After a long while, Ranran decided, "Don't try to open too many shops, alright? I know business is good for you, but I am worried you might overwork."

"You don't need to worry about me, Ranran. I know my limit since I am born with a weak body."

"Alright, just remember to prioritize your health. We are still kids after all. And don't forget, if anything comes up or you need my help, don't hesitate to reach out to me."

"We will, Ranran. Thank you," Tiffany replied, her voice filled with gratitude.

Ranran smiled warmly. "Take care, both of you. And enjoy your time at the Viscountess's Tea."

As the call ended, Tiffany and Ellis sigh with relief while Veronica who had been quiet the entire time said, "Why are we not telling her that we are in Japan again?"

"I mean would she want to know that Millie had taken a flight all the way here from London to murder her?" Ellis pointed this out.

Veronica and Ellis exchanged a nervous glance, realizing the weight of the secret they were keeping from Ranran. Veronica's question hung in the air, highlighting the dilemma they faced.

"I mean she deserves to know," Veronica said hesitantly, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"She does, but she is already in a precarious situation the moment she had chose to become a child detective after Christopher's death," Tiffany reminded them, "And honestly, Millie was asking for it when her father finally divorced her missing mother to protect his career, just to keep their roof above their heads."

Veronica and Ellis nodded in agreement, "I agree with you, Tiffany. I mean her damn aunt Primrose knowingly endangered Ranran and tried to have her killed! Also, Millie still has no remorse for murdering Christopher, she reaped what she sowed!"

Tiffany sighed, her gaze filled with a mixture of guilt and concern. "I just hope that Millie doesn't do anything foolish while she's here. We need to keep an eye on her and ensure that she doesn't pose a threat to Ranran."

"Oh, about that," The girls had their heads turned to the smirking Ellis, "I have that covered."

Curiosity piqued, Tiffany and Veronica leaned in closer, their eyes fixed on Ellis, waiting for his explanation. "Do you remember the group photo we have taken with Ranran? Millie stole from us before handing it to Primrose, which later lead to Ranran almost getting killed by the killer, right?"

Tiffany and Veronica nodded, their memories of that incident fresh in their minds.

"Well," Ellis continued, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, "When the photo went missing, I filed a police report about it."

"Wait, what!?" The two girls' jaws dropped.

"Why would you do that?" Veronica asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Think about it," Ellis replied, his smirk widening. "Millie stole that photo, and she handed it to her aunt Primrose, who was involved in multiple murders. Since the police are aware that before Primrose was murdered, she handed that same photo to the killer, if a police report about this same photo existed, that meant Millie will be implicated, right?"

"Will it?" Veronica was doubtful, "I mean a stolen photo ain't like stealing money from the bank."

"True, a stolen photo may not carry the same weight as stealing money from a bank, but stealing is stealing regardless, especially since Millie is a former student of our school, she has no right, to be there in the first place." Tiffany thought about it, "I remembered when the school's gardening club had one plant stolen, they were still charged with theft."

"But the thief was a 17-year-old, Milie is 11 years old. Will she be charged?" Veronica became quizzical at that.

"Although the age factor might come into play and focus more on rehabilitation, don't forget that this involved Ranran almost losing her life thanks to the photo and Millie's association with her aunt Primrose. Even if Millie is not charged as an adult, there could still be legal consequences for her actions." Ellin grins proudly.

"Good, she deserves to do some jail time for a long time." Tiffany chuckles at Ellis's idea. "At least we can sigh of relief that while Millie does so, Ranran would be safe from her."

"Even though we solved that dilemma, there is another I would like to bring up," Veronica chimed in, her tone serious. "Regarding the findings about those two girls who kept harassing Ranran....did you guys find anything?"

"About that....."Tifanny took out photos from her bag and directed them to the photo, "Here, see this little boy in the photo here? His name is Kasumaki Rokuro, a 3rd grader. A former student of Teitan Elementary school and is currently studying in another school."

Veronica and Ellis leaned in to examine the photos Tiffany had pulled out. They studied the image of the little boy named Kasumaki Rokuro, their brows furrowing with concentration. "What about him?" Veronica asked.

"One of the girls who harassed Ranran, Mouri Ran, there is a link. Apparently, Mouri and Rokuro used to be neighbours."

"What!?" Veronica's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Here's the interesting part: I did some digging, and it turns out that Rokuro is here," Tiffany tapped on the photograph, "He is the reason why that Mouri girl is harassing Ranran."

"How?" Ellis asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

"Well," Tiffany began, "According to my sources, there used to be rumours of a love triangle made up within Teitan Elementary, between that Mouri girl, Rokuro, and Shinichi."

"Wait, Shinichi!? I remember him," Veronica said, her voice thoughtful. "I remembered him, Ranran introduced him as her apprentice in Tantei Association over the tablet."

"I remember that," Ellis snapped his finger.

"And it gets better," Tiffany eagerly revealed, "You see, there was this girl named Mamiko, daughter of a prostitute. She had a huge crush on Shinichi when they were around 5 years old. The problem was...she and he barely knew each other, so she had to come up with something that will fall in his good graces. One of which....was to use Ranran against Shinichi."

"Mamiko used Ranran against Shinichi?" Ellis repeated, his voice filled with disbelief. "How?"

"By telling him lies that Ranran is 'The Fox'."

Veronica and Ellis exchanged surprised glances, intrigued by the unfolding story. "How does that work? Ranran is always The Fox." Veronica doesn't see where she was heading with this.

"In the U.K., but not in Japan. Here, it appears not a single person is aware that she is that legendary child detective. You see where I am heading with this?" Tiffany said.

"Wait a minute," It suddenly dawned on Eillis, "There had been rumours that Ranran is Shinichi's illegitimate half-sister, right? That would've meant-"

"Yes," Tiffany nodded to him, "It's natural for anyone to hate their sibling if they are a product of an affair. But you picture this: Your illegitimate sibling is living your dream as a child detective, but is far more talented than you...where does this conclude?"

Veronica and Ellis exchanged surprised glances, captivated by Tiffany's revelations. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, painting a complex picture of the relationships and motivations involved.

"So, you're saying that Mamiko used the rumour of Ranran being 'The Fox' to create tension between Shinichi and Ranran?" Veronica summarized, trying to grasp the full extent of the situation.

Tiffany nodded. "Exactly. Mamiko saw an opportunity to manipulate Shinichi's feelings and create animosity between him and Ranran. By planting doubts and fueling Shinichi's jealousy, she hoped to drive a wedge between them."

"That's... twisted," Ellis muttered, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and sympathy for Shinichi.

"And it didn't stop there." Tiffany continued, her voice tinged with frustration. "I then dug further about Mamiko crushing hard on Shinichi so much so, she actually befriended the second girl who harassed Ranran, Suzuki Sonoko."

"That rude girl who barged into our classmate's death memorial last year, right?" This made Ellis' eyes twitch as he thought about it, "She was a rude prick."

"Anyway, since Mamiko was also aware that the Mouri girl had a crush on Shinichi as well, the only way possible was to drift them apart by making Rokuro super wary of Shinichi as a love rival, which later lead to a feud so serious...Ran, Sonoko and Shinichi were no longer on speaking terms. In addition to that, Mamiko tricked Ran and Sonoko into discouraging Shinichi's dream as a detective, in order to marry Shinichi off to Ran. You see where I am heading with this, guys?" Tifanny observed their expression over what to make of this.

Captivated by Tiffany's revelations, Ellis suddenly figured out as he was trying to grasp the full extent of the situation., "But the plan fail, didn't it? Since he is now working for Ranran as her apprentice detective...."

"That's right....that meant Ran and Sonoko lost to Ranran big time, and that Shinichi saw through the bluff thanks to Ranran."

Tiffany nodded, impressed by Ellis's deduction. "Exactly. Shinichi saw through Mamiko's manipulations and realized the truth. That's why he chose to become Ranran's apprentice instead of succumbing to the lies."

"Wait a minute, something doesn't add up." Veronica refuted, "Then why one of the girls who is harassing Ranran, that Mouri girl, a member of the Tantei Association? The same association Ranran and Shinichi are co-running then?"

"To get Shinichi to quit his dream," Tiffany answered. "I think she still thinks Ranran was behind the manipulation, which is why she leached into this association and refused to quit. She wants Shinichi back."

"What a delusional girl!" Veronica spat in disgust.

"I just don't understand why didn't Ranran just kick her out, I mean she ain't forgiving. I know she would immediately kick her out on the spot." Tiffany crossed her arms at that thought.

"Anyway, now that Rokuro ended up in another school, things should be better off, right?" Ellis thinks.

"That is what I thought, till I had a photo here." Tiffany then took out another one, this one in a cafe in Rokuro with another younger boy.

Veronica and Ellis leaned in to examine the photo that Tiffany had produced. The image showed Rokuro sitting in a cafe, accompanied by a younger boy. Their brows furrowed with curiosity and concern as they studied the picture.

"Who's the boy with Rokuro?" Veronica asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Tiffany sighed, her expression troubled. "That boy is Mana Yoshida, a 1st grader. Recently, he was expelled from the school for endangering his classmates in class 1-A, the same class Ranran, Shinichi and Ran are in while on a camping trip on some island, he did this to impress Mamiko. Now do you see where am I heading with this?"

The other two kids exchanged concerned glances, realizing the significance of Tiffany's revelation. The pieces were starting to come together, forming a disturbing picture of the events unfolding within their circle.

"Mamiko seems to have a talent for manipulating others," Ellis remarked, his voice filled with frustration. "First, she manipulated Mouri, then Sonoko and Rokuro, and now this young boy, Mana. It's concerning how she's able to exploit their vulnerabilities and use them for her own agenda."

"But what is her agenda exactly?" Veronica pondered, her brows furrowing with deep thought. "Does she simply want Shinichi back, or is there something more to it?"

Tiffany sighed, her expression troubled. "It's hard to say for sure, but one thing is clear: Mamiko is driven by jealousy and a desire to have Shinichi for herself, which explains her manipulations and attempts to turn others against Ranran."

"And now she's using Mana as another pawn in her game," Ellis added, his voice tinged with concern. "If she's willing to go to such lengths, who knows what she might do next?"

"I wouldn't be that worry over Mamiko actually," Tiffany grins to herself, "According to my intel, everyone detested her in school since Ranran exposed her lies. But we still have Rokuro and Mana to worry about."

The web of manipulation and resentment seemed to be spreading. "Why? Rokuro is no longer studying there anymore, and neither is Mana." Ellis argued.

"But Rokuro still has feelings for that Mouri girl, right? And I am certain Mana wasn't simply expelled from school due to his actions, but rather...Ranran schemed for it to happen. Knowing Ranran...." Tiffany mulls over this, "My bet is she got Mana into trouble that lead to his expulsion. And with resentment, he got Rokuro into this...with the intention of having him harm her."

The other two Edgewood children exchanged worried glances, realizing the potential danger that lay ahead. The manipulation and resentment seemed to have taken on a life of its own, entangling more individuals in its web.

"Should we confront them?" Veronica said, her voice firm and determined.

"No," Tiffany dismisses that idea, "If we do so, they will make up some drama as if since Ranran and the rest of us are born into wealthy influential families, we are seemingly 'bullying the weak with our wealth'."

"Then what should we do?" Ellis found himself asking her.

Tiffany paused, contemplating the best course of action. The situation was delicate, and they needed to proceed with caution. "These are children that even if we had solid evidence and use it to confront them, they would remain shameless to the bone," she finally replied. "So let's pressure them with their parents' livelihood."

"Is that even a solution actually?" Ellis frowns, "Cause I felt like this solution is no different than giving those idiots an excuse to accuse us of 'bullying the weak with our wealth', Tiffany."

"No, we shouldn't be giving them any room to use that excuse." Tiffany formed a cunning grin, "I dug into their families, excluding Mamiko's mom whom I think we better leave it as it is, Rokuro and Mana's families would be easier to deal with."

The two children leaned in, curious to hear Tiffany's plan.

Tiffany's grin widened as she continued, "Rokuro's parents are erratic incompetent morons, one working as a salaryman while the other is a receptionist at some hotel. Rude too if I may add, which would be a good proper justification to put their careers on the line. Since Rokuro lives in a slum city, money is everything they don't have, right?"

"I see where you're going with this," Veronica said, her voice filled with intrigue. "If we can threaten Rokuro's parents' jobs or expose their incompetence, it might make him think twice about continuing to harass Ranran."

"Then what about...Mana?" Eiji pointed at the cafe photo, "How are you going to deal with him?"

"Mana...." Tiffany mulls over this, "According to what I had recently dug about him, he had lost his mother due to illness, leaving his dad to take up 2 jobs. Now...his dad is a reasonable person, let's hold his job hostage until he does something about Mana."

"But what if Mana tells the press about us?" Ellis confronts.

"Practically after that camping scandal, he is only known as 'The Romeo who Cries Wolf for Juliet'," Tiffany refuted with a smirk, "No one is going to believe anything he says, so it gives us the room to teach him a lesson."

"This is a good plan, though I had one problem about this," Ellis sighed, his gaze focused. "How would this help us stop Mouri and that Suzuki girl from harassing Ranran?"

"While pressuring Mana's side will stop him from influencing Rokuro, while we put the pressure onto Rokuro....he is the likeliest to let Ran know about it, right? Since Ran hates her to death." Earning two nods, Tiffany continued, "Rokuro crushes hard on Ran, which is why that feud between him and Shinichi took place in the first place. Imagine if he finds out his crush Mouri Ran is supposedly having a hard time thanks to us, naturally, he would want to go after Ranran, correct?"

More nods followed.

"I may not be certain, but I long suspected that Ranran has been wanting to get rid of Mouri Ran out of Tantei Association for a long time under the rules of the school since she hasn't stopped harassing her and Shinichi. Just that she didn't have anything to hold her accountable for. But sending Rokuro over to end up going after Ranran, I am sure she would be more than happy to use this opportunity to finally remove Ran once and for all." 

"But....ain't this a risky plan?" Ellis commented, his voice filled with concern. "What if things don't go as expected? What if Ranran....gets hurt physically?"

"Don't worry about it," Tiffany reassured them, "In case that truly happened, I made sure to install some tiny cameras around the association to keep an eye on her."

"I don't know if putting those cameras would do you good," Veronica shook her head at her, "I mean during the earlier years when Ranran started out as The Fox, Christopher taught her how to switch on jammers to make sure any CCTV won't film her while she performs her duties as his apprentice."

"I know, which is why I put it outside the office." Tiffany beamed. "The ones I planted are the expensive ones, so in a way...it works so effectively that her jammers are useless at a certain distance."

"That's quite a brazen plan," Veronica said, her voice filled with a mix of intrigue and concern. "But I think this plan is too dangerous."

"I agree," Ellis chimed in, his voice serious. "Can't we let Ranran know about this in advance?"

"If we do, that Mouri girl will end up using this against Ranran, and she will have no chance of kicking her out of the HQ." Tiffany argues, "Do you want to see her put up with her unnecessary harassment?"

Veronica and Ellis exchanged worried glances.

Finally, Ellis spoke up, his voice filled with resolution. "Alright, then we are leaving it to you, Tiffany."

"But you better foot the medical bill if the plan backfires," Veronica reminded Tiffany.

Tiffany nodded, her expression determined. "Noted."

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

Not long after Ranran finished her conversation with her friends from Edgewood Academy over the tablet through a video call, Shinichi arrived.

"Finish sending the reports to the police department?"

"Yeah, I had that covered," As the apprentice entered the main HQ of the Tantei Association, he looked very uneasy.

And that didn't go unnoticed by Ranran,  "Shinichi, what's wrong? You look as though you had witnessed a car accident that you wished you can unsee."

"Nothing happened, it's just...." Shinichi sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping as he walked further into the main HQ. "I have seen.....things I shouldn't have."

Ranran's curiosity was piqued as she observed Shinichi's demeanour. She knew him well enough to recognize when something was bothering him. "What did you see?"

Shinichi hesitated for a moment, contemplating how much he should reveal. Sure, he knew Ranran's friends in Edgewood meant well as he had overheard the conversation back at the alleyway earlier. Even so...

Taking a deep breath, he decided to leave things ambiguous, "A rat being pounced on by a gang of cats."

Ranran's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at Shinichi's cryptic response. She could sense that there was more to the situation than he was letting on, but she also respected his boundaries. "Didn't think you were the type to be greatly disturbed by the laws of nature."

Shinichi managed a weak smile, appreciating Ranran's understanding. "Well, even detectives have their moments of being unnerved by the mysteries of life." He then noticed the tablet on the table and decided to use it as an opportunity to change the subject, hoping to lighten the atmosphere. "You spoke to your friends in the U.K. again?"

"Ah yes," Ranran nodded, sensing that Shinichi didn't want her to delve deeper into the matter, "Tiffany opened another cafe again."

"Wait, who is Tiffany?" Shinichi blinked.

"Ah right, I didn't mention who she is to you," Ranran then explained, "Did you remember me sharing with you one of my former client's stories about her being inferior towards her twin sister? That is Tiffany."

"Eh!? So Tiffany is that same girl who I saw at the alley-oops!" Shinichi stopped himself by covering his mouth, having accidentally let slip his tongue.

"Alley? What are you talking about? Tiffany is in the U.K."

Shinichi's eyes widened at the realization that he had slipped up and revealed more than he intended. He quickly backtracked, trying to come up with an explanation.

"Oh, I must have been mistaken," Shinichi stammered, his voice filled with unease. "I was thinking about a character name Tiffany at some anime show that featured her in the alleyway."

"Hmph....." Ranran looked at Shinichi intently, her eyes narrowing slightly. She could sense that he was hiding something, but she decided not to press him further.

"Anyway," Shinichi suddenly came up with another topic, "About the Will from the murdered comedian, Peggy Punchard, our 6th major case that we solved not long ago, you mentioned to me the other day that you have some contacts who may have had access to it?"

"Oh yeah! Now that you mentioned it!" Ranran exclaimed, "I finally did."

"And what was the result?"

Not long after the case was solved, Shinichi was dying of curiosity over how much fortune Peggy intended on leaving to her two children: Aurelia and Felix. Although Felix ended up murdering his sister, it was a question the apprentice didn't want to leave unanswered.

"Ok, so here it goes," Ranran took out her smartphone to announce, "I just want to remind you that months earlier, an interesting tidbit was Peggy changed The Will."

"Really!?" Shinichi's interest intensified as he listened attentively. "What are the changes made?!"

"To summarize it short, Felix's plotting and scheming for over a year...was merely a waste of time."

Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise at Ranran's revelation. "Why? Is it because Felix isn't included in the will?"

"Yup," Ranran smirked mischievously, clearly enjoying the suspense.

"What about Aurelia?"

"She didn't get any as well."

Shinichi whistled in response, "Damn, that is one heartless mother. At the same time, however, I wouldn't want to leave my money to a shopaholic or a serial killer." Ranran chuckled at Shinichi's remark, understanding his sentiment. "But if she didn't leave the money for them, where is her money gonna go?"

"The Golden Wrinkles Manor." She read out the name in English.

At first, Shinichi's eyes widened further in surprise. Then surprise turns to confusion, "What kind of a dumb name place is that?!"

"I don't know, let me check," Ranran furrowed her brows, trying to process the information and did the search on her smartphone before realizing what it was referring to, "Says here that it is a luxurious old folk home based in the U.K., mainly for puppeteers."

"Hah!? That kind of place actually exists!?" Shinichi's jaw dropped at her revelation.

"Apparently so." Ranran nodded, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "The Golden Wrinkles Manor is a unique establishment that caters specifically to retired puppeteers. It's known for providing a luxurious and comfortable living environment for those who have dedicated their lives to the art of puppetry."

Shinichi couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of Peggy Punchard's decision. "Well, I guess she had a soft spot for puppeteers after all. It's certainly an unexpected twist."

Ranran nodded in agreement. "Indeed. It just goes to show that even in death, people can surprise us with their choices."

As they processed the information, Shinichi's mind began to wander. "I wonder what drove Peggy to make such a decision."

"Probably...her love for her first ex-husband Takashi, as well as Punch and Judy is the reason why she made that decision."

"Eh?!"

"If you think about her life leading up to the murders...she had divorced a total of 26 times since becoming a successful comedian who is worth millions in pounds, or billions for all we know." Ranran scoffed at that thought, "Her one daughter using her like an ATM, her eldest son hating her every single second for the death of his sister Joan, all of her ex-husband except Takashi wanting to cash out of the divorce...adding the fact that she didn't really have close friends to confide to when she retired....she probably wished to go back to the way things were."

Shinichi nodded in understanding. Peggy Punchard's life seemed to have been filled with tumultuous relationships and complicated family dynamics. It was no wonder that in the end, she chose to leave her fortune to a place that held sentimental value to her.

"Poor Peggy," Shinichi said with a hint of sympathy in his voice.

"But towards the very end, it was also thanks to this mindset, it ended up costing her life." Ranran ponders about this, "Unable to let go of her love for Takashi, her first ex-husband who still loves her even though she abandon him, the rest of the 25 ex-husbands were constantly compared to him, her children detested her for not loving their father enough....in a way, although this comedic career paid off at the end...."

"...it was also her own regret that ultimately gave the last laugh." Shinichi finished Ranran's thought. "I wonder if Mr Takashi can ever move on from this?" Shinichi said softly.

"Who knows....usually the ones who are left behind alive and well had to suffer, cause the ones who die remain dead for life, never having to be tormented by guilt."

Shinichi fell into a thoughtful silence at Ranran's words. The cases they dealt with often exposed the dark sides of humanity, but this case is by far one of the darkest Shinichi had ever dealt with.

He turn to see Ranran's expression as she said those words, had she been in their shoes before? She did reveal losing her mentor to murder before.

"What is wrong with that?! We didn't cause Christopher to die, he asked for it! And that stupid girl who can't let go of his death kept coming up with schemes to ruin me in the worst way possible!"

Wait a minute....the name Christopher....is that Ranran's mentor's name?

It suddenly dawned on Shinichi that he may finally have a name to look into it. Whoever this kid is that taught Ranran. But he isn't going to ask it on point. Instead, he will go by a different approach.

"Is that how it was when your mentor died, Ranran?"

Ranran didn't react much when he asked that question, let alone, flinched when this was brought up. Without looking at him in the eye, she revealed "My mentor....is someone whom I deem closer than anyone I could ever come across in my entire life."

"Eh?"

"In a way....he was there throughout many of my milestones than my parents weren't. Not that I could blame my parents, since they worked under a horrible supervisor." Silence followed as she rambled on, "When I threw a tantrum, he was very patient with me unlike most kids his age, he was around 7 or 8. Even for me as a 6-year-old, I had no amount of patience dealing with my own self unlike he had."

"It sounded like...he is the most devoted friend. Could've won him a friend of the year."

"A year is too low, I feel like....centuries of that sort."

"That is overly exaggerating." Shinichi frowned.

"You are right, even my parents think so too." Ranran crossed her fingers on the table, thinking about the old times, "A lot of kids in my school, whenever I came up with something, they always called me evil. Said that I should check into a mental hospital. He on the other hand always told me he wished to be like my cunning self, and that I should be proud of it rather than ashamed. Those words....are something not even my mother could understand. He....believed in me when no one does."

Shinichi listened intently before deciding, "He sounds like an incredible person," he said sincerely.

"I wouldn't really say that," Ranran chuckled bitterly at that, "He had his flaws, a product of his own environment just like me. But....we were there thick and thin. So when I learn he was coming to Japan with me, I was very much looking forward to it. Very very much so...."

Shinichi could sense the mixed emotions in Ranran's voice as she spoke about her mentor. There was a deep fondness and admiration for him, but also a hint of sadness and pain in her words.

"After those children had him murdered through his abusive mother, I told myself after he passed away...the moment I set foot in this foreign country, I won't befriend anyone unless that friend treats me the same way as he does with me ever again."

"That is....high unrealistic expectations."

"It might have been ridiculous and unrealistic standards to get a friend like him, much to my parents' grief, but I couldn't be bothered to care anymore after his death." Ranran chuckled darkly, "To them, they think I was being too sentimental, but I can't help it. There are people you meet who would promise you the world with words and never complete them, but he ain't like that. He....is someone who will commit murder for me if I asked, and he will do it in a heartbeat even though it was in the wrong, and that is the kind of friendship we have. He never judge me, nor did I judge him. No one has ever asked questions as to why I am what I am, and he never once saw me as a bad child. Which is why...when he died, I decided since they made me hit rock-bottom, I might as well send them lower than my rock-bottom enough to be at the door of the Devil."

Shinichi's heart sank at the revelation. He couldn't imagine what sort of life had she been dealing with her whole life to say such a thing.

Then again, the flashbacks from those Edgewood Academy children back at the alleyway half an hour ago were good enough of a glimpse to see the life Ranran used to lead.

"Truthfully," Shinichi's ears perked up as Ranran continued, "That moment after you severed ties with Ran and Sonoko when they tried to get me to talk instead of you.....I knew it was at that moment, you really had it rough."

The apprentice's eyes blew wide open at the mention of his former friends.

"The way they acted like a hypocrite when they tried to befriend me to pry you out of me....a lot was going through my mind when I saw them behave that way. Like: What were you thinking? What did you see in those two to become friends? Is that what your friendship with them is like for all those years? Why didn't you severe time with them? You are smarter than this."

The apprentice was taken aback by Ranran's blunt assessment of his former friends.

"What utterly disgusts me more...is that they shed no remorse. To me...they are no different than the kids who did this to him."

"Is... Is that so?" Shinichi stammered, feeling a mix of guilt and defensiveness over what Ranran had to go through.

"Although....nowadays Ran no longer pesters you about quitting the association of that sort, but it would be a matter of time before she would eventually cause further problems. When that happens, it's gonna get really ugly. And you need to prepare yourself for that."

The sweat grew behind Shinichi as she stood up to dust herself, not by the fact that Ranran is the weight of her words, but rather, the impending doom he and Ranran may be forced to face.

Photos of Rokuro with Mana meeting up at the cafe, the recent secret meetups between Sonoko and Rokuro, and sightings of Ranran's Edgewood friends appearing in Japan, are disturbing signs that something is brewing, and as it explodes, it won't be a pleasant sight to see.

"You know...his death taught me something important, something that I'll never forget." Ranran stood up to put her seat back elegantly while dusting off the dust on her shoulders.

"What's that?" Shinichi asked, curious.

With her gaze locked on Shinichi's, Ranran's expression became sombre before leaving the HQ. "Friendship itself is an exploitable thing," he said, his voice filled with conviction. "I was lucky to have him as my friend, and I realize had I not met him, I would've ended up easily exploited by others."

Shinichi was left speechless, pondering Ranran's words as she left the room.

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

After hearing those words, Shinichi kicked his detective abilities into overdrive mode.

One way or another, kicking Mouri Ran is a necessity given the situation. He waited at the entrance of Teitan Elementary School the following day, the rest of the members had their own thing to do, so it was time he confront that person upfront.

"Of course, Rokuro, Ran is doing well so far. Alright, I will report to you if that Ranran girl did anything to her." Shinichi could hear Ran's best friend chatting happily over the smartphone, wearing her rondesu bag while on her way out.

With a deep breath, he knew it was time to confront his former friend.

As Sonoko stepped out of the school gate, she looked surprised to see Shinichi waiting for her. "Shinichi! What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to act casual, but he could see a hint of nervousness in her eyes, as she quickly hung up the phone.

And he knew the reason the heiress did this was because of his bad blood with Rokuro.

"Were you speaking to Rokuro earlier?" Shinichi confronted the girl.

Sonoko's eyes darted around nervously, clearly caught off guard by Shinichi's direct question. "Um, well, no, that wasn't him on the line, it was another friend of mine," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Why do you ask?"

Shinichi's expression remained serious as he continued, "I overheard you saying something about reporting to him if Ranran did anything to you."

Sonoko's face paled slightly, and she stammered, "I-I didn't mean anything by it, Shinichi. It's just..."

"He is concerned over Mouri?" Shinichi raised an eyebrow, "Or is he planning something sinister to Ranran to get me back?"

"Shinichi, how could you say that?!" Sonoko's eyes widened at Shinichi's accusation. "I know you and Rokuro have bad blood, but that didn't mean you can simply point the finger at him!"

"This is the same boy who framed me for throwing the punch at him first, and while I am aware that Rokuro is Mouri's former neighbour and that you think greatly of him, I don't," Shinichi spoke with bitterness in this tongue.

"Look, I get that you and Rokuro have some history, but you can't just jump to conclusions and assume the worst. He is a good boy! If it wasn't for you to be manipulated by that she-de-I mean, Ranran, we wouldn't be where we are now!" Sonoko said defensively, her voice wavering slightly.

"So that is what you think, huh?" Shinichi chuckled darkly. "Then why did he request you to report Ranran to him? Ranran barely knows who he is. The only logical explanation is that you told him what Ranran has been doing to her."

"He's just worried about her safety," Sonoko argued, "He's just trying to protect her."

"Then if he is so worried about Mouri getting harmed by Ranran, just tell her to quit then."

"I am sorry!?" Sonoko's blinked in shock.

"You heard me, quit the association." Shinichi announced, "We have nothing to make her stay there, so why not get her to quit then? He is worried that Ranran might harm Mouri, right? Just quit, and then we can all live happily ever after."

Sonoko's face turned red with anger. "And why should Mouri quit!?"

"Why shouldn't she? The reason she joined initially was to get Ranran to restore your reputation for breaking into Ranran's house! Considering Ranran had settled it, why is Mouri still remaining in our HQ to harass both Ranran and I while acting like the troublemaking meddler she had always been right from the start?!" Shinichi shot back, his tone firm and unyielding.

Sonoko's fists clenched, her anger evident. "You think it's just about my reputation? It's about justice, Shinichi! Ranran needs to pay for-"

"Her sins? For what? Manipulating me? Filling me with lies that never existed!? Just so to protect herself?!" Shinichi retorted, his sarcasm matching Sonoko's. "Let me ask you something, and be honest with me. When that video of Mamiko telling you to discourage me from my Tantei dream to marry Ran surfaced on Ranran's tablet, were you planning on telling me any of this? Or were you going to shut up your damn bird beak till I ended up on the aisle with her a decade plus or so!?"

Sonoko's face turned pale, and she stammered, "I-"

"Sonoko, you and Mouri both knew how much I wanted to be a detective and for me to learn all of this through the video made me wonder...were you two even the same friends I knew since kindergarten!?" Shinichi's voice rose with frustration, "Had Ranran not told me to check Mamiko's laptop, I would've been a fool to remain friends with the both of you!"

"It ain't like that, Tantei Geek!" Sonoko's voice wavered.

"Actions speak louder than words, Sonoko," Shinichi replied coldly. "And your actions, along with Mouri's, have made it clear where your loyalties lie." Sonoko looked down, unable to meet Shinichi's gaze as he announced, "Tell Mouri to quit our association, I don't ever want to see that disgusting boy go after Ranran after what he did to me."

"And if I don't!?"

Shinichi's expression hardened even further, his eyes glinting with determination. "Then I'll let Ranran handle it. And trust me, you won't like how she handles it."

Sonoko looked taken aback by Shinichi's threat, but she tried to stand her ground. "You can't just tell her to quit, Shinichi. It's her decision, and you have no right to interfere."

"Oh, I have every right," Shinichi replied in anger. "Tantei Association is built by two people: Me and Ranran. Anyone unwelcome in our home has to go!"

After their heated exchange, Shinichi left Sonoko standing there, her face flushed with anger and frustration. She couldn't believe how much their friendship had deteriorated, all because of the complicated web of lies and manipulations that Ranran had woven around them.

But then, he returned to confront one more thing, "About...that funeral incident you were in with Ranran last year at that hotel...did you sneak into the event and knock her down the carpet!?"

Sonoko's eyes widened, and she looked shocked at the sudden change in topic. "Wait, how did you know about that? D-Did Ranran told you?!"

"I have my ways of finding out things. But that's not important right now. Did you do it?"

At first, he could see the heiress hesitated for a moment. Although she refuses to answer, he knew it was the truth since she bit her own lip.

"As I thought...for once...I was hoping that what I dug about you were mere lies so that I didn't have to hate you as much as I do now. But who knew once more that the more I keep learning unsightly things about you, the more you both keep disappointing me again and again."

"Shinichi, I..." She struggled to find the right words, but her guilt-ridden silence spoke volumes.

"Sonoko, I sometimes wonder...what you, Ran and I had...were we even friends to begin with?"

Before turning away to leave her once more, she yelled, "You are too biased!"

"Am I?"

"Eh!?"

"I admit I ain't the friend of the year when it came to you or Ran." He didn't look back at her, " I am obnoxious, unusually intelligent beyond my age, and at times insensitive when it came to both of your feelings. You both had every right to be mad at me over that when we were friends. But I never meddled with your dreams, the way you did to me."

More silence followed, "You are right, I might have been a bit more biased, now that I have hung out with Ranran more and more now. She isn't the most docile child I know of, not the most innocent or purest girl, but the one thing I can praise about her is that she has sincerity in her. Sure, everything about her is brutal to the core, but it is her way of showing care for others. And you both lack that."

One more, he silenced her with his one last ultimatum, "Also, you better keep your beak shut, let alone, don't you ever overly dramatized whatever Ranran did to Mouri, cause so far, the things Ranran did to Mouri are rather justifiable against someone who is irrational. If Rokuro, and I meant it, he does anything to harm Ranran, even if he dares to touch a single strand of hair onto her, it won't just be Rokuro who will end up in serious trouble, so would you and Mouri! You hear me?!"

Shinichi continued to walk away after snarling at her, leaving Sonoko standing there, still trying to process everything that had just transpired with a mix of anger and horror.