Ranran's eyes widened in shock as Shinichi confessed to being the real founder of the Tantei Association.

It was an audacious lie, and she could see the strategy behind his decision. By claiming to be the founder, he was attempting to protect her and deflect Adeline's attention away from her. Her heart raced as she realized the depth of his sacrifice, and she knew that they needed to navigate this situation carefully.

Adeline's grin widened, her eyes glittering with triumph. "Ah, so the great detective himself is the mastermind. How delightful."

Shinichi's voice was steady, his gaze locked onto Adeline's. "Now that you know, let Ran go. This is between you and me. She's not part of our feud."

Adeline's laughter rang out, cold and eerie. "Oh, but she is, Shinichi. She's very much a part of it. After all, isn't that why you're willing to reveal yourself?"

Recalling that The Snake is somehow involved with the recent case involving Professor Shibuya's missing stolen eagle, Ranran confronted Adeline, "Is your Tousan worried about the fact that he is no closer to locating the taxidermized eagle?"

Adeline's eyes flashed with a mix of surprise and anger as Ranran brought up the stolen eagle. Clearly, Ranran's words had struck a nerve. The tension in the air grew even more palpable as Adeline's grip on the gun tightened.

"You're quite well-informed, aren't you?" Adeline's voice was laced with a dangerous edge. "But you ain't wrong. Truthfully, the stuffed eagle was initially with my Tousan."

 "Initially?" Ranran's brows shot up, "Did someone steal the eagle from your Tousan's hands?"

Adeline's eyes narrowed, and a flash of anger crossed her face at Ranran's question. It was clear that Ranran's accurate deductions were unsettling her, and she was struggling to maintain her composure. But Ranran is a bit impressed, to see her gathering her act calmly.

Cause most bad evil kids Ranran used to deal with won't stand a chance with Ranran's jibes.

And judging Adeline's body language, it appears that she is good at masking her anger elegantly, kind of reminding Ranran of someone she used to know when she was younger.

Observing Adeline's fingers tightened around the gun as her composure wavered for a moment. Ranran's accurate deductions seemed to be getting under her skin, and the tense atmosphere grew even more charged.

"Enough with the games," Shinichi's voice cut through the tension, his gaze fixed on Adeline. "Where is Mouri!?"

"If you want to see her again, then..." Adeline indicated the alley behind them, "There's a car waiting inside for us. Just walk down and get in the back. There are one or two things I want to ask you."

A black car behind Adeline arrives silently. Judging the model, Ranran deduces the car model, "2019 Jaguar XJ."

Observing Ranran silently, Adeline spoke cautiously, "You seemed very knowledgeable about cars. Reminding me of someone I used to know."

Ranran's gave an indifferent look at Adeline, while Shinichi's eyes grew wide at Adeline's words.

But before Ranran could accompany Shinichi, the gun was pointed at Ranran as Adeline's lips curled into a smirk, "Not you, the boy only." 

Ranran's heart raced as the situation escalated even further. Adeline's gun was now pointed directly at her, and she found herself in a dangerous predicament. She exchanged a quick glance with Shinichi, their unspoken communication speaking volumes. It was clear that Adeline's intent was to separate them, likely to ensure that Shinichi followed her orders without any interference.

Of course, Shinichi did try to scream for help. But even before that could happen, he felt a gun behind his back, concealed behind Adeline's purse. "Be quiet. Unless you want the whole neighbourhood to hear what is going on between us all?"Then Adeline gave a short laugh, "I'm surprised you bothered to go after that little runt, even though you already have a beautiful girl next to you."

Ranran gritted her teeth, thinking of something she could do to overpower Adeline. Her paintball gun is no match for a real gun.

"Ranran, I will be fine! Just go!"Shinichi snarled but the gun was again pressed firmly behind his back to remind him.

 "Oh, how touching. The great detective is willing to sacrifice himself for the girl. But remember, you're the one I want, Shinichi." Adeline's smirk widened as she seemed to relish the power she held over them.

"You better watch your damn mouth!"Ranran snarled.

"Gotta admit, you did well. Shinichi is quite the cute boy, isn't he?"Adeline taunted."Maybe I could take him off your hands!"

Ranran's jaw tightened at the gun pointed behind Shinichi's back kept reminding her not to do anything stupid.

The little red lip detective girl's expression didn't change, but the anger within her is boiling mad towards Adeline. Any child from any criminal family is never to be underestimated, since she is after all the gangster's daughter. Still, who knew she was aware of this? That she is closing in on knowing Michio was just a cover?

That meant Adeline isn't one ordinary naive arrogant daughter of a criminal. 

Adeline meanwhile took a good look at Ranran's eyes, there somehow reminded her of someone from her past, but the coldness and blankness within her eyes made it too unrecognizable. "Here is what is going to happen, you either back off, or this is where you will last see Shinichi."

"No, I am not leaving him with you!"Ranran barked at Adeline, who had a gun then pointed at her.

"Ranran, listen to me, just go."Shinichi pleaded as he was being held hostage.

"Shinichi-"

"Please Ranran, it is an order."

"No, Shinichi, she will finish you and Mouri off after you are not used to her!" she responded in anger upon glaring at Adeline, smirking evilly before her.

"Ranran. Please. Go!" Shinichi yapped. "If I ever die, don't ever quit your Tantei dream!"

"Shinichi don't say that and talk such death nonsense!" Ranran's voice sounded both strained and filled with tension, as she hears Shinichi's pleadings to let him go in his voice. 

"Ranran, just go," Shinichi's voice was firm, despite the fear that Ranran could hear underneath. "Do as she says. I'll find a way to handle this."

Ranran's gaze locked onto Shinichi's, the turmoil in her eyes reflecting the conflict within her.  The gun pointed at both of them was a stark reminder of the real threat Adeline posed. Part of Ranran wanted to reveal that she is the founder. But if she does so, that meant all three of them will die on the spot. So would the rest of the members.

"How sweet. A love so strong that you're willing to sacrifice yourself for the other. But don't worry, Ranran, I promise I'll take good care of him." Adeline's voice taunted them, a cruel edge to her words.

With her fists clenched at her sides, her eyes burned with determination. Ranran needed a plan, a way to outmanoeuvre Adeline and get them both out of this alive. The gun Adeline held was a significant advantage, and Ranran knew she had to be careful not to make any sudden moves that could escalate the situation.

Helplessly, Ranran watched from afar as Shinichi enters the Jaguar, his captor still wielding the gun. The car's engine roared to life, and the vehicle began to pull away, carrying the apprentice away from the mentor, and so did the captor.

The sound of the car's engine grew fainter as it disappeared into the distance, leaving Ranran standing there.

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

Back in the Jaguar, Shinichi sat in the back seat, his heart pounding accompanied by 10-year-old Adeline, as the car moved through the city streets.

The tense silence inside the car was palpable. Shinichi's mind raced as he thought about the best course of action. Adeline held the gun, and he is completely at her mercy. He couldn't risk any sudden moves that could put him or Adeline in danger.

As the car drove on, Shinichi couldn't help but notice Adeline's occasional glances in his direction. Her expression was a mix of curiosity and something deeper as if she were trying to figure him out. It was unsettling, and he knew he needed to stay vigilant.

"Quite the interesting little drama you've got going on," Adeline finally spoke, her voice cutting through the silence. "A love triangle involving the great detective, the apprentice, and the girl who seems to be at the centre of it all."

Shinichi's jaw clenched, and he looked out of the car window, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a response. He knew that Adeline was trying to get under his skin, to provoke a reaction, and he wasn't going to give her the pleasure.

"Oh, don't be so tight-lipped," Adeline's tone was mocking. "It's all very intriguing, about your little drama of ditching the girl who likes you for a richer girl who can make your dreams as a Tantei come true."

"Ranran ain't like that! And you are wrong about one thing, the girl who likes me....her feelings are nothing but lies!" Shinichi's grip on his emotions tightened. Adeline's words were hitting a nerve, but he wasn't going to let her manipulate him. He needed to stay focused and find a way out of this situation.

"Oh, how noble of you to defend that red lip child. Such a shame for the other member I took....her feelings for you seemed genuine."

"Huh, genuine?" Shinichi scoffed, "If only you knew what a snake she was beneath her innocent-like face!"

Adeline grew a bit startled at the little boy's reaction towards Mouri Ran, clearly, this is not the reaction Adeline was expecting from him.

Shinichi's vehement response seemed to catch Adeline off guard. Her eyes narrowed, studying him closely. "You seem awfully certain about that. Did something happen between you two?"

"N-nothing....has happened," Shinichi's jaw tightened, and he continued to remain silent, not willing to give Adeline any more information than necessary. He needed to keep his focus on evading her and finding a way to ensure both his and Ranran's safety.

The Snake's daughter's curiosity seemed to be piqued by Shinichi's reaction. She regarded him with a mix of suspicion and calculation as if she were trying to piece together the puzzle of their relationship.

"Don't tell me....." Adeline gave Shinichi a suspicious gaze, "That little red lip detective girl manipulated you into ditching that Mouri child in exchange to invest your job as a Tantei?"

"How dare you even speak of Ranran as if she is that malicious!? Also, why would I rely on a girl for money!?"Shinichi cried.

"Careful, I wouldn't go overboard like this if I were you. Mr Kudo. Also, there is nothing wrong to rely on money from a girl. This is the 21st century, Kudo Shinichi." Immediately he growled. Her gun jabbed in the ribs with a quick, vicious movement. "Answer the question."

"You're making assumptions without knowing the full story," Shinichi replied, his gaze locked onto Adeline's. "We have a complicated history, but she's not the villain you're trying to paint her as."

Adeline's eyes flickered with a mix of emotions – surprise, suspicion, and perhaps even a hint of uncertainty. "How complicated is complicated?"

Knowing he would be forced to fess up with their gun aimed in his direction, he told a story, with some facts changed, "I...used to have jealousy issues towards Ranran."

Adeline's eyes narrowed further, seemingly intrigued by Shinichi's words. "Jealousy issues? Towards that red lip child?"

"She...has done things that I could've achieved, but I shelved those thoughts away to keep my friends around. I....resented her for all the wrong reasons," Shinichi's heart pounded as he continued with the fabricated story, knowing that he needed to keep Adeline's attention on him and away from Ranran. "That Mouri girl betrayed me in the worst way unimaginable, so I sever ties with her later on in life. Ranran...is the only person who listened to me, we grew closer over time."

Adeline's gaze remained fixed on him, and her fingers tapped thoughtfully against the gun. "But Mouri...she didn't like you moved on, didn't she?"

Shinichi nodded, maintaining the fiction he had spun. "She couldn't stand that I had found someone...who is way better than herself. A jealous person she was, she tried to manipulate me into coming back to her, which failed miserably since."

Soon, much to Shinichi's surprise, Adeline covered his eyes with a blindfold. Adeline settled herself beside her and slammed the door.

"Where are you taking me?" Shinichi shrieked.

"You will find out soon," The car sped off as Adeline fell into silence, seemingly lost in thought before pressing for further details, "How did this Mouri girl betray you?"

"Hah!? Why should I tell you!?"

Cocking the gun at him, Adeline threatens, "Say it."

Shinichi gritted his teeth, realizing that he had painted himself into a corner with his fabricated story. Adeline's gun was a stark reminder of the danger he was in, and he couldn't afford to provoke her further. He needed to play along, at least for now.

Taking a deep breath, he began to weave a tale that mixed a few elements of truth with more fiction. "She...bullied me into getting me to quit becoming a Tantei, then plans to marry me years later."

"Aren't you all 6-years-old!?" Adeline's voice was a mix of exasperation and incredulity, even the driver's expression despite being in a mask, was shaken to hear such details as the driver decided children are maturing ahead nowadays.

"Why are you so invested in all of this?" Shinichi asked, his voice calm and curious. "What's your endgame, Adeline?"

Adeline's expression tightened, and she glanced away for a moment before turning her gaze back to Shinichi. "My endgame? Well, let's just say that I enjoy chaos. Stirring things up and watching the pieces fall into place, or crumble apart."

"So, this is all just a game to you?" Shinichi's voice held a mix of incredulity and frustration.

The 10-year-old girl's lips curled into a sly smile. "Isn't life just a series of games, Mr Kudo? Some play by the rules, and some don't. But in the end, we're all players in someone else's grand design."

Shinichi's mind raced as he tried to analyze Adeline's words. There was a complexity to her motivations that he couldn't quite grasp. "One more thing I had to know," The criminal's daughter confronted the detective apprentice, "Why is Mouri a member of your association if she is manipulative?"

"She forced her way in," he replied cautiously. "We tried to kick her out multiple times."

Adeline raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Shinichi's response. "Forced her way in, huh? How?"

Shinichi knew he was treading on thin ice, trying to maintain a plausible narrative while keeping Adeline's suspicion at bay. He decided to reveal a bit more, hoping it would satiate her curiosity without digging a deeper hole for himself. 

"Her friend broke into our house to check whether Ranran and I are in a relationship."

"And are you?"

"No, definitely no. We kicked her friend out and put her name for the whole school to see. They grew riled up and try to attack the same friend. Mouri didn't like it, so she demanded Ranran and I to restore her friend's reputation. We refused because we were under manpower solving one of the cases at that time."

Recalling that she counted 7 children, Adeline suddenly remembered, "Was it around the time my dad tried to steal a white tiger?"

"Somewhere around that period...she promised to leave after we resolve her friend's situation. And...that was it."He chose his words carefully, sticking to a version of the truth while omitting certain details.

".....but she didn't leave, did she?" Adeline's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Ah, a jealous little girl had weaselled their way in."

"Weasel? More like leach her way." Shinichi scoffed.

Adeline chuckled at Shinichi's description, seemingly entertained by his responses. Her demeanour shifted between amusement and contemplation as if she were assessing the puzzle that was Shinichi and his relationships.

"You have quite the colourful circle of acquaintances," Adeline mused, her gaze still fixed on the road ahead. "A girl with jealousy issues, you who have a rather complex history, and an enigmatic member whom you severed ties for. It's almost poetic."

Shinichi remained silent, uncertain of how to respond. He knew that Adeline was unpredictable, and he couldn't let his guard down even for a moment.

Oddly, as the car took him to some unknown destination, he could've sworn he heard Adeline mutter, "At least he isn't a low-life scumbag towards 'her'."

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

"What do you mean both Shinichi and Ran are kidnapped, Ranran!?"Michio's voice blasted in horror over his smartphone, as he jumped up from his seat at the fast food restaurant, whereby Takuma, Emiko and Junko shared the same table.

Ranran's heart raced as she heard Michio's alarmed voice on the other end of the line, trying to get a cab to follow the Jaguar that has taken Shinichi away.

"It's Adeline," she whispered urgently into the phone. "She's kidnapped Shinichi and Ran." 

"How the hell did that happen!?" Junko slammed her fist in anger at the mention of Adeline's name.

"She had a gun, that is what happened!" Ranran replied.

Takuma's face turned pale, his eyes wide with shock. "A gun? Are you serious?"

Emiko clenched her fists, her voice tinged with worry. "Ranran, where are you now? Tell us your location, we're coming to help."

"I am trying to call a cab to follow the jaguar, had a tracker on the phone with a bug stuffed in Shinichi's pocket. He turn it on as soon as the car started, but I would need a cab to follow as soon as possible. Otherwise, as soon as it is out of the radar within the city, I will lose track of them," Ranran explained hurriedly, having managed to catch up with the jaguar due to heavy traffic, so it wasn't far off the little girl's sight.

While Takuma was busy trying to call a cab frantically, Michio's voice was tense as he responded, "Don't worry, Ranran. We are coming. Just hold on."

Junko's expression shifted from anger to determination. "We won't let Adeline get away with this. We're going to help you track them down."

"We're all leaving now," Emiko declared, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Just keep us updated on their location."

"No, all of you stay back! You all are quite far off from where I am now! Just get Sergeant Genzo to call over the location I shared for you, you all can keep track of me while I try to catch up with the Jaguar!" Ranran instructed over the smartphone. 

As soon as he was taken away, Ranran immediately dropped her phone into her pocket and raced after the car while her head was racing like crazy, and panic sets in, wondering what to do. Her mind was in turmoil, the buildings passing by in a blur around her.

By the time the phone call was made, Majima Michio had never heard Sergeant Genzo so angry.

"I thought I told u to wait for my men. I've been trying to reach you for the last two hours. Where have all of you been?"

Michio was perched on the edge of his seat. He pushed the remains of his burger aside

"Well, it's like this, Sergeant," he began to explain. "We had to hand in our smartphones, that's why we didn't hear your calls. It was some kind of security regulation in Teitan university, that apparently since that university is working on Nuclear related subjects-"

"Majima Michio, that is beside the point!!" interrupted Sergeant Genzo. "Where are you all now?"

"In a burger restaurant, just outside the Teitan University," Michio told him while his friends watched anxiously.

"Is everybody with you?" the sergeant demanded.

"Yes..." Then he checked himself "Well, actually, Ranran is chasing after the car that had kidnapped Shinichi and Ran-san-"

"Wait, alone!?" Sergeant Genzo's voice turned stern and alarmed at the thought of Ranran chasing after the kidnappers alone. "Majima, you should have informed the police immediately! How are you all simply letting a 6-year-old girl chase after a criminal who kidnapped your two other members!?"

"I know, I know," Michio's voice held a mix of frustration and worry. "We didn't think it would escalate like this. Also, who expects The Snake to send his 10-year-old daughter to go kidnap others with a gun!?"

"Considering your leader is a 6-year-old who knows how to run a Tantei business, let alone, has experience handling a gun in real life, does it not occur to you that The Snake might do the same for his daughter!?"

Sergeant Genzo's words drove them to silence.

"Listen carefully. I'm sending my men to the location you shared. You and the others stay put in that burger restaurant until we arrive. Do not, under any circumstances, try to take matters into your own hands again. Is that understood?" The sergeant's voice was stern.

Before Michio could say anything, Sergeant Genzo cut the call.

Again, Michio tried to punch in Shinichi's number. No response. He punched in Ran's number: No reply. He then called Ranran, which she picked up, and said she is still struggling to get a cab before she hung up.

He set down his phone and looked at his friends. "Guys, I think we're really in trouble this time."

Meanwhile, as Ranran tried to run as far as her legs could carry her to catch up to the said jaguar car, she knew her limits as a child is hitting hard on her.

"How is it that even with all of the running in this city of Japan, no cab exists!" Ranran rambled to herself.

Ranran's heart raced as she sprinted through the busy streets, her small legs carrying her as fast as they could. The bustling city seemed to blur around her, a whirlwind of colours and sounds. She had never run this fast or this far before, and the adrenaline pumping through her veins was both exhilarating and exhausting.

With every step, she felt the weight of worry for Shinichi and Ran pressing down on her. She couldn't afford to slow down or give up, not when the two other member's safety was at stake. But her breath was growing laboured, and her muscles were beginning to ache. She wished she had the stamina of an adult, the ability to keep running without tiring.

As she continued to sprint, she spotted the distinctive black shape of the Jaguar up ahead, parked on the side of the road. Her heart leapt with a mix of hope and desperation. She was getting closer. But her legs were starting to protest, her lungs burning from the effort.

Ranran's determination pushed her forward, her eyes locked onto the car. She could see it clearly now, the sleek design, the tinted windows. She knew she was running out of time, that every second counted. But her body was reaching its limit, and she felt herself slowing down, her breath ragged.

Just as it seemed like her legs might give out, she heard the sound of a car horn behind her. 

Ranran's heart skipped a beat as she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening in surprise. A taxi was pulling up alongside her, the passenger waving her over with an urgent gesture. 

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

As all of the chaos was taking place, Sergeant Genzo listened while Michio nervously told him about the developments of the said case in the fast food restaurant. Junko noticed how the sergeant's jaw tightened.

"Where is Professor Shibuya now?'' the sergeant asked

"At this point, we don't know," Michio shrugged, "And if Professor Hoga knows, he didn't tell us."

"Why didn't you share your information with me earlier?" Sergeant Genzo demanded, forcing back his anger. He respected Michio's ability as a detective. As smart as his father, he thought, remembering how he and Michio's father had worked together as a team before his friend had died. "And Ranran's theory about The Snake being involved is correct. That's why I've been trying to contact you in advance. The bullets fired at the whole lot of you this morning came from a gun owned by one of The Snake's associates. It's been used in quite a few armed robberies!"

"Yes! Ranran is in the right!" Michio grinned triumphantly. He and Takuma high-fived each other. "Yo!"

Sergeant Genzo slammed his fist on the table while he admired Michio's talent, the boy's independent streak drove him crazy. "I have got a good mind to lock you all up. For your own safety."

Emiko felt her insides turn over: If she were put in jail, her mother would never forgive her!

"You can't do that!"Michio protested

"Don't be too sure," glowered Sergeant Genzo, "We call it protective custody." He leaned forward urgently, "Now, where have Shinichi and Ran, or even Ranran gone? If The snake's got them, Michio, I'll hold you personally responsible!"

And Michio knew the sergeant wasn't joking. Junko clutched his hand, "Majima, where is Ranran now!? Why isn't she here yet!?"

"She...she said she was going with someone to find them both!"

"Well then...did she mention who it was!?"

"Now that you mention it....."Realization dawned on him, "I didn't even ask who she was with!"

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

Meanwhile, as the taxi pulled up alongside Ranran, the passenger side from the back rolled down the window to reveal an unexpected face.

Kasumaki Rokuro, Shinichi's nemesis attacked Ranran when he broke into the association HQ a few days ago, motioning for her to get in.

"What are you doing here?" Ranran demanded, her voice tinged with a mix of suspicion and urgency.

"I saw you chasing after the Jaguar. I have my reasons to want to catch up to it as well." Rokuro's expression was unreadable, his dark eyes fixed on her.

Ranran's mind raced, conflicted between her distrust of Rokuro and her desperation to reach Shinichi and Ran. She needed more information, needed to know if she could truly rely on him. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't have much of a choice right now," Rokuro replied, a hint of frustration in his tone. "We both want the same thing – to catch up to that car. We can work together for now, and once we rescue them, we can go our separate ways."

Ranran froze a bit, "Wait, how did you know about the kidnapping?! I didn't tell anyone except the rest of the members!"

"I will explain everything after you get in the cab! Hurry! The light is going to turn green!"

Ranran's mind raced as she weighed her options. Rokuro was certainly an unexpected ally, but if he had information that could help her find Shinichi and Ran, she couldn't afford to dismiss his offer outright. With the traffic light about to turn green, she didn't have much time to decide.

Swallowing her suspicions, she quickly climbed into the back seat of the taxi, Rokuro following suit. The taxi driver, though confused by the sudden addition of a new passenger, didn't have time to question it as he pressed down on the accelerator once the light changed.

As the taxi sped through the streets, Ranran's attention was divided between the road ahead and Rokuro sitting beside her. She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease, the memory of their confrontation at the association HQ still fresh in her mind.

"You said you have reasons to want to catch up to that car as well," Ranran finally spoke, her voice cautious. "What reasons?"

"I was on my way to the fast food restaurant where Mouri Ran was to apologize to her one last time before surrendering to the cops since your precious apprentice Shinichi pressed charges against me for breaking into both of your HQ and attacking you." Rokuro's gaze remained fixed on the road, his expression unreadable. "Then...I saw Mouri who walked quite a short distance away from the restaurant, but before I could greet her, I saw her looking pale at this girl who seem to be 9 or 10-years-old with her, and she had that...menacing aura in her, then that same Jaguar car appeared before Ran disappeared into the car. And I know she is forced because her parents specifically taught her before not to simply enter a stranger's car!" 

"Wait, you saw Mouri with Adeline!?"

"Who is Adeline by the way!?"

"Criminal mastermind's daughter, her dad's men owned that Jaguar over there we are following!"

Rokuro's eyes widened at the mention of Adeline's name, and his grip on the seat tightened. "The Snake's daughter? Damn it, this just got a lot more complicated."

Realizing Ranran didn't reveal specifically that Adeline's dad was The Snake, Ranran confronted, "Did Ran tell you this as well?"

"No, Sonoko did," Rokuro admitted.

"Let me guess," Ranran pinched her nose bridge, "So I can also simply assume that the reason you knew which fast food restaurant we were in is that Sonoko told you this as well?!"

Rokuro shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes briefly glancing in Ranran's direction. "Yeah, Sonoko told me about the location. She thought I might want to apologize to Mouri for my previous actions. I was actually on my way there when I saw them. When that incident happen, I told the cab driver to take me to the fast food restaurant. But then some of the adults I overheard said that they could've sworn to have seen a young little girl holding a gun behind her purse, forcing a boy into another Jaguar car."

Facepalming, Ranran muttered, "That bloody parrot doesn't know when to keep her damn mouth shut."

"Hey, don't be rude, alright!? I know you don't get along with Sonoko and Ran, but you didn't have to be so spiteful about it!" Rokuro pointed out.

"In what way am I being spiteful?" Ranran then listed a couple of things about the two girls she disliked, "That bird brain heiress didn't keep her mouth shut over where our HQ is, otherwise, would you have simply come to our place to attack me maliciously!?"

"In the first place, you were holding a gun towards me! I had to protect myself, right?!"

"It was a paintball gun! Also, you vandalized that photo of me and Shinichi!" Ranran's eyes narrowed at Rokuro's defence.

"In the first place, the gun you were using at me didn't look like one! And second of all, I didn't even know that the baton I took from the equipment box had a taser built in it! I only meant to knock you out!"

"And aside from that, the worst person in the world is your precious Mouri Ran!" Ranran ranted to the 3rd grader boy, "For the past 2 months since we opened the association, she meddles in every single plan Shinichi and I schemed for every single case we have handled! The worst part was she refused to leave thanks to the fact that she didn't like Shinichi, her former friend who severed ties with her, to be happy with me! So she would keep harassing him to no end to get him to quit as a Tantei. Oh right, did Sonoko even bother to tell you the part that she and that psycho Mamiko colluded to discourage Shinichi from quitting his dream as a Tantei!? Just so Sonoko could marry him off to Mouri Ran?! And the worst part was whenever that happens, either me, Shinichi, or someone else within the association ended up having their lives endangered, all because of her idiot jealousy!"

"Kudo-"

"First incident, Shinichi and I almost drowned at a quarry, and when we try to call for help through Ran, she went missing without telling us. The second incident, The Snake sent men to kidnap me and the others after Mouri tempered with Shinichi's phone! So it was thanks to your damn lie about the feud between you and Shinichi, one day out of the damn blue, he wanted to open Tantei Association with me and he was done with Ran and Sonoko for good, figuring focusing on his dream as a Tantei will do him favours, which did at the beginning."

Ranran clenched her teeth, her expression darkening 

"It wasn't until that damn Mouri tried weaselled her way into Shinichi's life shamelessly like a leech by not signing one of the contracts I had given her if she wanted to be a member, that his life had been full of misery because of you! Which is why I don't see what is the problem with you simply hating on Shinichi, especially when he did nothing to you!"

Rokuro's brows furrowed as he listened to Ranran's outburst. He hadn't expected her to unleash such a torrent of grievances against Mouri Ran, and he realized that there was more to the story than he had previously assumed. He held up a hand to stop her, wanting to clarify the situation.

"Hold on a minute, so Shinichi's dream to become a Tantei....wasn't a joke?"

Ranran looked at him as if he was blind, "In what conceivable form has he ever joked about not wanting to become a Tantei!? Otherwise, why do you think I told him to either not interact with them, or sever his ties with Ran and Sonoko when he begged me to have an apprenticeship under me out of safety concerns!?"

Rokuro's expression was a mix of surprise and realization as he processed Ranran's words. "Did he not want to be a professional soccer player?! Which is why he secretly bragged about being scouted by the professional soccer scouts?"

"Excuse me?!" Again, Ranran is dumbfounded by Rokuro's response, "He joined soccer because he loves the sport, but not enough to go pro! And yeah, Shinichi is arrogant, but he won't brag that sort of thing! Who told you such nonsense anyway!?"

"Mana Yoshida, your classmate. I felt like at that time, he was trustworthy since my aunt and his deceased mother were friends. Sure, he tells a lot of tales, but they are always meant to be entertaining."

No wonder....no wonder Rokuro was easily duped.

This was the first time Ranran is hearing all of this, that Rokuro's mom and Mana's deceased mother were friends. And Ranran dug out nothing when she was investigating Rokuro. Mamiko....she must have known of this.

"Oh, that pathological liar!?" Ranran's frustration seemed to mount at this revelation. "Had Mana told you that he had a crush on Mamiko, our school's sociopath?"

"Not that I know off," Rokuro's eyebrows shot up, clearly taken aback by the new piece of information. "But he revealed to me that Mouri Ran used to have a crush on me, just that Shinichi knew it and made her fall for me."

"Hah! What a joke!" Ranran mocked, "Were you aware that Mana actually lied just so to impress his crush towards Mamiko, whom he had no idea had a sick obsession towards Shinichi!?"

Rokuro's face turned a shade paler as he processed Ranran's words.

"And were you also aware, that Mamiko was the one who not only suggested that discouraging Shinichi to quit idea to Sonoko? Or aware that Mamiko secretly filmed this, and Shinichi discovered this on Mamiko's laptop? That Mamiko planned to use this video one day that should Sonoko find out about Mamiko's evil plans, this video is to silence Sonoko!? Which could've done worst for Mouri!?" Ranran adds.

"I had no idea..." Rokuro's voice was a mix of shock and disbelief.

 "Plus, I can guarantee you that Mouri Ran barely had a thing for you! She kept on encouraging Shinichi to quit after he became my apprentice for 2 months! Kept talking back against me! Which is why I had to come up with something to get her to quit because Shinichi is slowly losing his insanity! "

Rokuro's gaze was fixed on Ranran, a mix of surprise and uncertainty in his eyes. 

"One more thing, Mana Yoshida, when you meet up at the cafe, my bet is he told you that since you and he had a common enemy, which is me and Shinichi, he must have told you things like he is a victim of injustice thanks to my scheming, correct? And that both you and him need to team up. But did he bother to tell you that he brought 10 of our classmates in an attempt to go 'heroic' by confronting the serial killer at the island we were camping at that time? Despite me and Shinichi warning him he shouldn't?! After I exposed him for having a prejudice towards children of rich families like me, Shinichi or even Sonoko, and he attempted to shut down our association when cops' corruption are at an all-time high by shifting the blame onto us, I had to get him expelled!"

Rokuro's expression had shifted from disbelief to a mix of astonishment and realization. He stared at Ranran, taking in her words, and it was clear that he was reevaluating many of his previous assumptions.

"I didn't know...," Rokuro's voice was quieter now, his brows furrowed in thought.

"Did you....did you really not know any of this?!" Ranran was shocked at his reaction to all of this.

"No, I didn't." For the first time, Ranran grew startled as she watch Rokuro slumping, not before his two hands massaging his own face, moaning, "What have I done?!"