The room was charged with emotions, the Edgewood kids' frustrations and accusations finally coming to the surface. Sonoko's face turned pale as she listened to the litany of her past actions being recounted with fervour. The weight of her behaviour, both past and present, seemed to crash down on her.

Tiffany stepped in, her voice steady. "Veronica, I understand your anger, but let's not escalate the situation further."

Veronica's breath was heavy, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and grief. She took a deep breath, visibly trying to calm herself. "I'm sorry, Tiffany, but it's just... seeing all this and remembering what Sonoko did to Ranran... it's hard to stay calm."

Tiffany nodded in understanding, acknowledging Veronica's emotions. She then turned her attention to Sonoko, whose head continued to hurt as she is still drenched in cold water alongside her best friend Ran while bounded to their chairs, "Now that you recalled your memory, it's time for another session of questions."

"Oh come on! Give us a break!" Ran finally has had it with Ranran's Edgewood friends, "Can't you see you tortured us enough!?"

"No, it can never be enough," Ellis and the others gave the two looks of contempt, "You all are the reasons why Ranran is unhappy in Japan, it only seems fair you all suffered further before we released you two."

The tension in the room escalated as Ran's outburst was met with the unwavering determination of the Edgewood kids. The atmosphere was fraught with anger, resentment, and a deep-seated desire for retribution.

"Ellis is right," Tiffany held up her hand, trying to maintain control over the situation. "You both did worst things, you both had to pay for your sins."

Sonoko's face was pale, and her expression was a mix of fear and resignation. Her migraine persisted, and her head throbbed painfully, but she knew she had no choice but to continue.

After all, it is either Ranran's friends' way, or there is no way home.

As the room hung heavy with tension, Ran's frustration and Sonoko's fear were palpable. The Edgewood kids seemed unyielding in their determination to confront the past and seek retribution for the pain they believed had been inflicted by Ran and Sonoko.

Tiffany's voice remained firm as she posed the next question, trying to keep a sense of control over the escalating emotions. "Suzuki Sonoko, did you intentionally manipulate Shinichi Kudo's feelings and discourage his dream of becoming a detective?"

Sonoko's breathing was shallow, and her eyes flickered with a mixture of anxiety and distress. The weight of her past actions and the accusations being hurled at her seemed almost unbearable. But she knew that she had to answer truthfully, no matter how painful it might be.

Taking a shaky breath, she finally responded in a quiet voice, "No."

The lie detector machine's screen remained blank for a moment, and the room filled with a tense silence. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for the truth to be confirmed or denied.

Then, the screen displayed the green smiling emoji, which means true.

The confirmation seemed to reverberate in the room, the truth of Sonoko's admission settling in. The Edgewood kids exchanged glances, their emotions a mix of validation and understanding.

"As I said earlier from the start, it was a joke between me and Mamiko at that time. I did want Tantei Geek to stop pursuing it, but I didn't mean permanently. He could've done office work than gone on fieldwork, that way, Ran will stop crying about him getting into troublesome situations anymore. Especially after I watched those corpses of Detectives dying live on TV, I did discourage him for that reason," Sonoko justifies, "I did not know I was being recorded by her."

The vulnerability in Sonoko's confession was evident, and the room seemed to quiet down as everyone absorbed her words. "What about Ishibashi Mamiko's feelings towards Shinichi? Were you aware of that?" Walter inquired.

"No," Sonoko shook her head at them, "I didn't even know till the press release about her mom being some...what was the word again?"

"Dominitrix? Prostitute?" Isabelle rolled her eyes.

The room fell silent at the bluntness of Isabelle's response. The weight of the situation was evident as Sonoko's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "Whatever those words are, especially when she attempted to stab Ranran the other day in our school with a knife, distancing was the right call."

The monitor showed a smiling green emoji, implying she is telling the truth.

"Ok, Mouri Ran," Samantha decided to question the long brown-haired brunette, "Be honest with me, I know you mentioned earlier that the lie detector mentioned you knew nothing about Mamiko's plot as the truth, but bear with me, the other day at the principal office according to Shinichi, you cursed for Ranran to die because of the series of events that made you mad enough to say such a thing. Now after....everything you learn about Ranran, do you still wish for Ranran to die to get Shinichi back?"

The room was filled with a heavy silence as Samantha's question hung in the air.

"No, I don't wish for Ranran to die."

The lie detector machine's screen displayed the green smiling emoji, confirming her answer. The room remained silent, the weight of Ran's admission reverberating through the space.

"I was mad, I hated her for being talented and everything in between that Shinichi no longer want to patch up our friendship anymore. Even more so when Ranran twisted my feelings for him as being 'manipulated', and that she had everyone: From my classmates to schoolmates, teachers, even both of our parents sided her over me. And this ain't fair." Ran's breath trembled, her eyes welling up with tears. She took a moment to compose herself, her voice shaky as she finally responded. "I just want Shinichi back."

"You want Shinichi back," Dominic repeated her words while confronting the things she and Sonoko had done to their friend Ran, "Mouri, were you aware of the terms Ranran offered to Shinichi when he pleaded to have an apprenticeship under her?"

"I know, she told him to distance himself from me and Sonoko because we kept endangering them if we knew about it." Ran sobbed, but she couldn't wipe away her tears since she was bounded, "Because of that, Shinichi no longer speaks to me anymore."

"Exactly, the word 'distance' itself didn't specify cutting ties with you and Sonoko for good." Dominic hardened his expression at Ran, "And yet, you insist Ranran is the reason why Shinichi no longer wanted to speak to you anymore?"

"That is right!" Sonoko spoke ahead before Ran could, "Before, whenever we have feuds, he always reached out to us and continued on with our friendship like family. Now, ever since Ranran entered the picture, things became like this because of that she-demon!" 

The room seemed to hold its breath as Sonoko's accusation hung in the air.

"Is that so?" Nicolas rolled his eyes before turning back to his other seated friends, "Which one of you wants to share that audio recording we had with Shinichi the other day when we paid Ranran a visit at the hospital?"

The atmosphere in the room turned even more chilling as Nicolas mentioned the audio recording. The Edgewood kids exchanged hostile glances directed at Ran and Sonoko, but eventually, Samantha sighed and reluctantly handed over her phone to Nicolas. He played the recording, and Nicolas's voice filled the room.

"Tell me what was the tipping point that you ended up having to sever ties with Ran and Sonoko?" Nicolas's voice could be heard on the audio device.

"The tipping point was....that feud I had with Rokuro," Shinichi's voice replied as he adds, "We had many feuds before when it came to Rokuro, but nothing quite like this when she said 'I was too arrogant for my own good'."

Ran and Sonoko exchanged confused glances as the audio continued playing. It seemed as though Shinichi's answer contradicted the narrative they had both built in their minds.

"Arrogant for his own good?" Samantha's voice sounded incredulous in the recording. "That's why you decided to distance yourself?"

"There was a lot more to it before I made that decision," Shinichi's voice replied, sounding a bit resigned. "A day before that incident, I just finished up the case of the lost and found items in our school back in Teitan Elementary School. As you are aware, the reason for me to coop myself there was because I was fed up with the discouragement of my Tantei dream to end up marrying Ran-san, and it was quite late, so the school ran out of food to serve by the time I arrive in class. Since I was hungry, I headed to a convenience store not far from the school."

The recording continued to play, recounting the events that led up to Shinichi's decision to distance himself from Ran and Sonoko. As the story unfolded, the room grew quieter, the tension palpable in the air. The Edgewood kids exchanged knowing glances, while Ran and Sonoko listened to Shinichi's voice explaining his perspective.

"When I went to eat lunch on my own, Ranran whom I had bad blood with at that time because I had a nagging suspicion she could've been my father's illegitimate daughter with a mistress, was with her two friends: Takuma and Reina. They were too eating there, the trio had no idea I was there at that time. When they were talking among themselves, Ranran was sharing interesting tidbits about Conan Doyle, the author of Sherlock Holmes whom I admire, having a gravestone with smoke pipes around Conan Doyle's gravestone once a year. At first, I was expecting Reina and Takuma to tease her on being a 'Tantei Geek', or words like 'get a life' or something. Because that is what I had to deal with Ran and Sonoko."

"But," Shinichi's voice continued on the recording, "instead of mocking her, they were actually intrigued and impressed by her knowledge. Although I can tell they are not huge enthusiast Sherlock Holmes fans, you can tell they never tease her for that. And that they truly enjoy listening to her. They didn't call her 'arrogant' or anything like that, they were just in awe."

The room felt heavy with the weight of Shinichi's words. 

"On that day," Shinichi's voice concluded on the recording, "The moment Ran said that I thought about how Ranran's life regarding her choices with friends was so much better, that I convince myself I too can find better ones compared to Mouri and Suzuki. I know, we have been friends since kindergarten last year, but I can't ignore the problems that kept persisting and being downplayed by those two girls anymore."

Ran and Sonoko sat in stunned silence as the recording played out Shinichi's feelings and reasoning for distancing himself from them.

"You know, when I made this decision to do so, I was very liberated than I have ever been.  Especially when they kept on harassing Ranran for the things she didn't do, like 'stealing me away from them'? Those incidents for the past 2 months kept reminding me this was the best decision I ever made. It just motivates me to kick Mouri out of Tantei Association for good, otherwise, she and Sonoko will bring nothing but pain to others. Cause let's be honest: I barely knew them anymore when we started out elementary school."

The room was heavy with a tense silence as the recording as Shinichi continued, "Of course, part of me wished that at some point wished that a part of their old selves remained before being manipulated by Mamiko to do this. Which is why I had Ran's parents send her to anger management classes in the first place, yet, she kept on blaming Ranran for scheming all of this. The worst part? Sonoko kept on coddling Mouri as if she was the victim and not Ranran. The moment I realize...Rokuro, their friend, broke into the HQ to attack Ranran, I knew I had to remove those two away from them. That the two old friends I used to know is beyond salvageable."

The recording had laid bare the reasoning behind his decision to distance himself from them, and it was a bitter pill to swallow. The Edgewood kids exchanged knowing glances, their vindication clear.

"Whether Ran or Sonoko did it intentionally or not when they leaked the location of our HQ....it didn't matter. But it was becoming obvious that they had no regard for Ranran getting killed, be it by Rokuro or anyone else, I cannot continue my friendship with them if they were going to continue being so obsessed for all the wrong reasons over me." Shinichi voiced out his anger, "That is why, I don't want to see them anymore if it meant harassing Ranran."

Ran's tears were now flowing freely, her face a mix of shame, regret, and sadness. Sonoko's expression was a mixture of shock and realization, her earlier defences crumbling under the weight of the truth.

"Also, Ranran never had the intention of offering me the apprenticeship originally," 6-year-old Shinichi could be heard lamenting, "I was the one who broke into her house when Mamiko leaked out all those rumours about Ranran being the Fox, Mamiko intentionally did so to riled me up after that parkour incident to get me to give up my dream through manipulation. But she didn't foresee me ending up breaking into Ranran's house to confront her, she had no idea that Ranran was the real deal. I did that because I was inferior after what Ran and Sonoko put me through, but Ranran ended up torturing me and struck me to my senses."

Ran's face contorted with anguish as the recording continued, revealing the depth of Shinichi's pain and the events that led to his realization of Ranran's true intentions. The room seemed to close in around her, the weight of her actions and her blindness to Shinichi's struggles settling heavily on her shoulders.

Sonoko's face was a mask of shock, her own understanding of the situation shifting as she absorbed the truth. The room was filled with a heavy silence as the recording concluded, leaving a lingering sense of sadness and betrayal in the air.

"Is Mouri and Suzuki aware? About this break-in?" Ellis could be heard asking.

"If they do know about it, they will simply brush it off. Starting with Mouri scolding me for having such feelings, to blaming Ranran again for making me do this when I obviously did it on my own accord."

"You don't know that," Veronica could be heard scoffing.

"No, I do. I am observant when it comes to those two, a year may not sound like much, but I am aware of the patterns they are capable of." Shinichi could be heard chuckling, but it was evident the chuckle sounded pained, "I took a week off school after Ranran tortured me angrily for forcing her to quit as The Fox, it took a long time to gather my courage to apologize to her and beg her to take me in as an apprentice."

The room was shrouded in heavy silence as the recording came to an end. The truth had been laid bare, and the revelations were both painful and eye-opening. Ran and Sonoko sat there, their faces etched with regret and realization, the weight of their past actions crashing down upon them.

Veronica's voice cut through the silence, her tone laced with bitterness. "Well, well, well, it seems like our dear Mouri and Suzuki were quite the charmers, weren't they? Manipulating, deceiving, and causing pain while wearing innocent masks."

"Are you going to tell everyone that Ranran is 'The Fox' after hearing all of this? I won't be surprised if you do anyway," Georgette gave a disapproving look at the two bounded-up 6-year-old girls on the chair, "Endangering Ranran's life in the name of jealousy is not going to get you anywhere in life, especially when the both of you are the reason why Shinichi left on his own volition!"

Heavy with a suffocating silence, each word was sinking in and amplifying the tension in the air. The Edgewood kids' accusations had been confirmed, and the depth of Ran and Sonoko's actions and intentions was now undeniable. The weight of the truth they had long denied had finally caught up with them.

"So, what do you have to say for yourselves now? As much as I have to give credit that you both decided it was best to distance both of yourselves from Mamiko, no amount of excuses can change the fact that you had a prejudice problem with Ranran, and that isn't fair one bit." Tiffany spat at them.

"Especially towards children who are cunning and sly...." Teddy contends against their captives, "What is with you two hating her so much over that?"

"I-I-It ain't my fault.....!"Ran's shoulders trembled as she struggled to contain her emotions, tears streaming down her face as the reality of her actions sank in. Sonoko's earlier bravado had completely vanished, replaced by a look of defeat and self-awareness.

This time, the lying detector machine showed blue, implying that this was the twisted truth they choose to believe in.

"I beg to differ," Walter's voice broke through the tension once again, his tone icy and accusatory, "You both rebelled against your parents and secretly flew all the way to New York City, despite being issued a ban by the school after both of your misbehaviour came to light. Worst, especially you, Mouri Ran," Walter directed his anger at her, "You left on your own volition when you decided to quit Tantei Association, yet, you and Sonoko came here in a foreign city to try and expose Ranran as 'The Fox', while she and Shinichi were busy working on a case. Do you have no shame?! Or life?! Why are you and Sonoko so obsessed with getting Shinichi back, when you both are the one who discarded him?!"

"I...I don't know, this time...I ain't sure what to think anymore....." Ran's sobs grew louder, her shoulders shaking with the force of her emotions. Sonoko's face was streaked with tears, her earlier defiance completely shattered. The truth had been laid bare, and there was nowhere to hide from the reality of their actions.

"Why didn't Shinichi tell me any of this?! Were we...were we really bad horrible friends that couldn't be relied on!?" Ran lamented.

The Edgewood children said nothing, but they coldly stared at their captives.

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

At the penthouse of Mayfair at Brampton Hotel in New York City, Ranran just quietly stare into the night from the dining table, unable to sleep after leaving the NASA event, since she was busy looking through all of the reports she and her apprentice, Shinichi had collected hours earlier.

The soft glow of the city lights filtered through the windows, casting a gentle radiance across the penthouse suite. Ranran's thoughts were a whirlwind, a mix of emotions and contemplation that seemed to mirror the city outside. The weight of the recent events and revelations had left her feeling both drained and invigorated, a strange dichotomy that seemed to echo in the stillness of the night.

Ranran's fingers tapped absentmindedly on the table as she sifted through the reports spread out before her. Each piece of information held its own significance, a thread that connected to the bigger picture she and Shinichi were piecing together. As her mind wandered through the details, her thoughts inevitably drifted to her past, to the pain she had inflicted on her deceased mentor's enemies.

Especially earlier at the event seeing 10-year-old Nathaniel still a vegetable in his wheelchair made her very pleased.

After that lavish party he and the other children threw hours not long after Christopher was laid to rest, Ranran had schemed in such a way that Nathaniel will have a life way worst than death: which was to make him inhale carbon monoxide in a laboratory Ranran secretly locked him up, which lead him to his medical condition on the present time.

But obviously, even that wasn't enough.

Ranran knew that the reason Nathaniel became like this was due to his Nobel prize professor's parents spoiling him before he became a vegetable. Although Ranran thinks his parents would've doted on him anyway, their heavy work schedule as scientists will make things difficult for them to look after their newly disabled son. After all, having recently got promoted back then, they can't afford to give up their hard-earned positions for someone who would never lead a normal life again.

Now naturally speaking, they could've simply hired someone to look after Nathaniel, they are rich as F in the first place. But Ranran had the upper hand.

Having footage of that lavish party thrown by those children hours after Christopher was laid to rest and shared on social media was enough, especially since Nathaniel was in the footage. It was difficult to pinpoint the location of where the party was about to be held at that time, but perhaps it was thanks to Christopher having used to train Ranran where to investigate here and there before his passing, she was able to locate it and snuck in to film it.

Honestly, recalling her mental state at the age of 4 with her smartphone back then, when she snuck into the mansion, and this was hours after Christopher's funeral, it was very difficult to contain the urge to not attack any of the attendees.

As she continued to stare into the night, a soft knock on the door interrupted her reverie. Ranran blinked, momentarily pulled from her thoughts. She glanced at the door, her curiosity piqued.

"Come in," she called out, her voice carrying a hint of weariness.

The door opened slowly, revealing a familiar figure. Shinichi stood there, his tall frame framed by the soft light of the penthouse. His expression was a mix of concern and understanding as if he could sense the maelstrom of emotions that was swirling within her.

"Couldn't sleep either?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Ranran nodded, her gaze returning to the reports spread out on the table. "Yeah... Too much on my mind."

Shinichi stepped further into the room, closing the door behind him. He walked over to her side, his presence offering a comforting anchor amidst the chaos of her thoughts. "It's been a long day," he remarked, his eyes scanning the reports.

Ranran sighed, leaning back in her chair and running a hand through her hair. "Tell me about it. I can't believe we're dealing with all of this."

Shinichi nodded in agreement, his expression thoughtful. "It's a lot to process. But we'll figure it out, Ranran. We always do."

Ranran offered him a small smile, her gratitude evident in her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. We've faced worse."

As they sat there in the dimly lit penthouse, a sense of camaraderie and unity settled between them. The weight of their past actions, their current challenges, and the uncertain future seemed to momentarily fade away in the presence of each other.

"Neh Ranran," Shinichi began, his tone contemplative, "I have always been wanting to ask you about something."

Ranran's curiosity was piqued as she turned her gaze towards Shinichi. The atmosphere was heavy with the weight of their shared experiences and the events that had transpired earlier that day.

"What is it, Shinichi?" she asked.

Shinichi's eyes met hers, his expression is serious yet gentle. "You were....at that party, am I wrong?"

Ranran's startled gaze held steady, her eyes locked onto Shinichi's. 

A heavy silence hung in the air as Shinichi's question lingered between them. Ranran's expression remained impassive, her gaze searching his eyes for any sign of judgment or accusation. 

Sensing her silence, Shinichi revealed, "I spoke to some of the kids here and there while we were at the NASA event earlier. They revealed....unsettling things. It only would be reasonable for you to do...what you did to that boy if you were at that party."

As she looked into Shinichi's eyes, she saw not accusation but understanding. He wasn't there to judge her; he was there to hear her out. Without hesitation, Ranran nodded without saying anything.

Shinichi's response was understanding, his expression devoid of judgment. After a while, he said, "They must have done the worst things besides murder."

Ranran's expression was unreadable, but she silently nods.

Strumming his fingers on the table, he decided he had to say one thing, "Around next week, when school starts after our school trip ends, you are...going to hear some unpleasant stuff coming out from Ran and Sonoko."

Ranran's gaze didn't waver, her emotions hidden behind a mask of calm. She was well aware of the storm that was brewing on the horizon, the revelations that were bound to shake the foundations of the relationships she once held dear.

"I.....have done things to try and straightened Ran and Sonoko behind the scenes," Shinichi continued, his voice gentle but firm. "It's going to be like that time I acted unreasonable when I broke into your house to get you to quit as The Fox, except it may be way worst. And...I want you to be the first to hear that I had something to do with it."

Ranran listened to Shinichi's words, her gaze never leaving his face. His admission that he had played a role in the upcoming revelations wasn't surprising to her. She had sensed that Shinichi had been working behind the scenes since she was unconscious back at the hospital a few days ago, even though he hadn't explicitly mentioned it before.

"I know you always have the best intentions for Tantei Association," Ranran finally spoke, her voice steady. "If this is the only way for us to move forward from their delusions, so be it."

Shinichi's eyes held a mixture of determination and relief as he met Ranran's gaze.

"Just be honest with me," Ranran confronts the apprentice, "Are you....in a position to tell me everything in detail?"

Shinichi's expression shifted slightly, his gaze thoughtful as he considered Ranran's question. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled together as he spoke. "No."

Ranran nodded, understanding the complexity of the situation. "Ok, that is all I need to know."

"Wait until that is over, I promise that I'll share everything," Shinichi reassured her.

As they shared that moment of understanding, the penthouse seemed to hold a sense of camaraderie and unity. The weight of their shared past, the tangled web of emotions, and the challenges they were about to confront seemed to lessen in the presence of their connection.

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

The following day marked the end of the school trip to New York City. The city had been both exhilarating and challenging, and now they were returning home with a newfound perspective on their friendships and experiences.

Though, Ranran definitely wasn't expecting one particular detail with every child of 1-A currently holding.

As the group of students and teachers stood at the airport, waiting to board their flight back home, Ranran couldn't help but notice the curious detail that each of her classmates from 1-A was holding a bag with the merch of 'LadyAetheriaRose' on it. 

"That is strange."

"What is, Ranran?" Her eyebrows raised in surprise, and she exchanged a puzzled glance with Shinichi, who was standing beside her.

"Ah, Shinichi, it's nothing much. But...." Ranran shook her head, her expression a mix of amusement and bewilderment. "Why did my Edgewood friend Vera gift them her limited edition luxury branded V-tuber merch to our classmates?"

"Well, that's certainly an interesting development. Maybe it is Veronica's unconventional way to make her presence known." Shinichi reasoned.

"Is it?" Before Ranran could ponder further, she blinked in surprise as her classmates from 1-A encircled her, "Ah Ranran, about that camping trip last time the whole lot of us were in, when we falsely accuse you of ditching us at the campsite to die while you cooped up at that luxury penthouse....we are truly sorry!"

All the kids suddenly bowed before her.

Ranran and Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected turn of events. She hadn't anticipated her classmates addressing her about the past incident, especially in such a sincere and apologetic manner. She exchanged a quick glance with Shinichi, who looked just as taken aback by the sudden confession.

"Wait, you guys...what?" Ranran trailed off, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion.

One of her classmates, stepped forward, his expression earnest. "Yeah, we heard about the whole truth of that incident through Veronica, about you attempting to contact that same client who granted you that penthouse the last time. We know you didn't actually abandon us. It was just a misunderstanding, and we're really sorry for jumping to conclusions."

Ranran's surprise slowly gave way to a mixture of emotions—amusement, gratitude, and a touch of disbelief. Clearing her throat, her gaze shifted from one classmate to another. "I appreciate your honesty and apology. Thank you for addressing this, and I accept your apology wholeheartedly."

"Including me," Another girl said most of it with her head bowed shamefully to the ground, but from the tone of her voice and the way she held her body, Shinichi could see she meant it, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"I agree, had we known all of this, we wouldn't say all those bad things we were told about Ranran."

"It's okay-" Ranran started.

"No, it's not. This is bullying regardless, and we made a mistake listening to that big-mouth heiress."

It wasn't that Shinichi once more see each of their hands gripping tightly around the LadyAetheriaRose that it all made sense why they were so apologetic: Veronica must have persuaded them to in exchange for those luxury goods.

Suddenly, it kinda made sense why Veronica was 'building alibis' for Ranran. Shinichi grew secretly amused at this trick.

As Ranran and Shinichi stood amidst their classmates, the atmosphere was a mix of sincerity, relief, and a touch of lightheartedness. It seemed that Veronica's unique way of making amends had effectively brought about a candid and open conversation, one that Ranran hadn't expected to have on this trip.

"Thank you all for understanding," Ranran said, her voice warm with gratitude. "Misunderstandings happen, and I'm glad we could clear this up."

Another classmate piped up, a sheepish smile on their face. "Veronica's persuasive skills can be quite something, huh?"

Ranran chuckled softly. "Yeah, she certainly has her own way of doing things."

"But seriously," As soon as the two waved to their classmates while they do about their own thing at the airport, Shinichi whispered to ask, "How much are those luxury goods in that bag in yen? And what is inside them?"

Ranran leaned in slightly, her voice hushed as she whispered back to Shinichi, "Well, considering the brand and limited edition status, those luxury goods could easily cost a few thousand yen each. As for what's inside them, I'm guessing it's probably a combination of high-end merchandise related to 'LadyAetheriaRose'—collectable figures, apparel, accessories, and possibly some exclusive digital content or codes for in-game items if the V-tuber has an associated game."

Shinichi nodded, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "It's worth the bribe."

"Ranran, Shinichi!"

Takuma and Reina rushed over to meet up with them.

"Hey, you two," Ranran greeted with a smile as Takuma and Reina approached them.

Reina's eyes gleamed with curiosity as she looked between Ranran and Shinichi. "What's with all the commotion over there? Did something interesting happen?"

"Nothing much," Then Ranran noticed something was a bit off with Reina and Takuma.

Although the two of them had the same LadyAetheriaRose bag just like the other children, they both had a second bag. Takuma's had the brand 'Nike', while Reina's had the brand 'Tiffany', and both bags were too noticeably luxurious as well.

And from what Ranran recalled, the two of her friends aren't from a wealthy family.

"Hey, Takuma, Reina," Shinichi greeted, his tone friendly. "Those are some impressive bags you've got there. Did you do some unexpected shopping?"

Takuma chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, kind of. We...uh, received these bags from someone."

Reina's cheeks flushed slightly, and she glanced at the ground. "It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but we were approached by one of Veronica's friends."

Ranran's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? Who is it?"

"That will be a mystery for you to guess in another time," Takuma nodded with a sheepish grin.

Even Shinichi too acted suspiciously before Ranran when he averted his gaze, knowing who gave those bags to Reina and Takuma, which made Ranran more baffled than ever.

The happier chirping smiles continued on, that was until, "Ugh, guess who is there?" Ranran overheard one of the classmates pointing in a direction from afar.

Following their gaze, Ranran's and the group's eyes landed on a familiar figure approaching the group. It was none other than Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko, who is approaching them with visible bruises, as the group's cheerful atmosphere seemed to pause. The air grew tense for a moment, as everyone wondered what might have transpired.

As Mouri Ran and Sonoko neared, the group fell silent, an unspoken question hanging in the air. The injuries were hard to ignore, and Ranran could tell that her classmates were just as taken aback as she was. Eager to ask, but given their meddling reputation, especially after all of the horrible things they did to Ranran and Shinichi, neither of them dared to ask.

Then Takuma took a deep breath, deciding to break the silence and address the elephant in the room. "You both look as though you had a wrestling match with an ostrich."

Shinichi couldn't help but stifle a surprised chuckle at Takuma's unexpected comparison, as Reina elbowed them both to keep quiet, though they could see Ran and Sonoko looked rather down.

And they were not wrong, considering they were recently tortured by Ranran's Edgewood friends, before being forced to sign a contract to keep it quiet because of the harassment they did to Ranran and Shinichi these past 2 months.

Takuma exchanged a quick glance with Reina and Shinichi, and both of them shared a subtle nod of understanding, though Ranran is the only one who had no idea about this.

However, as Ranran glanced at Mouri Ran and Sonoko, she sensed that there was much more to the story than what met the eye. The bruises and their downcast expressions spoke of a difficult ordeal, one that Ranran wasn't privy to. She exchanged a glance with Shinichi, and they shared a silent understanding that there was a deeper layer to this situation.

"We definitely did not deal with an ostrich, especially in the middle of New York City!" Mouri Ran snapped.

Ranran felt a mix of surprise and concern at Mouri Ran's response. While it was clear that Mouri Ran was trying to brush off the situation with a hint of humour, there was an underlying tension in her words that couldn't be ignored. It seemed that whatever had happened to them was quite serious.

"Mouri, don't need to be rude towards Takuma, alright?" Ranran reminded her.

There is a level of resentment that had existed before with Ranran, but this kicks up a high notch whenever Ran stares at her. 

And yet....with that contract looming above her and Sonoko's head, they are forced to stay silent.

As the tense atmosphere continued to linger, Takuma offered a small, apologetic smile, clearly sensing the gravity of the situation. "My apologies, Mouri-san. I didn't mean to make light of it. We were just surprised to see you both like this."

Ranran's words helped to defuse the tension a bit, but it was evident that Mouri Ran and Sonoko were holding back a lot. The bruises and their strained expressions told a story of their own, and the classmates' curiosity was piqued.

Reina spoke up, her voice gentle. "Is everything okay? You both seem...distressed."

Mouri Ran's gaze flickered between the faces of the students, her expression conflicted. It was clear that she wanted to say something, but the weight of the situation seemed to hold her back.

Sonoko glanced down for a moment before looking back up at the group, her voice softer than usual. "Nothing much has happened, it's just...a couple of falls down the stairs."

The mention of "a couple of falls down the stairs" didn't sit right with Ranran. Her intuition told her that there was more to the story than what Mouri Ran and Sonoko were saying. Falls down the stairs didn't typically result in the extent of bruises they had.

Shinichi, Takuma and Reina exchanged a quick glance, they knew what happened, but they are choosing to remain silent. This was karma on their behalf.

As the intercom announcement for boarding interrupted the tension, Shinichi called out, "Look! Our flight is here! Hurry up, guys!"

Ranran's group made their way toward the boarding gate, leaving Mouri Ran and Sonoko behind with their unspoken understanding. As soon as Shinichi and the others left, Ran burst into tears while wailing to her best friend, "Sonoko,  why are we so powerless when it comes to dealing with Ranran?"

Sonoko placed a comforting hand on Ran's shoulder as her friend let her emotions out. The tears and frustration Ran had been holding back for so long were finally pouring out, and Sonoko understood the weight of those feelings.