An hour earlier, Shinichi and Ranran were in the cafe, enjoying their lunch while the two had their eyes glued to their smartphones.

Before the founder knew it, she could hear her apprentice sighing. "Ranran, take a look at this."

Curious, Ranran glanced up from her phone and turned her attention to Shinichi. "What is it? What's got you so worked up?"

He handed his phone to Ranran, pointing at the screen. "Look what happened to Mana Yoshida."

"Ah, that idiot."

Mana Yoshida, the 6-year-old former classmate of 1-A/ future offender in Ranran's eyes who always weaved all sorts of lies for attention, is getting his character bashed without mercy by the press.

"I am so glad he is kicked out of the damn school," Shinichi muttered under his breath, while Ranran said nothing.

Ever since Shinichi found out how Mana Yoshida played a role as Ishibashi Mamiko's puppet, he had been deadset on wanting him to suffer, especially after he read Yoshida's entry journals over Yoshida's crush towards the 6-year-old sociopath was so deep, he was willing to frame Shinichi when Rokuro was clearly in the wrong for that infamous feud of Teitan Elementary school.

Ranran's expression remained neutral as she read through the news about Mana Yoshida. Supposedly meant to be the victim of Mana Yoshida, Ranran twisted it in such a way, that the press solely bought it that thanks to him leading a group of their classmates to confront serial killer Tatsuo/Kichiro or Eiji for that matter, the killer ended up barging into the luxurious hotel in an attempt to kill all of them, including their classmates of 1-A.

Although thanks to Ranran's schemes no one ended up getting killed, she and Shinichi didn't fair out lucky as they both were almost strangled to death at the cliffside.

This is why as soon as word travelled back to the Kudo family, they were furious. So furious, that they were considering tipping out to the press about Yoshida's misdeeds.

But Ranran being quick-witted came up with a plan that won't implicate the family. You see Reina's uncle had connections to the press, and while it would've been easier to let their family take the reins, Mana Yoshida wasn't your ordinary liar. He can twist a lie into a truth.

So Ranran had to take a different approach.

The first one is a backup plan should things spiral out of control.

A day before the incident, she instructed Takuma to do an intense search on the press that are against the Yasuo family. Normally wealthy families had powerful influence among powerful media to paint them in a good light. So even if one of the press members wants to publish the shocking atrocities committed within the family, it would be pointless.

But Ranran is also aware...that they are those who would dare to publish it for the sake of 'justice' regardless of the consequences. And one of them happens to be Reina's uncle.

Tipping them that the Yasuo family had an illegitimate son who have been committing murders around the island they are on, especially a killer who faked his death 3 times would be big news. Now she could've used Reina for this bit of the plan, but it wouldn't be convincing since she has no experience in solving crimes.

Getting Takuma however would do just fine, since he works for Tantei Association.

Of course, this sort of tip is enough to not gain traction from the reporters, cause a guy who legally died 3 times in a row is almost unheard of. Like a fictional movie.

But Ranran knew it would soon: The moment the serial killer comes to this hotel to bring chaos, the press would have every stone unturned to publish anything related to this incident, including the anonymous tip Takuma left for them. After all, it is normal for them to blow things out of proportion through the build-up she orchestrated.

Then, to act extra flare of the drama of this scheme, Ranran even had Shinichi send out group invites to try and convince them to lie about their whereabouts.

She knew if the founder herself tried doing so, it would be pointless. Ranran still isn't close to the entire class of 1-A and sticks out due to her foreign heritage from her mother's side. No way they are going to listen to someone who used to live in a foreign country. No such thing as being friendly to a foreigner in real life, that only exists in Anime.

But Shinichi is different, he knew them during the parkour event, and the majority of them knew each other since kindergarten. As much as they are not friends, they are close enough as schoolmates and classmates based on the interactions she had observed. And they heavily relied on his detective abilities whenever one item goes missing, which they are still eternally grateful for.

And even better? She was able to get Shinichi to make those children contact emergency services from the city. The purpose of this is to ruin Mana in the worst way possible.

Normally whenever a news outlet report a crime, especially if there were a murder case, the press would head to the emergency services unit to see if there were any chilling phone calls made by the victim, the purpose is to sensationalise the audience for viewership's sake. Serial killers especially have a special place, since they are equally horrifying and at the same time, something you can't avoid but be drawn into the gory details.

Now you imagine if one stumble upon not one, nor 2, but 15-plus panicked calls from so many children, especially those fearing for their lives thanks to one 6-year-old who had a history of lying, especially when you hear the details of Mana Yoshida's reckless act being the reason why this happened, won't it be damning?

As Ranran suspected, after the incident happened, they did uncover this tip, and boy, Mana's family had to deal with severe backlash. The news articles circulating about Mana Yoshida were ruthless, exposing his lies and manipulations to the public. The press spared no mercy, painting him as a mentally disturbed child who had caused chaos and endangered the lives of his classmates.

"Looks like the press is tearing him apart," Ranran commented, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

In addition to this, the moment all of their classmate's parents, including Ranran and Shinichi's
learn of this, they were furious. So much so, that they decided to take action. They formed a group and met with the school administration to discuss the situation and demand appropriate measures be taken against Mana Yoshida, while Ranran and Shinichi's family ended up leading the charge.

It was understandable after all, since Ranran and Shinichi's suffered the worst injuries through strangulation, while the killer attempted to end their lives by throwing them off a cliff. While the rest of the children only suffered flesh wounds, it was so traumatic that they refused to leave out of the house and head to school upon returning from the island, fearing that the killer might strike. One might say it may take years of therapy to even go back to camping ever again.

Making matters worst was that since the kids who followed Mana did not want to get into serious trouble, they stabbed him in the back by producing evidence of Mana's manipulations and lies, highlighting the harm he had caused to his classmates and the potential danger he posed to the school community.

The school administration, faced with mounting pressure from the parents and the negative media coverage, had no choice but to take the matter seriously. They conducted a thorough investigation into Mana Yoshida's behaviour, interviewing students, teachers, and parents.

As a result of the investigation, it was revealed that Mana had indeed been manipulating and lying to gain attention and sympathy. The school administration made the decision to expel Mana Yoshida, citing his actions as a violation of the school's code of conduct and a threat to the well-being of other students. Mana became the first student to be expelled under school rules, even though the incident took place outside the school campus, since the camping trip they took was classified as an educational trip, and Arima-sensei did apply for permission under school grounds after all.

News of Mana Yoshida's expulsion spread quickly, and the press continued to report on the story, highlighting the consequences of his actions and the impact it had on his classmates and the school community. Stating how his mother's death, and coddling lead him to a path of ruin. And his reputation was further tarnished when it was revealed that since there were kids who were injured thanks to Mana, including Ranran and Shinichi, the parents demanded his widowed father pay up in medical fees.

His father, already burdened by the loss of his wife, found himself ostracized and condemned by the community as to why he didn't take his son to seek therapy, resulting in almost casualties. He struggled to cope with the fallout of his son's actions, facing not only the financial demands from the parents but also the emotional toll of the entire ordeal.

Social media platforms were filled with discussions and debates about his actions, with many condemning his behaviour and expressing their sympathy for the victims. Hashtags like #JusticeForClass1A and #ExpelManaYoshida trended, further fueling the public's anger.

Then Ranran took it a step further when she released the anonymous voice recording of that night when Mana Yoshida attempted to turn 1-A against her for living in a luxury penthouse at some hotel while the serial killer was on the island at that time, even though the part that Yoshida tried to guilt trip her to have her, Shinichi and Sonoko's wealthy family to pay for their stay without paying back. All of that was included.

The recording spread like wildfire, reaching the public through various social media platforms and news outlets. The public's outrage grew stronger as they listened to Mana's attempts to exploit the situation for personal gain and shift blame onto others. Initially, there were opinions about Ranran and Shinichi leaving their classmates to die, but then undeniable evidence of his deceit further solidified Mana Yoshida's reputation as a manipulative and selfish child.

Now initially, Ranran didn't have the intention of releasing the recording of that night, but when she saw his blurred face attempting to justify his situation in one of those interviews, calling out Ranran and Shinichi's selfish children who left them to die at Kodama Forest camp while living in some luxurious hotel, and even attempted to oust them for being leaders for Tantei Association, a fact that can't be released to the press as it will endanger their lives as child Tanteis, Ranran had to take precautions.

The only way to discredit him is to be far more manipulative than Mana.

And 6-year-old Kudo Ranran did just that.

Mana Yoshida, faced with the backlash and the weight of his actions, let alone, was no match for Ranran's 3 years of experience in manipulation, eventually retreated into a shell. The once boastful and attention-seeking child became quiet and withdrawn. The consequences of his lies had caught up with him, and he had no choice but to accept it as soon as his father scolded him severely. 

Even their house was badly trashed in all shapes and forms.

Before that, it wasn't that bad, but after the incident and the subsequent media coverage intensified by interviewing every single victim he had crossed throughout his life, as well as the victim's parents who were interviewed shortly after the serial killer case, the public's anger and condemnation grew stronger. 

People recognized Mana Yoshida everywhere he went, and he faced constant judgment and ridicule from his peers and strangers alike. The walls were covered in graffiti, mocking words written by classmates who once believed his lies. The windows were shattered, leaving the house exposed to the elements.

At this point in his life, Mana realizes he had learn two things throughout this ordeal.

One, Ishibashi Mamiko was a crush not worth pursuing after.

And two, he made a mistake going after the founder of Tantei Association.

When Mamiko manipulated Mana into making attempts to ruin Ranran's reputation, as well as instructed that this will bring Tantei Association to ruins, he did not foresee the hell Ranran was capable of. That little girl....when she meant she will bring destruction to his life, way worst than the typhoons they had endured two weeks on the island while the serial killer was around, she wasn't joking one bit.

No, Ranran had to unleash a storm that had engulfed not just solely him, she even drag down his poor innocent widowed father, let alone, with his deceased mother being reported as a 'callous mother' who corrupted Mana Yoshida over and over, every word coming out of the mouths within their neighbourhood did not hold warmth, but disgusts, leaving devastation in its wake. 

Although Mana had kind of foreseen this day, he hadn't anticipated the extent of the backlash, the anger and condemnation that had been directed at them through Ranran. He had underestimated how far Ranran was good in manipulating the power of public opinion.

Meanwhile, back in the city, life slowly returned to normal for the kids of 1-A. The news about Mana Yoshida eventually died down, replaced by other stories and scandals that captured the public's attention. Everyone in the class had to attend mandatory therapy, but Shinichi and Ranran didn't have to, given that they were used to the nature of crimes as Tanteis, though they didn't like the idea of camping a lot more than they used to.

For Ranran, she was glad that the bastard who would ruin her life in the future is gone from their school, not that she could tell anyone about this. But Shinichi on the other hand felt guilty.

As Shinichi witnessed the aftermath of Mana Yoshida's downfall, uneasiness began to weigh heavily on him. "What is wrong, Shinichi? Are you regretting?"

"Hah? That we made his life a living hell? No," Shinichi admits, but his face was still sour. "As much as he deserves all of this.....he was nothing but a puppet to Mamiko's schemes." Ranran listened attentively as Shinichi expressed his guilt and unease.  "Normally, for me...I feel like between the puppet and the puppetmaster, I always feel like the manipulator should be the one paying for their sins. But this time...I truly ain't sure what to think."

The little boy crossed his hands, planting his elbows on the table.

"I....feel sorry for him on one hand, that he lost his mother which lead him to do the things he did. But at the same time....when he spoke ill of Tantei Association, the club we established, and seeing him speaking so carelessly of our names with no remorse...like he did back at the hotel lobby...I felt like....this isn't the Mana I knew anymore. The moment he brought up that feud between me and Rokuro.....the first thing that came to my mind was he had to-no," He corrected himself angrily, "He must go!"

At that moment, she could sense the conflicted emotions within Shinichi as he expressed his thoughts.

"As soon as he was gone...I was reminded of that time when I broke into your house, Ranran." He mulls back, "I was...so inferior, I wanted you to quit as The Fox because you were way successful living as a child Tantei compared to me. When you used our family connections at that time...I didn't get why the adults in our family were mad at me. Now that I faced the same thing you did..." His gaze fixed on the table. "What is wrong with me? I am supposed to feel satisfied, and yet I feel like at times...I am not."

To some extent, Ranran roughly understood that feeling. Cause she had been there.

"I roughly get it," Ranran sighs, "I know that feeling."

"Eh?!"

"As hateful as he is....you....wanted him to feel remorse, right?" Shinichi looked up, surprised by Ranran's understanding. "We both almost died at that cliffside...as much as he was Mamiko's puppet, let alone, a kid like us....he should've known better when to stop after that cliff incident. Especially shifting the blame on us, who happen to be merely doing our job. But as soon as that interview of him came up...."

"Exactly!" Shinichi exclaimed, relieved that Ranran understood. "I mean, he deserved everything that happened to him, but at the same time, it would've been all so satisfying if he regretted it. At least...remind me that he is human. But....seeing that he didn't, made me realize...Mamiko isn't a normal typical sociopath."

With Shinichi letting his arm rests on the table, he turned to say to Ranran, "If even someone like Mana Yoshida can't even feel one ounce of remorse, Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko, my two former friends whom she manipulated might never feel remorseful for the things they did to me. And that made it so....damn frustrating!"

His frustration was evident in his voice.

"I mean, how can they not feel any remorse for what they did? It's like they're completely devoid of any empathy or conscience." Shinichi voiced out his despair, "It felt like Mamiko's lies are winning, and as a child detective...I felt like my pride is hurting because of this. It felt like....that time when the entire soccer club lied that I wasn't innocent and sided with Rokuro....it felt like I am far too incompetent to go after Mamiko."

And just when Shinichi thought he couldn't sink any lower, life decided to kick him in the shins and remind him of his past failures. It's like the universe was saying, "Hey, remember that time you were framed and everyone turned against you? Well, here's another dose of betrayal, just for old times' sake!"

Ranran leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on Shinichi. She could see the frustration and disappointment etched on his face, and she couldn't help but sympathize with him. After all, they had both been victims of manipulation and deceit, and it was a bitter pill to swallow.

"You know, Shinichi," Ranran said, breaking the heavy silence, "There is this saying once my mentor told me. He once said 'Regret is a luxury they can't have'."

Intrigued by Ranran's statement, he had to ask, "What do you mean by that?"

"The clients I used to work for....all of the kids who manipulated them...so far...not a single child felt a single shred of remorse over what they did to my clients. In a way...., as much as one wishes to have them apologize to them, they will never receive an apology for the sake of pride, or the relish of having power above their victims. Which is why they...don't deserve our forgiveness. Cause forgiveness....it just a reward to them."

Shinichi pondered Ranran's words, his brow furrowed. "Are you implying forgiveness is like rewarding their manipulative behaviour?"

"I feel like that is the only way to wake their puppets up," Ranran nodded a serious expression on her face. "By not forgiving them, we are technically holding a cup of cold water to splash at their face to wake them up, that this is reality."

Shinichi took a moment to absorb Ranran's words. "And if Ran and Sonoko can't wake up?"

"Then they are a lost cause," Ranran answered.

Pondering about his mentor's words, Shinichi was hesitant to ask. But he felt like he had the right to know, "Ranran....do you think...Ran and Sonoko will ever realize that they are in the wrong?"

"Judging from my experience as The Fox, we are not in the clear how long Mamiko had influence over those two girls." Ranran rubbed her chin, then she recalled the parkour event last year when they were 5. "The first time we met was around last year March, right? .....Sonoko came across Mamiko during etiquette class after ruining my late mentor's death anniversary around last year December...if I were to take account of Sonoko and Ran's nativity.....a month is enough to dupe them. To break away from Mamiko...I think judging how things are progressing, it might take longer to snap out."

"Then...." Shinichi didn't want to tip Ranran off, but he had to know, "Say.... for example, Mamiko manage to locate Rokuro, then use him as her pawn to manipulate Ran and Sonoko. Would it... make them no longer....?"

He bit his lip, he didn't want to think of this.

But the reality is cruel. So far, they still detest Ranran as the sole reason for losing him.

".....Your feud with Rokuro," Ranran strummed her fingers with a hum, "So far from what I observed, Mamiko had earned enough hatred from Sonoko and Ran after that scheme you pulled, since she is the sole reason why you are no longer speaking to them."

The two are in deep silence.

"With Rokuro, it will hamper the efforts of removing the influence of Mamiko," Ranran shrugs casually, "Rokuro....he had a crush on Ran, right?" Shinichi nodded. "But is Mouri aware of this?"

The apprentice's eyes widened in realization. "No, she doesn't know. Rokuro never confessed his feelings to her."

"Then this is an advantage for us," Ranran grins, "If we...staged some scenarios that show that side of Rokuro, it would be enough to get Ran to finally wake up."

Confused, Shinichi blinked, "How does that work?!"

"Simple, Ran dislike anyone who is a hypocrite, deshou?" Ranran gives a calculative grin, "If she finds out Rokuro likes her, she will automatically realize the truth behind this feud is that he had a crush on her, which is why he attacked you and lied about whatever he had to say about you to Ran." Ranran pointed out.

"Come on, there is no way-"

"It will, Kudo, it will."

A spark of hope ignited within Shinichi's chest. "But how do we make that happen? Should we....should we speed things up?"

"No, then Mamiko will catch on and discard Rokuro," Ranran disagrees with this. "If we want to make sure she loses control of Ran as her puppet, we must let them think it happened naturally." Ranran leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "We need to create opportunities for Rokuro to express his feelings to Ran. It could be through subtle gestures, heartfelt conversations, or even staged encounters. We'll plant the seeds of truth and let them bloom in Ran's mind. By the time she realizes this....she will be back to her old-self in no time."

"That sounded easy, but realistically it ain't possible," Shinichi scoffed at his partner-in-crime.

"It would, if you start to be more firm towards her."

"Hah!? How am I not firm towards her? I mean....did you not see how I have been defending you against her?" Shinichi pointed out.

"No, I don't mean that. I mean you are messing it up with her in a way she is given false hope from you."

"False hope!?" Shinichi repeated as he couldn't believe what he was hearing from her while berating, "I told her I don't want her to be in the association anymore, Ranran! I don't understand what you mean by-"

"You are feeling mad now, right?"

"Eh?" Shinichi blinked once more, wondering what was with the switch in topic. "What does this have anything to do with-"

"Answer to me...why are you mad now?"

"W-why am I mad?"

Waiting for Shinichi to connect the dots, there was a moment of contemplation as realization dawned on him. "I'm mad because...I care about you. I care about what you think of me and stuff," Shinichi admitted, a hint of vulnerability in his voice.

"Exactly," Ranran nodded. "That is what Ran is probably feeling from you, Shinichi. Of course," Ranran nodded understandingly, "I believe you, I have seen your interactions with Mouri: At class, after school, in the association HQ....even so, the problem isn't you not being firm on her, Shinichi. You did good, the problem is...she is misinterpreting as if you still care for her, which is why she is still remaining in the HQ like a shameless leach."

Shinichi's eyes widened as he processed Ranran's words. He hadn't realized how Ran could be this delusional to that extent, that she would misinterpret his anger as a form of 'hope'.

Ranran continued, her tone matter-of-fact. "The crystal clear part isn't the problem, Shinichi. Nor the way you treated her, if you want to escape that delusional Mouri, the only suggestion I can give you is don't give her that satisfaction of being irritated by her words and stuff by acting indifferent towards her."

Shinichi frowned, pondering Ranran's advice. "Aren't I doing a good job?"

"You are, I will admit," Ranran again nods to him, while staring into his eyes bluntly, "But delusional people like Mouri....you need to kick things up a knotch."

"How!? I tried everything!"

"She kept on accusing me of being the 'third party' despite the fact that the two of you were never in an official relationship, correct? Then do the same, by bringing up things like 'Since you feel that way, why should it matter if you and Rokuro are in a relationship or not?'"

"Hah!? I can't just simply bring up such an accusation without proof, cause that would be delusional!"

"But if say Mouri would one day use Rokuro out of nowhere to test the water towards how you feel about her, it will do you good, right?"

"Eh!?" Shinichi's jaw dropped in response before refuting, "There is no possible way that Mouri Ran will ever make use of Rokuro, Ranran. She ain't that kind of person-"

"Yes, the same kind of person whom you didn't expect to endanger us all when I, Emiko and herself were kidnapped at that time by The Snake, or that time when you and I almost drowned at that quarry because she fled the HQ when she was supposed to remain there on standby, as well as that time an adult who poses a danger to children like us almost escape scot-free, all because she hung up the call I made towards you out of jealousy."

Shinichi fell silent, realizing that Ranran had a point. "How certain are you that she would do that?"

"Based on my experience, very." While thinking about other things, Ranran then say, "By the way, was that Takuma earlier who contacted you?"

"Ah, yes, it was him," Shinichi then felt like something was rather off with the call, "And he and the others....felt strange."

"In what way?"

"Well..." Shinichi leaned in closer, his voice lowered to a hushed tone. "When I confronted Takuma over the phone about why did they need so many eggs, they said it was to make homemade Valentine's chocolates, considering Sonoko had a bit of a careless reputation in the kitchen."

"And you don't buy it, do you?"

"She is careless, for someone who barely cooks since she has maids and butlers to do it for her. But I wouldn't say it would to a point that she would need 4 trays!"

At first, Ranran looked sceptical.

But then...."When you spoke to Takuma over the phone, did you...feel like something was off?" Ranran suddenly probed.

The apprentice's expression turned thoughtful as he recalled the phone conversation with Takuma. "Now that you mention it...there were sounds of wind and car horns."

"Eh!? They were on the road!?" The mentor's brows shot up, her instincts sensing the worst, "When they applied for leave, both he and Ran applied that they were gonna purchase eggs with Reina. They don't really live far from the grocery or market, so why the need to take a cab or anything with those eggs?"

Before Shinichi could answer, his smartphone rang from his pants pocket.

Startled by the sudden ring of his phone, Shinichi quickly retrieved it from his pocket and glanced at the caller ID. It was Professor Agasa, his neighbour. "Agasa? Why is he calling me at this time?"

Shinichi answered the call and put it on speakerphone, ensuring Ranran could hear the conversation as well. "Ah Shinichi, this is Agasa speaking."

Shinichi's brows furrowed in concern. "Agasa, is something wrong?"

"Yes, Shinichi, the motorbike with the sidecar you sent to me for repair while you both were off on that school camping trip for 2 weeks," Agasa's voice sounded urgent. "I was wondering if you both tested it out and have any complaints about it? Since Mouri-san came over this morning to pick it up in your stead."

Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise, and he exchanged a quick glance with Ranran, who looked equally perplexed. "Agasa, I never sent Ran over to pick up our bike," Shinichi replied, his voice tinged with concern. "Are you sure it was Mouri-san who picked it up?"

"It's definitely her, she came along with Sonoko this morning."

Something didn't add up. "Agasa, did Mouri-san seem...strange in any way?" Shinichi asked, his mind racing to connect the dots.

Agasa hesitated for a moment before responding. "Now that you mention it, she did seem a bit...off. She was more impatient than usual, insisting that she needed the motorbike right away. She seemed tense and in a hurry. So was Sonoko as well."

Shinichi's suspicions grew deeper as he processed Agasa's words

"Agasa, thank you for letting us know," Shinichi hung up before turning to Ranran, "You didn't tell them to pick up our vehicle, did you?"

"I ain't close to those two, and Ran may be a member of our association, but no way." Ranran dismisses this.

The pieces were starting to fall into place, forming a disturbing picture.

"They picked up our motorbike without our knowledge and seemed anxious and in a hurry. And given the strange behaviour of Takuma and the others....."

Ranran furrowed her brow, her curiosity piqued by Shinichi's suspicions. "...what do you think they were going to do with those eggs to look into it?"

"I think...."He was hesitant to speak at first, but then gradually said, "They are going to egg Mrs Saeki's house."

And it was then Ranran thoughts came to a standstill, "What made you think so?"

"Takuma earlier called me, wanting to know the laws whether people who blackmail others but didn't directly kill the other might end up going to jail." Shinichi took a deep breath, the memories of their eventful camping trip still fresh in his mind. "Also, you know that they barely got along with Takuma and Reina....given our situation."

"What made you suspect they are going to target Mrs Saeki? Ain't Mrs Yasuo at fault in the first place?"

"You're right, Mrs Yasuo was the one who initially caused the trouble by faking her son's death, but Mrs Saeki was the one who made everyone's lives miserable through blackmail. And it was a torturous 12 years that finally made the killer strike, and we almost died on that island because of Mrs Saeki's greed." His voice carried a mix of anger and frustration as he continued, his gaze intense. "All of us almost face death."

Before she could respond to Shinichi's theory, it was her smartphone's turn to suddenly receive a notification, interrupting their conversation. Startled, Ranran quickly retrieved her phone from her pocket and glanced at the currently trending hashtag.

"Hashtag rooftopbattle, hashtag SaekivsShizuku, hashtag unreal....what on earth is taking place on Twitter to have such trends?" Ranran can't help but wonder.

Curiosity piqued, Ranran quickly opened her Twitter app and navigated to the trending hashtags. As she scrolled through the tweets and posts, her eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. The rooftop battle between Saeki and Shizuku was making waves on social media.

She clicked on one of the top tweets and began reading the thread. People were sharing videos and photos of a fierce confrontation between Mrs Saeki and Shizuku, a young woman with exceptional martial arts skills. The rooftop of a tall building served as the battleground for their intense duel.

The tweets were filled with excitement, speculation, and awe at the display of strength and skill from both combatants. The hashtag #SaekivsShizuku was flooded with comments praising their fighting techniques and expressing astonishment at the unexpected showdown.

"Ranran, what is with that look on your face?" Shinichi can't help but be curious about Ranran's reaction to the trending hashtag. He glanced over at her phone screen, trying to catch a glimpse of what had caught her attention.

His eyes were soon glued to the tweets and videos, a mix of surprise and concern etched on his face. "Is that...the interim CEO of Yasuo Corporation, Mrs Yasuo Shizuku, fighting against her blackmailer of 12 years Mrs Itsuki Saeki!?"

Shinichi's mentor's eyes were still fixed on the screen. "What on earth are they doing on the Yasuo corporation rooftop?!"

Ranran zoomed in on the Helipad of the skyscraper as she was able to figure things out, "Don't tell me....after the series of murders committed by her son who she faked his death for him...that Mrs Shizuku was making an attempt to flee out of the country!?"

"Even if she was going to flee...what would Mrs Saeki be up there-" Then everything clicked in Shinichi's mind, the moment he spotted the bags left on the rooftop not far from Saeki, "Don't tell me....she is attempting to blackmail Mrs Shizuku again!? Since she too is planning to flee the country!? But she is out of money due to excessive spending, plus the shoe company, Dozing Shoemaker had been declared bankrupt recently?"

"Considering Mrs Shizuku's legal situation with the company, finances, as well as her scumbag late husband's crimes being uncovered by the press thanks to us....it only made sense that would happen." Ranran quickly scrolled through the tweets, trying to find any information about the current status of the battle.

Little by little, Ranran began to read out interesting comments.

"That despicable Saeki woman," One of the commentators wrote, "I am one of the neighbours who lived in the neighbourhood not far from where she lived. Yesterday she was so drunk while hosting her deceased daughter, Jun's funeral ceremony back at the mansion, and with the recent news coverage exposing her alleged misdeeds about drugging her daughter to sleep with the adopted son of the Yasuo family, then blackmailing the Yasuo family to marry.....her days are obviously numbered. And she was supposed to host the second day of her daughter's ceremony event tonight! Here she is blackmailing this woman again! What a shameless woman!"

"Next comment, Ranran." Shinichi instructed her to continue.

The founder continued scrolling through the tweets, her eyes scanning the comments for any relevant information. "The fight between Shizuku and Saeki is a long time coming!" another tweet exclaimed. "The battle of two evils! One is the mother of a serial killer, the other, a gold-digger and blackmailer!"

"Damn, the Internet can be cruel." The apprentice clicked his lips.

"But it's the truth," Ranran refuted before realizing several videos from the bottom of the Yasuo corporation skyscraper are filming from their point of view to the top.

Shinichi then tapped on one of the videos and watched as the camera panned up the side of the skyscraper, capturing the intense battle unfolding on the rooftop. The two could see Mrs Saeki and Mrs Shizuku engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat, their movements swift and calculated.

The comments on the video were a mix of shock, awe, and speculation. Some viewers were cheering for Mrs Shizuku, believing that she was finally standing up against her blackmailer, while others condemned both women for their past actions and the chaos they had caused.

As Ranran continued to watch the video, she noticed something that caught her attention. In the corner of the frame, she saw a familiar figure lurking in the shadows, observing the fight without directly getting involved.

"Shinichi, look at this," Ranran said, pointing at the screen. "Do you see that person in the background? That looks like Takuma and Reina!"

The apprentice's eyes narrowed as he studied the figure in question. "You're right. And I can see Ran and Sonoko with them!"

"But what are they doing there?" Ranran wondered aloud, her mind racing to find a logical explanation. "Also, what was that idiot Mrs Saeki thinking!? She hadn't learned her lesson after Miss Jun died!?"

Then another tweet surfaced, along with interesting videos.

Unlike the skyscraper video, this one showed Mrs Saeki, covered with eggshells and yolk, while adult voices could be heard jeering at her in front of the mansion that is covered with hateful graffiti writings after her blackmailing and her using Miss Jun as a puppet was revealed.

The caption of the video revealed:

"Serve this witch right, 4 children came over to her place earlier and pelted her with eggs! From their conversation, it sounds like they were one of the unfortunate children on the island where the serial killer was on!"

Thinking about the eggs, Shinichi finally figured out, "Don't tell me.....Mouri and the others...headed over to Mrs Saeki's place to exact revenge for the torment they endured on the island? Throwing eggs at her as a form of revenge?"

"That would explain the excessive eggs they bought earlier. Why am I not surprised?" Ranran burst into laughter, picturing the absurdity of such a scenario.

But then reality sank in as she realize what this means.

"So I am now assuming since they humiliated Mrs Saeki....she probably wants to start over to flee from this...ended up rushing over to withdraw her paycheck or her monthly blackmailing allowance from Mrs Yasuo!" Ranran finally figured it out.

This reality made Shinichi's jaw drop.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he processed the implications of Ranran's words. "If what you said is true, if that two falls off the skyscraper, won't Ran and the others be in serious trouble!?"

"I doubt it," Ranran thinks, "Unless the press comes over-"

Suddenly, her words stopped upon seeing one video.

In the video, it appears that several press vans are on their way heading to the Yasuo Corporation skyscraper. Both of their eyes widened as she watched the press vans approaching the scene.

Attempting to ease Ranran's worries, Shinichi attempted to do damage control, "They don't know of our real identities, so there is nothing to worry about...."

But then, his hopes about this were dashed, when he spotted a familiar man in the video, geared up in press clothing. Nothing about this man stood out, but then his appearance then brought the 6-year-old boy unpleasant memories.

The sight of that man sent a shiver down Shinichi's spine for good reasons, as it brought him back to that night at The Crooked Baron Pub, the day Ranran unveil before him that Mamiko's mother was a dominatrix, he recognize him as one of Mamiko's mother's patron.

That was when Shinichi knew....this is serious.

Panic washed over him as he realized the potential consequences of the media getting involved.  "Wait a minute....this man...."

"What? You recognize him?" Ranran grew confused at the apprentice's reaction.

"That man..." Shinichi took a deep breath, trying to compose himself as he uttered, "Ranran, did you remember that night you took me to see what sort of person Mamiko's mother is back at The Crooked Baron Pub?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"He was there...."Shinichi hesitated for a moment before continuing, a mix of apprehension and urgency in his voice. "That man in the press outfit...he was there that night. He was one of Mamiko's mother's patrons."

"Are you serious!?" Ranran's eyes widened in realization, the gravity of the situation sinking in, but then she refuted, "But the press can't do much anyway, our family had the reins over the press after all. Also, it ain't a secret that Mamiko knew that we both opened Tantei Association, if that man is closely associated with her mom, they would've done it to us long ago, no?"

"I don't think it is that simple, Ranran," Shinichi shook his head, a sense of unease settling in. "She can't completely sacrifice us as their personal trump card, Ranran. Otherwise, they would leave them nothing at their disposal to blackmail us."

As much as she thought hard about this, she knows that Shinichi might be right about this.

An idiot would not show all of their cards to their enemy, Mamiko and her mother definitely had inside knowledge that they opened the association. 

Shinichi nodded solemnly. "Exactly. And with the press vans approaching the scene, the risk of our secret being revealed just skyrocketed."

And this was no joke. If they figured out they are one the members of Tantei Association, adding the fact that they recently egged Mrs Saeki's resident, which triggered the events leading up to the feud on the skyscraper, Shinichi and Ranran could already envision the headlines: "Tantei Association Members Involved in Egg-gate scandal!"

Their secret identities would be exposed, and their lives would be turned upside down.

"Damn it!" Shinichi cursed under his breath, his mind racing to come up with a plan. "We need to find a way to prevent the press from discovering our involvement in all of this. If they connect the dots, it'll be a disaster for the reassociation."

As they brainstormed ideas, a sudden realization hit Ranran. "I have an idea!"