo, "According to Ranran, she overheard the conversation between Miki and his wife on a Tuesday night, arguing that 'she' is the reason why things hadn't been smooth sailing regarding their marriage. The question now is...is Nakagawa Rika the 'she' they were referring to?"

"Miss Rika had a crush on Miki since they were children," Ran's eyes cast on the reports, "And judging Jun's reaction around her husband Miki, always finding fault at him...it wouldn't be surprising if Miki too is secretly having an affair with Rika."

"If Miss Rika committed the murder, then she wouldn't have any reason to end Eiji's life by sabotaging the rope. Does she have the motive to end his wife's life for being unreasonable? Yes, but not Eiji. Remember, the rope was in tip-top condition during the first round according to Takuma's video." Shinichi reminded them, then remembering, "And also ending the life of Mr Iwao by locking him in the fridge...she was with you all at that time, the only time she returned was to collect the glove, and you all saw Mr Iwao at the window after she collected the glove, and that was it. And she didn't leave all of the whole lots of you out of sight during the horse trip."

"Then Miss Jun could've killed Mr Iwao, right?" Ran suddenly thinks back to how deranged she was, "The way she reacted around Miki with that crazed look, she is capable of killing anyone without thinking straight."

"Speaking of thinking straight," Takuma pointed back at Eiji's photo, "Ranran mentioned in the report that his identity could've been fraud in the previous company he worked for since the previous company said there was no record of him working there?"

"Yes," Shinichi confirmed this.

"If that is the case, the activity centre run by Miki and Jun...wouldn't they have noticed this the moment they contacted the previous company he worked for? Why didn't they notice?" Takuma can't help but wonder.

"That was also something odd Ranran noticed when we were having a meeting," Shinichi read through the reports, "The only conclusion she could come up with either both of them were very likely aware of Eiji's fraudulent past, then purposefully chose to overlook it for their own reasons. Or perhaps they were simply negligent in their background checks."

"Or maybe Eiji was involved in something shady, and they knew about it," Ran added. "Maybe he was blackmailing them, or had some kind of leverage over them."

"That's also a possibility," Shinichi paused, "There is also...one more odd thing that took place before Ranran vanished, and it is related to this case."

"What is it?" Takuma asked curiously.

Shinichi hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I am going to play all of you a video, could you all keep your mouth shut while watching it? I don't want the kids outside who are still waiting for us to confirm whether this is a serial killer case to panic based on both of your sounds."

"Sure, we'll keep quiet," Ran nodded, and Takuma followed suit.

Shinichi then pulled out his phone and played the video. It showed a mysterious man in a hoodie entering the girl's bunk bedroom alone, and then a few moments later, ransacking Ranran's backpack.

After the video ends, Takuma and Ran look at each other, shocked. "Ranran's painkiller medication she brought over...went missing," Shinichi said.

Takuma and Ran both looked stunned as they watched the video. "When did that happen?" Ran asked.

"Tuesday, hours before Ranran snuck out, stole a horse, and then booked a hotel."

Ran furrowed her brows. "Is that the reason why Ranran booked a hotel and refused to come back with you?" she clarified, "To hide from the thief?!"

"Yes," Shinichi replied, "Who wouldn't freak out after being ransacked?!"

Takuma sighed and rubbed his temples. "This is getting more complicated than I thought. Is he or she the killer who killed Eiji and Mr Iwao?"

"Wait a minute," Ran suddenly remembers, "While all of us were in our tents, whenever I saw that 'ghost'...what if it was the same man who stole Ranran's painkillers!?"

Takuma's eyes widen in realization. "It makes sense now, doesn't it!? He or she wasn't there to give us sleepless nights, but there to ensure we will remain alive to be killed!"

Ran frowned while she shivered in horror. "But why? What is the motive?"

"That's what we need to find out,"  Shinichi jotted down some notes. "We need to investigate further and see if we can find any clues or leads that can help us identify the killer. After this," He put his pencil down, "I would need to ride back to the hotel and let Ranran be aware of the updates regarding the case."

"Eh!? You are not going to remain at the campsite!?" Ran whined, "There is a killer here!"

"I know, Ran," Shinichi reassured her, "But I need to inform Ranran of the new development in the case and make sure she's safe. Plus, we have Takuma here who can help keep an eye on things."

Takuma nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, Ran. We'll stay vigilant and keep each other safe."

"I don't think it's that simple!" Ran hissed lowly, "This person killed so many people, we need to move our classmates, friends and others to that hotel Ranran is in!"

"Ranran thought of it, and thinks this is a bad idea-"

"Why!? We will die if we remain here!" Ran confronts Shinichi, cutting him off.

Shinichi held up a hand to calm Ran down. "Mouri, we need to approach this situation logically. Do you know why serial killers take years to be caught?"

Ran shook her head, looking impatient.

"It's because they are meticulous in their planning, they are methodical, and they are patient," Shinichi explained, "If we move everyone to the hotel, the killer will be aware that we knew the accidents he or she staged are actually murdered, thus, kills us all to keep it quiet."

Ran looked unconvinced. "But what if we are wrong? What if someone else dies, Shinichi?"

"Then let's do everything we can to prevent that from happening," Shinichi swore in determination, "But we need to be careful and strategic. We can't let our emotions cloud our judgment."

"Speaking of which, are we going to tell our classmates that there is a confirmed serial killer then?" Takuma straightened his sitting position, a little unsure now that he knows of their existence.

"Not yet," Shinichi replied, "Right now, despite all of this, we still lack solid evidence to prove it. We can't risk anyone making a mistake or doing something that could put them in danger."

"Then, are you suggesting we lie?" Ran argues, "We are playing with lives here!"

"No, we are not lying," Shinichi responded calmly, "We are just not disclosing everything until we have concrete evidence. We will inform our classmates and the authorities once we have a solid lead. It's a delicate situation, and we need to handle it with caution."

"Seriously, this camping trip that I initially assumed was going to be all out in the sun is beginning to turn into a nightmare," Takuma stood up and flip his chair a little forcefully under the table, "Had I known this was coming, I wouldn't mind being cooped up in the classroom rather than go on a camping trip, right Ran?"

Feeling the hopelessness of the situation, Mouri Ran is now regretting the moment, wishing that she never join on this camping trip had she known this was coming.

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

"I am still 6 years old, and there are so many things I plan to do in life. If there really is a serial killer....we are screwed."

"Damn it, I don't even have a girlfriend yet, and we are about to die."

"I just want to say...if Tantei Association do ever announce that it is truly the case...I want to tell Okaasan and Otousan...I love them."

Many of the children could be heard mumbling across the hallway while waiting for Tantei Association to open the doors and announce whether there is an existence of a serial killer at the campsite they are on.

The atmosphere was tense as everyone waited for the Tantei Association to reveal the truth.

Even Suzuki Sonoko's resolve was begging to break down, with the hours of waiting outside the hallway as she shed tears to an uninterested Reina, "I haven't even experienced what it is like to have a boyfriend and all of that, at least you did...and now I am about to die a life full of regrets!"

Reina rolls her eyes, feeling annoyed at Suzuki's dramatics. "Stop it, Sonoko. We don't know for sure if there's a serial killer or not."

Suzuki sniffles, wiping her tears away. "But what if there is? What if we never get to see our families again?"

Reina didn't say anything, since she learn that in the real world: Any word that promises heroism like words in anime, can never really come true.

"Ranran is so lucky, hiding out at a hotel." Suzuki rambles with envy, "I wish we were all there too. It's not fair that she gets to be safe while we're stuck here, waiting to hear if we're going to die or not."

That is right, now that Reina thought about it...perhaps Ranran knew in advance that this was going to happen, which is why she fled in the first place.

It wasn't possible to bring her and Takuma over, let alone Shinichi, because it will tip the killer off that they knew, and ended up killing them. Reina knew how Ranran thinks, right now, the real reason why she is remaining at that hotel and refused to go back is that she wants to keep herself and the others safe.

Reina took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down, switching topics, "Sonoko, why are you insistent on having a boyfriend?"

Suzuki looks up at Reina, surprised by the sudden change of topic. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, why do you think having a boyfriend is so important?" Reina clarifies.

Suzuki pauses, thinking about the question. "Well, I don't know. It's just something that I've always wanted, you know? Someone to share my life with, to have fun with, to love and be loved by. Is that so wrong?"

"No, it's not wrong," Reina replies gently, "But it's not the only thing that matters in life. Everything can't be solely relied on by a guy you like, this isn't the world of Disney. There are other things that are important too, like friendships, family, hobbies, and passions. Do you not have that?"

Suzuki takes a moment to think about Reina's words, "I have friends and family, as for hobbies is mostly going out shopping, but sometimes it just feels like something is missing, you know? Like there's a hole that only...having someone special who loves me and only me can erase that."

Recalling the sufferings of her friend Ranran had to go through, thanks to Sonoko and Ran's unreasonable accusations towards Ranran when Shinichi severed ties with the two due to discouraging his dream as a detective, Reina pushed that aside and speak objectively, "Is that why when you believed Shinichi should discontinue his apprenticeship with Ranran?"

Suzuki's face immediately turns red, embarrassed at being called out. "I-I didn't mean it like that! I just thought that Shinichi could do better, you know? He's so talented, and he could probably do it with someone more suitable than Ranran."

"But Ranran is suitable for him, is she not?" Reina points out, "She may not be the most encouraging force in his life, but she doesn't nag him 24/7 about his abilities as a detective. She listens to him and never makes fun of him whenever he needs a listening ear. At times she can be ruthless and blunt, but she doesn't go about undermining his dreams and goals the way you both do." Before Sonoko could argue, Reina adds, "Sonoko, is your definition of love involve wanting the guy you like to quit the things he likes just to accompany you?"

Sonoko looks down, knowing that Reina is right. Even so, "But do you not think that his detective dream is dangerous?"

"My boyfriend Takuma is going to be a quarterback when he grows up, did you know that the risks as a quarterback are dangerous both physically and mentally if anything goes wrong?" Reina points out, "It's true, some dreams do shorten one's lifespan, however, by doing so, are you not shortening the purpose of what life is about for him?"

Expecting Sonoko to argue, she didn't as she was speechless.

"If your definition of love that you are trying to reach out for Ran involves trying to control someone by limiting their reach towards their dream, isn't that puppeteering?"

Suddenly, the doors of the Tantei Association opened, and everyone rushed in to hear the news.

With Shinichi coming out, everyone dreaded as he began making the announcement that might either bring them relief or darkened their minds forever. "After a very thorough investigation, Tantei Association has reason to believe...."

With all the children gathered, Shinichi continued, his voice steady but grave.