The abrupt intrusion of Mouri Ran's voice disrupted the tense atmosphere in the Tantei Association headquarters. The members exchanged surprised glances as they turned their attention towards the entrance. Takuma let out a huff of annoyance, clearly not pleased with Mouri's aggressive approach.

"Already kicked out of the association, still acting like a wild animal I see."

Ranran, ever unflappable, was about to rise from her seat and made her way to the door till Shinichi stopped his partner-in-crime, "I will do it."

Reluctantly, Ranran let her apprentice handle the situation as Shinichi approached the door. He opened it to find Mouri Ran standing there, his expression a mix of anger and frustration.

"What's the meaning of this, Ran?" Shinichi swung it open, revealing Mouri Ran, her fists clenched and her expression a mix of frustration and determination.

Mouri Ran's glare was directed at Shinichi. "I want to speak to Ranran right this instance!"

Shinichi's gaze remained steady, his own determination clear. "Mouri, barging in here and shouting won't solve anything. If you want to talk, you'll need to calm down and approach this with respect."

"Respect!?" Ran's eyelids blew wide open before laughing in a mocking manner, before glaring at her former friend once more, "Does respect include sharing out that video of Rokuro breaking into the main HQ of Tantei Association and attacking Ranran!? Especially on the school's confession site!?"

The apprentice's brows furrowed in surprise as he processed Ran's words. The tension in the room grew even thicker, and the other members of the Tantei Association exchanged confused glances.

Curiously yet silently, Ranran browsed on her smartphone to check on the confession site, thought a little surprised to see the video there with the faces blurred, especially when the caption reads:

Rokuro, the boy who framed Shinichi for instigating the feud that lead to horrible bad blood, attacked the founder of Tantei Association through the jealousy of Shinichi's former friend, Mouri Ran when she and her best friend Suzuki Sonoko leaked the location.

Meanwhile, the other children across the corridor crowded around to see the commotion, as they observed Ranran's reaction, wondering how she is going to respond to the video.

Ranran's expression remained neutral as she absorbed the information from the confession site. "To be fair, that did happen." Ranran reasoned.

Mouri Ran's frustration seemed to intensify at Ranran's response. "You're unbelievable! You're just going to dismiss it like that? Do you have any idea what that video could do to Rokuro's reputation?"

"No, since he is a former student here. Besides, he did give us permission to use this video to our liking, since he felt very remorseful after meeting up with me and Shinichi privately. Also, his face and mine are blurred, so no one actually knew till you couldn't keep your damn mouth shut and say it out loud, good riddance." Ranran commented.

The long brown-haired little girl's fists clenched even tighter, his anger reaching a boiling point. "You're impossible, Ranran! You always have to have your way, don't you? Manipulating people, using them for your own goals!"

"Also, if you are implying I did upload the video, nope, I did not," Ranran's gaze turned stern as she locked eyes with Mouri Ran. "I didn't share that video on any public platforms."

Mouri's glare didn't waver. "So, you're saying someone else leaked it? Convenient. You could've had Takuma or even your friend, who is the president of the student council, Reina, to do it for you!"

Everyone watched the exchange with a mixture of surprise and concern. The revelation of the video and its implications added another layer of complexity to an already tense situation.

Unbeknownst to Ran, neither Takuma nor Reina released the video to Shinichi's knowledge. Although while on the flight back home from New York City that this suggestion was brought up while Ranran was asleep, the plan was to do so if Ran commit one more incident. The fact that the video went up.... meant someone else had the video.

And though Shinichi thinks he had nothing to back it up, he assumed it must have been Ranran's Edgewood friends who leaked the video, since they were the ones who installed the CCTV secretly outside the association HQ. Not that Ranran is aware.

"Look, Mouri, whether the video was leaked intentionally or not, arguing about it here won't solve anything. We have more important matters to focus on right now."

"And who are you to tell me what's important?" Mouri Ran's glare shifted to Shinichi, her fists still clenched.

"I'm Shinichi, and I'm Ranran's apprentice first, and the founder of the association by second," Shinichi replied evenly. "We're all working together to solve a critical case, and whatever personal conflicts we have, be it whether you used to be a member here back then, or the fact that you were duped into thinking you had feelings for me, any of that will never help us achieve that."

"You think you're so high and mighty, don't you? Just because you're her partner doesn't mean you get to control everything!" Ran's face reddened with anger, his frustration boiling over.

"I do, she gives me way more control than you and Sonoko could've ever given me. And that itself...is something you can never give me," Shinichi coldly look back at his former friend.

Mouri Ran's face twisted in a mix of anger and hurt as Shinichi's words hit home.

As Shinichi was turning his back on Ran, she yelled, "Of course, she gave you so much control, she can even let you use her friends from Edgewood Academy to torture me and Sonoko in New York City!"

The room fell silent, the gasps erupted across the school hallway while the tension in the air thickened with Ran's accusation. The words hung in the air, and the members of the Tantei Association exchanged uncertain glances. It was clear that Ran's accusation had struck a nerve, and the atmosphere in the room grew even more charged.

Now it was true that Shinichi did order the Edgewood kids to straighten Ran and Sonoko since the two attempted to unmask Ranran as The Fox, but the 'torture' part was something he had no knowledge of, only the Edgewood kids were aware. And Ranran has no idea about Shinichi pulling the strings behind her back.

And that was intentional by the Edgewood children so that Shinichi doesn't look guilty. This clearly works in Shinichi's favour, since he genuinely has no idea, though he roughly suspects something like that must have happened, as he stared at the bruises covered around Ran's body.

Though, Shinichi is a bit taken aback. He knew she is reckless, but even after being forced to sign the Edgewood contract to not disclose the torture, she has the audacity to break it due to her intense hatred towards Ranran.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Shinichi replied calmly, his voice steady. "I've never ordered anyone to torture you or Sonoko. My priority has always been to protect everyone, including Ranran."

"Oh, please! Don't play the innocent card. I know you, Shinichi. Anything for Ranran, you would do it in a heartbeat! Especially since you are under her apprenticeship!"

"Eh? Did that happen? No way? Is that even possible?"

"I heard that Ranran studied in a prestigious school filled with rich kids, after all, it wouldn't be surprising if that happen."

"Just look at Ran's body, she is full of bruises, so she must be telling the truth."

The whispers across the school hallway were fueled by shock and intrigue, spreading like wildfire among the students who had gathered to witness the commotion. The revelation of the alleged torture was a bombshell that no one had anticipated. The tension inside the Tantei Association headquarters had reached its peak, with accusations and emotions swirling through the air.

Ranran's expression was a mix of surprise, confusion, and anger as she processed the accusations being hurled her way. She was clearly taken aback by the severity of the claims, and her eyes turned from Shinichi to Mouri Ran, searching for some clarity.

The rest of the members of the association exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to react to the explosive revelation. They knew that the situation had spiralled beyond just a personal conflict between Ranran and Mouri Ran; it had now escalated into something far more serious.

"She is right!" Suddenly a boomed voice followed behind Ran, revealing the bruised-covered Suzuki Sonoko as well as she approached to defend her friend.

The abrupt entrance of Suzuki Sonoko brought another layer of intensity to the already charged atmosphere. Her presence, along with the visible bruises on her body, further validated Ran's claim of mistreatment. "Sonoko!"

"Ran, let me speak," Clearing seeing that a lot of the children had gathered to witness this, the heiress boldly proclaimed, "When we were out busy trying to expose you as the child detective, 'The Fox', you had Ranran's Edgewood friends kidnapped us! And if that wasn't bad enough, you even had that footage played out in the middle of Time Square!"

"Sonoko, that's not true," Ranran replied, her voice calm but filled with urgency. "I never ordered anyone to kidnap you or Sonoko."

"And I have no knowledge of any such thing happening," Shinichi added, his tone serious.

Sonoko's eyes blazed with anger as she glared at Ranran and Shinichi. "Don't you dare lie to me! I know what I experienced. I know what I saw. In fact," Sonoko glared at Ranran who remains seated in her chair, "I know that you held a grudge over me, for ruining that precious funeral of your dear friend, Christopher, 2 years ago at a cathedral in the U.K, because I was too young to understand and made it about myself. And what did your precious Ranran do back then!? She simply had a sword directed at my neck, then forcefully made me kneel in front of his dead corpse and bow to him while I kneel for 2 hours, till I peed myself! And the worst part!? After we were tortured, your Edgewood friends made us sign a contract to not speak about it, or face retribution!"

The accusations were serious and far-reaching, revealing a level of manipulation and darkness that no one had expected. The young detectives, along with the gathered students, were now faced with a complex and disturbing situation that went beyond their usual investigations.

"That is why you stole Shinichi from us and manipulated us to get to where we are now, because of that funeral!" Ran seethed in anger, "As much as you dislike me when I was a member of that association, you force me out of that association out of that funeral incident! And that ain't right!"

"That's right!" Sonoko confronted in anger, "At my birthday party last year, you stole that very venue I was meant to have at that hotel, and used your dead friend to have his death memorial held there to spite me!"

The gathered students were both shocked and captivated by the unfolding drama.

"These bloody girls!" Takuma jumped out from his seat, having had it with the two slanderings his friend, as he plans to confront them in anger.

As much as there were half-truths about Shinichi orchestrating the torture, it wasn't out of malice. All of that was about to be said when an unexpected aid came to them.

"Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko, when will you both stop causing problems!?"

Before anyone knows it, their classmates from 1-A had gathered outside the office.

The entrance of their classmates from 1-A added another layer of chaos to the already tense situation. Their shocked and concerned faces reflected the gravity of the accusations being thrown around, and their presence only served to escalate the tension within the Tantei Association headquarters.

"Seriously, what's going on here?" One of the students asked, glancing around at the heated faces of their peers. "What am I hearing about Edgewood kids doing that sort of mafia stuff?! Are you all into watching mafia movies now, Ran and Sonoko!?"

The sudden intrusion of their classmates from 1-A added a new level of chaos and confusion to the already tense atmosphere in the Tantei Association headquarters. The gathered students were clearly taken aback by the accusations and revelations being thrown around, and they exchanged bewildered glances as they tried to make sense of the situation.

"You guys...."Sonoko and Ran were in shock over what they were doing there.

"You both especially," One of the girls yelled at the two who had caused the commotion outside Tantei Association, "How long will the two continue to slander Ranran and Shinichi!? Don't you have no shame!? And what is this about talking crap about those Edgewood children!? Torture!? You must be joking! They are the total opposite of what you both claimed!"

The other children of Teitan Elementary School listening to this grew curious as one of the classmates of 1-A spoke against Ran and Sonoko, "I met them, and they were very different from what you all portrayed them to be."

One of the children from 1-A shook his head in disbelief. "One of them named Veronica was a very nice girl. Even though she is a famous V-tuber, she treated us as if she was one of us!"

"Yeah," another girl chimed in. "And those Edgewood kids are really nice. When Veronica took us to go out shopping at this luxurious mall in New York City, they all didn't act like hooligans as you would describe!"

"They bought for us all those luxurious stuff! And neither of them complained! What is wrong with you!?"

The sudden appearance of their classmates from 1-A had shifted the dynamic of the situation. The accusations were now being met with skepticism and disbelief, as the 1-A students shared their positive experiences with the Edgewood children. The atmosphere had transformed from one of tension to one of confusion and contradiction.

"You are all bribed, aren't you!? That is why you are all ganging up on us!" Sonoko who grew paranoid at their classmates turning against them confronted.

"Bribed!? They were the ones who offered to pay for our things, what bribed!? Our parents taught us not to ask for more unless someone offers!" Another girl grew pissed off at their denial.

"And in fact, when we were offered the more expensive stuff, most of us refuse and they didn't push us into getting any of those figurines, or Nintendo switches, or even the gaming computer for that matter! So how can you simply accuse Ranran's friends without facts?! If it were a bribe, they would've forced us to accept it!"

The gathered students from 1-A were clearly not buying into Sonoko and Ran's claims, and their steadfast defence of the Edgewood children was making the situation even more chaotic.

"Also, about the funeral incident?! What rubbish!?" Another wants to be screamed at the ignorant Ran and Sonoko, "I overheard one of the Edgewood kids speaking about it, they were worried about their friend adjusting in class 1-A, whom we easily guessed was Ranran since she is the only child who came from the U.K. At that time, when they tearfully shed tears and one of us demanded to ask what was wrong, they refused to say a word. If they were using us, they would've said something about it, no?!"

Everyone grew silent.

"It wasn't until one of us went to the washroom, that I overheard them telling each other about that incident. By the way, they didn't know I was there at that time...sharing their concern that Suzuki Sonoko had devious intentions of harassing Ranran even before the Mamiko incident had taken place! In other words, if I were Ranran, I would've personally done way worse things to you besides the things Ranran did. The fact Ranran didn't bring this up since coming here despite being harassed by you, meant she didn't hold a grudge over you! When she should've if I were her! Cause she had every single right towards someone who rudely and cruelly disrespected her deceased friend! Between her actions and yours, her actions were less inhumane than yours! I mean what sort of despicable child makes a funeral all about themselves!? It takes a pyschotic heartless child to do that!" One child preached the insensitive heiress.

"That is right! Who wouldn't hold a grudge!? She just lost a friend a week prior! Especially since they also revealed she was kidnapped and having personally witness he was murdered before his mother, Suzuki Sonoko!?" The other child snapped.

"Also, you said that Ranran tortured and humiliate you in a church 2 years ago!? Of course, she had every right! I too will do worst, by chopping your head!"

The school had turned into a chaotic scene, with voices raised in anger, frustration, and disbelief. The accusations that were initially directed at Ranran and Shinichi had now been turned around towards Ran and Sonoko, and the classmates from 1-A were vehemently defending the Edgewood children and challenging the veracity of the claims being made.

It was at this point, that Shinichi figured out why their classmates were siding with Ranran and Shinichi without knowing the full truth.

Aside from establishing alibis for Ranran, the Edgewood kids were also busy scoring brownie points from their classmates. By leaving them a very good deep impression, should Ran or Sonoko ever accuse Ranran of having those Edgewood children torture them despite having been forced to sign a contract under those nobles and royals to stop uttering any of this, it would bite back at Ran and Sonoko, since the class of 1-A were left a very beautiful yet different impression on the students of the 1-A class.

Adding the fact that the Edgewood kids didn't forcefully make their classmates accept those gifts under the pretences of 'good intentions', Ran and Sonoko were fighting a mere losing battle. When Shinichi thinks about it now, he didn't know whether to be pleased with their cunning abilities, or the fact that their foresight is utterly terrifying.

"You all are clearly duped by her friends! Look at the bruises on our bodies!" Mouri Ran retorted before she and Sonoko showed. "We have both clearly been through something traumatic, and you're all telling me that her friends had no hand in it?"

"I heard that not long ago when you all went against Reina and rushed over to New York City, there were rumours you both checked into that infamous shabby hotel and use the stairs there a couple of times since the lift constantly broke down." One classmate sneered, "I can bet you all intentionally fell on purpose to frame Ranran and Shinichi!"

Amidst the chaos, Ranran remained seated, her expression a mix of frustration and realization. She had unintentionally sparked a feud that had brought hidden grievances and emotions to the surface. As she listened to the arguments back and forth, her thoughts raced, trying to find a way to defuse the situation.

Meanwhile, Ran and Sonoko were growing scared by the minute, arguing that they were simply making things up, but they were drowned by the angry voices of their classmates.

"Enough!" Shinichi stepped forward, his voice strong and commanding, cutting through the cacophony of voices, as everyone was met with a momentary pause, "While it's true, Sonoko did those things to Ranran, and strange things had happened, overall: Ranran and I have nothing to do with this." Shinichi's gaze swept across the room, his expression determined before glaring at Ran and Sonoko, "Also, if you girls had nothing better to do, don't come about causing a ruckus and spreading lies about us."

"You-"

"Don't you both think you have caused enough problems with Ranran already?!"

The gathered students fell silent as Shinichi's commanding voice rang out, his words carrying a weight that demanded attention. The chaos and tension in the room seemed to momentarily subside under his stern gaze and clear resolve.

"You never like anything I did when I wanted to become a Tantei, it's fine, but don't project all of your hatred and anger on Ranran just because I severed ties with you to pursue my apprenticeship under her!" Shinichi finally snapped at his two former friends in anger, "What must she keep on accepting all of the unnecessary nagging and crap you both kept gossiping about just because she took me in!? Have you ever once said 'It's great to be a tantei' or 'Gambateh on your dream' when were friends since kindergarten, Mouri and Sonoko!?"

The two girls grew stumped, as they had never seen Shinichi this angry before.

"Hold on, Shinichi-"

"Don't call me Shinichi!" He snapped angrily at Mouri Ran before confronting him further, "When we were in kindergarten, did you not always tease that I need to humble at times whenever I brought up something factual? Telling me I need to get a life!?"

Shinichi's outburst had a powerful impact across the hall, silencing the chaos and drawing the attention of everyone present. His frustration and anger were palpable, and his words cut through the tension like a knife. The accusations and conflicts had reached a boiling point, and Shinichi's words seemed to bring everything to a head.

Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko were visibly taken aback by Shinichi's anger and assertiveness. They had likely never seen him express such raw emotions before, and his words were forcing them to confront their own actions and attitudes.

Even Ranran, Junko, Michio, Emiko and Takuma who are seeing all of this from the HQ was stunned.

"The one problem with the both of you is that neither of you can accept the fact that you both made a mistake! Projecting your insecurities onto Ranran will not bring me back to the both of you!" Shinichi continued, his voice still filled with anger but also a touch of sadness. "You never once supported my dream of becoming a detective, and now you're using your grievances against Ranran as an excuse to tear her down, have you had no shame!?"

The room remained tense, and the students from 1-A watched in silence as Shinichi confronted his former friends. The accusations and emotions that had been simmering beneath the surface were finally being aired out, and it was clear that this confrontation was long overdue.

Ranran's gaze shifted between Shinichi and the two girls who had been her friends once upon a time. She could see the pain and frustration in Shinichi's eyes, and she could tell this was long overdue. So did Takuma and the others.

"Of course, you would say that because-"

"I benefitted by having an apprenticeship under her!? Because you all believed she is The Fox?" Shinichi rolled his eyes, lifting his shoulder in a dismissive shrug.

"It's the truth anyway!" Sonoko refuted.

"Is it?" Shinichi laughs and runs his hand through his hair. He can't believe this. "So if she was The Fox, do you expect me to return to the both of you?"

"Of course!" Ran swallows. "You detested her because Sonoko jokingly compares you to her, this was before we knew Mamiko manipulated Sonoko and I." She glances straight into him, "Which is why—"

"So what? Even if she was, does this make Ranran the 'villainess' here!? " Shinichi let out a sharp laugh. "Ranran is manipulative, that is something I won't deny. I won't even deny that she may possibly be The Fox, but do you know what was the real reason why The Fox exists in the first place, girls?!"

Not seeing where he was heading, Shinichi reminded them.

"You all knew last year when there was an operation to stop corruption within the police task force in the whole of Japan, everyone is paying taxes, and that money ended up to them, suppose to serve and protect. The Fox...is sent there to eradicate them."

The school fell silent as Shinichi's words hung in the air. The abrupt shift from his angry confrontation to this unexpected revelation left everyone stunned. The accusations and personal conflicts that had dominated the scene moments ago seemed to pale in comparison to the gravity of the issue Shinichi was addressing.

"The Fox...is no, it can't be possible." Sonoko's voice trembled, her earlier anger giving way to confusion and shock before arguing, "No idiot would send a child to do that!"

"That's where you are wrong," Shinichi's tone was no longer one of anger but of a sombre reality. "The Fox's purpose is to expose and take down corruption within the very systems that are meant to uphold justice. And let me be clear, she may have been a child, but that is to fool the adults into thinking she can't do a shred of thing towards them. Not for the sake of glory as a child Tantei or anything, but that. Which is why...even if Ranran is The Fox, I will never quit my apprenticeship and return back to the two of you."

The revelation itself was a profound impact on everyone present. The school was filled with a heavy silence as Shinichi's words sunk in, and the gravity of the situation settled over the gathering. The accusations and personal conflicts that had been consuming the atmosphere moments ago seemed to pale in comparison to the larger ethical dilemma at hand.

Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko exchanged uneasy glances, their earlier anger and accusations now overshadowed by the realization of the complexity of The Fox's motives and actions.

"And if Ranran is, she is doing all of this for the greater good, she will never hide it from me if she is The Fox! Unlike the hypocrite the way you and Ran do! What you both did...just reaffirms my belief that you both just wanted to do the worst to Ranran."

"So even if we did, what makes her any different from us!?" Sonoko exploded. "You are always biased when it came to Ranran!"

"But were you and Mouri any different? When Rokuro instigated it first?"

"Tantei—"

"You obviously don't!" He cries out, "You... you have no right to say that, not anymore!" He feels his eyes muddling up, the lump in his throat warm and heated. "Was I just a doll to be married off to your best friend?! Like a dimwitted little rich doll with no purpose in life, no way in hell!" He can taste fire on his tongue, burning and stinging, shoulders shaking. "Sometimes I wondered...did anything we do as friends even matter to the both of you?"

Sonoko let out a gasp of surprise and her face turned pale. She clearly hadn't expected Shinichi to know about that.

"I knew you dislike Ranran, because of what happened with the parkour incident last year. But I told you right from the start, that I was at fault for calling her a 'bastard'," he continued, his normally calm voice rising. "Yet, how could you simply misuse Ranran's name to discourage my dream!? It's one thing that she is someone I hate, but it's another if she actually did this to spite me on purpose!"

"But Ranran could have-" she stuttered as she tried to come up with an explanation. Shinichi cut her off.

"No, she never did right from the start." A look of shock and surprise crossed her face. Clearly, she hadn't expected him to say that.

"You don't know that!"

"Do I not? If she did, the last thing she would want to do was to accept me as her apprentice, after I broke into her place out of jealousy when those rumours about her being The Fox came up!" Shinichi paused and took a deep breath while everyone gasped, learning of this for the first time. 

"You are bluffing! You are making this story up just so Ranran would be protected!" Sonoko snapped.

"Then if you think of it to be the case, why don't you simply call your father to use those 'special men' to head down to the police station and dig out the police report? I am sure the moment they dug into it, your family's men will find every single word I utter to be true."

"But-"

"If we did forge it, it wouldn't have been possible anymore, since the majority of the corrupt officials are behind bars thanks to The Fox exposing them. And by the way, Ranran tortured me with a gun when I broke into the house, so there is an additional medical report attached to it. Even if the police report was 'fabricated' as alleged, you can't simply produce a fake medical report nowadays to scam insurance, which my family did insure for me should anything bad happen to me. Dig around the insurance company that covered me medically, you will learn that even your father will realize no matter how much money one spends on it, an insurance medical report is beyond impossible unless our family had connections in that circle, which I am pretty sure your father is aware that neither the Kudo family nor even Ranran's maternal family has a single shred of influence there."

The apprentice then pointed an angry finger at Sonoko and in the corner of his eye, he could see Ranran look surprised. Not surprising really. Shinichi had never gotten this angry at anyone before and certainly never chewed someone out like this before.

Ranran's expression remained calm and contemplative, as she absorbed the weight of Shinichi's revelation.

"You both made choices for me that I didn't consent to," Shinichi's voice trembled with emotion as he continued, "You took away my dreams, my dignity, and my right to decide my own path. And now you're trying to taint my current journey with your own resentment and accusations. I won't let you do that. Not to me, especially not towards Ranran, not anymore!"

The two girls were visibly shaken by Shinichi's words. His heartfelt outpouring of emotions had exposed the pain and frustration he had been harbouring for years. The room remained silent, and even the gathered students from 1-A were held in rapt attention, witnessing a confrontation that was deeply personal and cathartic.

Takuma, Michio, Junko, Emiko, and the students of 1-A watched in a mix of shock and empathy. The depth of emotion that had been unveiled was both painful and necessary. They could sense that this was a pivotal moment, one that could reshape the dynamics of their group.

Seeing Shinichi turn his back on them once more as he did many times over the course of 2 months, he announced, "Now, get lost! I want nothing to do with you."

 The tense atmosphere had reached its peak, and it was clear that Shinichi's patience and tolerance had run its course. The room remained silent, his words echoing in the air.

Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko stood there, visibly shaken and silenced by Shinichi's emotional outburst. The confrontation had brought to light the deep-seated issues and resentment that had been festering for years. It was a moment of raw vulnerability, exposing their own actions and the impact they had on others.

The gathered students were left in a state of shock. 

"Shinichi, I'm sorry," Ranran spoke with a voice of sincerity, knowing this would sting Ran and Sonoko even further after everything she went through, "I'm sorry for everything you've had to go through because of me."

"No, don't apologize," Shinichi reassured her, "Those two should've been the ones to apologize, not you."

"I'm sorry," Ran could be heard saying behind Shinichi's back, a strangled sound escaping her.

Shinichi paused, his back still turned to her. "You are not."

He clenched his fists, his shoulders tensed, and for a moment, it seemed as if he might say something more. But then, he simply continued walking away, not looking back.

"Shinichi!"

"Please go away." Ranran didn't know where the words came from. "Go away, leave us alone."

"I...I don't want Shinichi to go-" Ran admitted shakily. "I made a mistake."

"Then why keep committing more and more?" Ranran's voice was hard, stern and cold, but she couldn't help it. It was evident she was exhausted, physically and emotionally after everything that had transpired in New York City. "Also, I wanted to bring up something for a while," Ranran's voice was sharp and laced with bitterness before glaring at Sonoko. "Ain't that convenient for you to simply conveniently leak out the location to Rokuro to simply attack me at the main HQ? Especially when you made my dead friend's funeral 2 years ago all about yourself that you can simply do a prettier job than me by intentionally forgetting about it? Let alone, you were busy yapping about your birthday venue supposedly 'stolen' by me? When you stormed in anyway last year after your father requested for the deposit for your venue to be refunded?"

Sonoko stared at her with a hangdog look that she knew all too well. "I just....remembered it not long ago," she whispered.

"You remembered? Convenient timing," Ranran's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "But you know what's more convenient? That you falsely accused my friends from Edgewood as if they were some sort of organized mafia having tortured the two of you, just so you could have some twisted sense of satisfaction!"

Shinichi and Takuma said nothing, neither of them are going to reveal to Ranran that it did happen.  

"Also, how convenient for you to forget the inflicted pain you left on me 2 years ago. But maybe this will help you remember a little better."

With a swift motion, Ranran leaned over and slapped Sonoko across the face. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, a visceral reminder of the pain and humiliation Ranran had endured two years ago.

The room fell silent, the tension escalating further as everyone processed the sudden turn of events. Ranran's action had taken everyone by surprise, and it was as if her slap was a physical manifestation of the emotions that had been brewing beneath the surface.

Sonoko's hand instinctively went to her cheek, her face contorted with a mixture of shock and pain. "That will teach you to never make my deceased friend's funeral about yourself ever again!"

The slap reverberated in the room, leaving an electric tension in its wake. The gathered students were taken aback by the sudden act of aggression, their eyes darting between Ranran, Sonoko, and the scene unfolding before them.

"And as for you," Ranran's gaze remained steady, her expression unyielding at the trembling Mouri Ran as she too struck Ran in the face, "This is for giving Shinichi the worst 2 miserable months of our lives when you were a member of Tantei Association, as well as endangering us so many times, especially that time in New York City while we were both investigating a case!"

The second slap echoed through the room, its impact cutting through the charged atmosphere like a knife. The shock of the confrontation seemed to hang in the air, and even Shinichi himself seemed surprised by the sudden turn of events. 

Mouri Ran's hand remained pressed to her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief and pain. The confrontation had taken a deeply personal and physical turn, leaving everyone in a state of shock. The tension was palpable, and it was clear that the events unfolding were far from over.

Everyone watched the scene unfold with a mix of surprise and unease. They had witnessed a series of confrontations that had brought years of unresolved emotions to the surface, culminating in a physical confrontation that none of them had anticipated.

Ran's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her hand still pressed to her cheek. "I'm... I'm sorry, Ranran. I didn't realize the impact of my actions until now. I never meant to hurt you."

There were tears in her voice but Ranran looked away, refusing to look at her

"I made a mistake. I - I screwed up."

Ranran inclined her head a little and said nothing. "Are you done?"

Ranran could see that Sonoko's fingers were trembling. "I was at fault, but not Ran," she whispered. "Don't leave Ran out of Shinichi's life because of the things I did back then! She had nothing to do with this!"

"Why should I?" Ranran's gaze remained fixed on Sonoko, her expression unmoved by her plea. "You both never apologized when that video of Mamiko and you joking about discouraging Shinichi's Tantei dream to marry him off to him and I surfaced, did not apologize about Ran's harassment in the association this past 2 months, hell, especially that funeral incident....even though you did forget about it, you didn't appear to be remorseful storming into the death memorial of my deceased friend last year while making a huge fuss about your cancelled birthday party, you even went as far as to say why a boy with title in name only should have a funeral!" 

Ranran's voice was cold, her words cutting through the charged atmosphere.

"Ranran, I - " Ran who had been listening to all of this had her knuckles going white, and so did Sonoko. Her voice is almost feverish as she rushed through the words. "I - I was wrong to do that, even to Shinichi. I...I will make it up to-"

"Make it up?! Can your friend Sonoko fly all the way back to the U.K., dig his corpse out of the grave and redo the entire state funeral worthy of his heart 2 years ago?!"

"Ranran-"

"And as for you Suzuki Sonoko, can you take back that decision where you decided to meddle into Shinichi's life like a bloody Ken doll!? Is he more of a puppet to you than a friend!? Did you think comforting sweet lies to Ran doing any good to Shinichi's welfare!? Hell, can you even retract every single problem Ran had caused onto the association, my life and his were endangered many times each time she meddles!?"

The two just stood there, their faces pale and stricken, unable to come up with a response to the scathing remarks and accusations directed at them. 

"As I thought, neither of you can't. Until the both of you sort it out, not only Mouri Ran would be allowed to set foot in this room, don't even dream about re-entering Shinichi's life ever again!"

Sonoko said nothing for a long time, the silence stretching uncomfortably between them.

"Shinichi refuse to see you because if he does, he swore the first thing he is going to do is slap you. And he is being nice enough to not meet you," she said, at last, her voice barely a whisper.

"I - I'll do anything, Ranran. Anything. If you'll just - if you - if there's anything - "

"Please stop," Shinichi interrupted their dispute, before turning back angrily at his former friends, "Don't look anymore pathetic than you both already are."

For a moment, she thought that Sonoko would break down right then and there, his shoulders giving one heaving shudder before she pushed herself to her feet. "Please," Sonoko whispered. She didn't even give her the chance to stop her, though, continuing quickly, " Ran can't survive without him. I know I took it too far-no, we took it too far. I know that I - " She paused, collecting herself, and plunged forward. "I shouldn't have wronged you and Shinichi."

Her voice cracked.

Shinichi looked at Ran in surprise. "Did you hit your head or something? Do you not hear a word?"

"I still don't understand," Ran shook her head stubbornly. "If you both knew right from the start something was amiss, why neither of you said a thing?!"

"Would it have changed a thing had we done?"

"What?"

"The video Sonoko was in, the birthday party, everything...did it not occur to you that we did tell you one way or another? Yet you kept denying it." Shinichi said, his voice tired. "When the funeral parade video of Ranran was sent to me, I went livid and refused to believe Sonoko was capable of this. So much so...I didn't even tell Ranran that I secretly sent this video to Agasa to be verified whether this was staged. When I found it wasn't...I was speechless, the things Sonoko did to her were beyond cruel. Everything Ranran and her friends had said has been consistent. And yet, you both not only doubted her, you even harassed her. And every time I defended her, you kept saying she brainwashed me every single day. Never once...she ever complained about it."

"I–" Ran felt his eyes nearly pop out of her head. "I really didn't–"

"You're always like this," Shinichi smiled bitterly. "I feel like you kept blaming me for my intelligence. And while I admit I may be obnoxious emotionally, I didn't deserve what your friend put me through. Neither did Ranran who took me under her wing despite our history. You kept blaming every single thing on her for stealing me away from you, but in the first place, when had we ever been in a relationship!? Hell was any of our friendship real?! When I watched that video of Sonoko doing that with Mamiko...I felt like I never knew the real you and her in the first place."

"Shinichi..."

Shinichi let out a deep sigh, making Ran's chest tighten in pain. "Ranran can't. She just can't get into danger anymore because of your behaviour. So please...just quit and leave us alone!"

The words hung like an invisible, yet the weight felt heavy in the air. Ran felt her ears buzz. Her brain didn't seem able to catch up with the words from his lips anymore. Was this it? Was it really over between them?

They sat in silence for a long time before Shinichi broke the silence again.

"It was a no-brainer as soon as I discovered the truth. I don't care if you don't like this, or even if you forced your way into this, I have to put Ranran's safety first, this ends immediately."

The harsh words finally made her heart fall on the floor.

Leaving Ran and Sonoko to look desperately behind him, he told Ranran to come back into the association room until the door was slammed heavily shut to both of their faces.