As she watched, Ranran continued to analyze Nori's behavior, noting the nuances in his expressions and gestures. There was something calculated about his interactions, a sense of manipulation veiled beneath his charming facade.

"Eh....Edgewood Academy sounds like a fairy tale place!" Sonoko was too engross with Nori's tales about the school, "A place that sounds like a real life Hogwarts minus the magic....I wish I could go!"

And so far, his account of Edgewood had not been inaccurate. Although Ranran is starting to believe that Nori is definitely a former Edgewood student like she is, there were nagging suspicion about him that she can't put a finger on. If he isn't a true Edgewoodian, then that would mean he could've obtain the info about Edgewood Academy through a former student or a former associate, which was common back in her hometown back then. She made a mental note to delve deeper into Nori's background and verify the details he provided about Edgewood Academy.

Meanwhile, as Sonoko listened intently to Nori's tales, Ran observed Chika's reactions discreetly. At the moment, Chika seemed somewhat subdued, her eyes flickering with a hint of uncertainty whenever Nori spoke about his time at the prestigious school. It was as if she was seeing him in a new light, her trust never wavering ever so slightly.

Alright, time to turn up the questioning a bit, Ranran decided.

"Mouri Ran," Ranran called out her name through the microphone, "Ask him what does his parents work as? Cause I am curious to know where did he get the money to be able to afford enrolling there."

Ran nodded subtly in response to Ranran's prompt, her mind already formulating the next question to ask Nori. As the conversation continued, she waited for the opportune moment to interject with her inquiry.

"So, Nori," Ran began, her tone casual yet curious, "I'm curious about your family. What do your parents do for a living?"

Nori's smile faltered for a brief moment before he regained his composure, though Ran caught the subtle shift in his expression. "Ah, my parents," he replied smoothly, his gaze flickering between Ran and the others. "My mother....belonged to a family of Marquesses, while my father on the other hand....earned all of this throughout their marriage."

Ran nodded, though inwardly, she noted the vague nature of Nori's response. The reason she knew this is was because Ranran was taught her this is a common tactic used by those who wished to conceal the truth about their background. "Eh? So your father is a Earl?"

"Barely even close," Nori scoffed before revealing, "He...was very average as one could be."

"Really?" Ran remarked, her tone measured. "So, your family wealth comes from your mother's side then?"

Nori's smile tightened slightly, though he maintained his charming facade. "Yes, something like that," he replied, his tone nonchalant. "We've always been comfortable, thanks to my mother's family connections."

"Wah! That means he is like Cinderella, right?!" Sonoko grew amaze in response.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Nori replied with a faint smile.

"We are quite the same if you asked me," Nori's girlfriend Chika chirped as she revealed, "My Okaasan used to work as a waitress at a first class restaurant, which is how she and my Tousan met."

Ranran's head was buzzing with skepticism. There was something off about his vague answers, a sense of evasion that raised red flags in her mind before she instructs Mouri to say, "What does your mother work as?"

"Oh, my mother," he replied, his voice slightly strained. "She's...well, she's involved in various charitable organizations and social events. She's quite busy with her philanthropic work, you see."

Ran nodded slowly, though inwardly. Ranran who is seeing all of this noted the vagueness of Nori's response. It was clear that he was dodging the question, "Press for the specifics."

"Ah, so she's involved in charity work," Ran remarked, her tone carefully neutral. "That must keep her quite occupied. What specific kind of charity work does she do?"

Nori's smile tightened slightly, though he maintained his composed facade. "Oh, you know, various causes," he replied vaguely before revealing. "The ones that I know are mostly about fostering children, which is why I would have a couple of siblings living under the same roof as I do."

For some reason, the part that he mention fostering sounds pretty genuine.

Ranran's voice crackled through the earpiece, her tone measured, "Sonoko, your turn. I want you to ask him....about how is his relationship living with those said foster siblings."

"Hah? Why?"

"Just do as I say, Suzuki."

Sonoko, unaware of the underlying intentions behind Ranran's instruction, leaned forward with genuine curiosity. "So, Nori," she began, her tone bright and cheerful, "What's it like having them around? Those....foster siblings? Surely there must be tons of stories to share."

"There were," His eyes sparkled as he shared, "We have gotten ourselves into tons of mischief together over the years. It's been quite the adventure, having them around. They've become like family to me."

Sonoko's eyes widened with interest, her curiosity piqued by Nori's response. "Really?"

"It's true," Nori insists as he reminisce, "I remember that one time we snuck out of the house late at night and went on a midnight adventure. We explored the city streets, climbed trees in the park, and even dared each other to jump into the river."

"How many foster siblings did your mother have?"

".....around, hang on a minute," Nori countered on his fingers before revealing, "I think we had around 7 of them."

"S-s-seven foster siblings!?" Sonoko echoed, her eyes wide with amazement. "That sounds like a big family!"

"My Okaasan love children a lot, which isn't surprise why she ended up fostering them later on. She couldn't have another one after having me."

"Do they study under the same school as you? Or they go to different schools since they are not related by blood?" Ranran inquired through Sonoko.

"Same school, my Okaasan doesn't believed in separating family members, blood-related or not," Nori replied smoothly, though Ran noted the slight hesitation in his response.

Ranran's voice crackled through the earpiece again, her tone sharp and focused. "Was your...father alright with?"

"Of course, he is fine with it."

Ranran's suspicions grew as Nori grew tense when the word 'father' is mentioned.

(.....He isn't close to his father, I see....)

"When your father got married to your mother, did he had to quit his....whatever job he used to be working as to work for your mother or.....?" Ranran prompt Ran to inquire further.

"Yes, he was working at that time, but ended up working under my mother's family after he got married to her." Nori replied.

"And what was he working as at that time?"

"Book-keeper."

There was a tension in Nori's demeanor when he answered, implying to Ranran that it was a lie. "So, Nori," Ran began, her voice steady as she posed her next question Ranran instructed her to do, "In Edgewood Academy, did your siblings adapted well?"

"Yes, they did," Nori nodded before recalling, "Although there were some issues, we had a blast. I assumed it could've continued on, if it wasn't for the-" Nori almost let slip of something, but he quickly recovered by finishing his sentence with, "My mother's death around 2 years ago....eventually lead my father into getting a job here in Japan, hence, that ended my days with Edgewood alongside the rest of my siblings."

Ranran's instincts told her there was more to the story, but she held back from pressing further.

"Eh....but Japan of all places....is it because Japan happens to be your father's' hometown?"

"Yes, that's correct," he replied, his voice strained. "There were....things going on with my Maternal family's charities, that my Tousan decided it was best we didn't get caught up with the situation and move somewhere else. Then...the rest is history, I met Chika, fell in love and yeah....here we are."

Nori nodded, though Ran sensed a tension lingering beneath his cheerful facade. His answers seemed rehearsed, calculated even, as if he was carefully crafting a narrative to fit a certain image. Not that Sonoko and Chika noticed for that matter. Finally, it came to Nori's turn to ask specific questions about something unexpected. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but this question is unrelated to what we are about to talk."

Exchanging looks, Ran and Sonoko were stunned but Ran said, "Sure, what do you want to ask about?"

"....you girls know about the news a couple of months ago, right? About some child Tantei who is only known as 'The Fox'?"

Ran and Sonoko exchanged a glance, surprise flickering in their eyes at Nori's unexpected question. The mention of "The Fox," a mysterious child detective who had garnered widespread attention in recent months, caught them off guard. So did Ranran, who is the real deal.

"Yes, we've heard of 'The Fox,'" Ran replied cautiously, her mind racing to assess Nori's intentions. "It's been all over the news, but it happen a few months ago that I almost forgotten about it till you brought this up, why?"

Nori nodded, his expression unreadable. "I was just curious," he remarked casually, though there was a hint of something in his tone that set off alarm bells in Ran's mind. "You never know who might be hiding behind that mask."

The founder of Tantei Association's instincts screamed at her to tread carefully. There was something about Nori's demeanor that felt off, his sudden interest in "The Fox" raising suspicions in her mind. As far as she known, Kudo Ranran barely knew of anyone who goes by the name of 'Nori' in Edgewood Academy, let alone, wronged anyone with that name, so what is with this unexpected mention of 'The Fox'? Is he...one of the evil children's love ones that The Fox had sent to the gutter?

The more Ranran eyed on Nori, the more she couldn't remember where she had met him. Yet, she felt he was somehow vaguely familiar.

"I am sorry, why did you suddenly bring 'The Fox' up?" Sonoko found herself asking.

"Ah, because of that photo," Chika suddenly remembered, "The other day, some reporter took a picture of that little girl in a Edgewood school uniform walking alone in the middle of the night. But Nori, didn't you say she was an imposter?"

"I mean...the badge of the uniform didn't match the real one, so maybe that uniform isn't the real deal." Nori thinks.

"Of course," Ranran rolled her eyes as she muttered to no one in particular, "Why am I not surprise?"

"Why were you that stupid to wear that sort of thing while being 'The Fox'?" Mouri Ran hissed quietly through the earrings she is wearing.

"In the first place, not many people are aware of Edgewood Academy in Japan, let alone, familiar with the school uniform I was photographed wearing. I didn't think someone from Edgewood besides me would recognize it, even though I wore a fake badge."  Ranran sighed.

"Come on, a girl in a Fox mask wearing a fake Edgewood Academy school uniform....if she was ever unmask, won't she be facing a group of angry Edgewood students back in the U.K?" Chika was skeptical about this.

Ranran couldn't help but agree with Chika's skepticism. There had been incidents like that when she was in the U.K, so it won't do anyone good if one is caught red-handed. Even so, Nori made one mistake: The uniform she was wearing is in fact the real deal, but concealed with a fake badge to prevent anyone for figuring out her real identity.

"It does seem rather risky," Ran chimed in, her tone cautious. "But again, she is wearing a mask after all, so no one will ever know who she really is, right?"

Sonoko said nothing, but quietly side-eye at her best friend, since only she and Mouri Ran were the only ones who knew the true identity of The Fox.

Nori's expression remained composed, though Ran sensed a tension lingering beneath the surface. "Ah, well, that is true," he replied smoothly, his voice measured. "Then again....the thing about Foxes are although they are known for their cunning and stealth, one can only do this for long before they would eventually be caught."

"What is wrong with him?" Ran can't help but mutter to no one.

"He is taunting me, 'The Fox'," The other girl's voice decided, her expression darkened as she adds, "He is definitely trying to seek me out, as The Fox."

"W-w-why?"

Suddenly, a memory flickered in Ranran's mind, like a distant light in the darkness of her thoughts. She recalled a fleeting encounter, 2 years ago, during one of her early escapades as The Fox.

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

"Is the house being raided, Fox?"

The little girl around the age of 3 in her Edgewood school uniform grinned as she stood before a beautiful mansion, watching a group of men in police uniforms raiding into the premises. She tilted her head, the fox mask covering her face giving her an enigmatic air.

"Why, yes it is," she replied cheerfully, her voice muffled by the mask. "And it is such a beautiful sight!"

The little boy who had addressed her through the mask she wears chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You tend to be ruthless, you know that?"

"After all of the crap they did, I would say this is well deserve," The girl giggled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Loaning money to the kids of Edgewood while charging exorbitant interest rates, forcing them into debt...they deserve to have their mansion raided."

The boy nodded in agreement, a smirk playing on his lips before stating in a worried voice, "By the way, are you hiding in a good spot? I don't want anyone to find out who is behind it?"

"What is there to worry? All of them are about to go to jail-or orphanages at least." Ranran shrugged, her confidence unshakeable behind the mask.

"Please! Why are you doing this!? Why is my elderly father being handcuffed!?"

A young Caucasian woman could be heard yelling in British English at the front porch of the mansion. Ranran's eyes widened slightly behind her mask as she wondered who this woman is.

"Miss, please calm down," one of the police officers said, attempting to restrain her.

Ranran just stood there, observing from a distance as the scene unfolded before her. While most little girls in her shoes would feel a tug at her heart, seeing the anguish on the woman's face, she felt nothing.

Some would say that this part of her emotion render her a future psychopath, but the truth was, Ranran had already grown numb to such displays of emotion. Or in a way, born with it.

Perhaps the fact that since she started out working as 'The Fox' months ago, her heart which already been harden due to earlier hardships when her family used to be in the slums before moving into the lavish neighbourhood, adding the cruel transition she was force into when she was sent to become a noble in Edgewood Academy was already encased in steel. The woman's cries fell on deaf ears as Ranran remained stoic, her gaze fixed on the unfolding drama.

The Boy in the Deer mask shifted uncomfortably from the chair he was sitting on in his bedroom, his eyes flickering with uncertainty as he spoke through the Deer mask. "Ranran, you better leave before-"

"What do you mean our property is being seized!?"

The bellowing anger of the elderly man dapped in a respectable suit despite being handcuffed by officials reached Ranran's ears, causing her to turn her attention back to the scene at hand. She watched as the man's face contorted in rage, his voice booming across the manicured lawn of the mansion.

"Sir, the reason for this is because several of your charities is confirm to have been involved in illegal activities, specifically loan-sharking and exploiting vulnerable individuals," one of the police officers explained calmly, though his words seemed to only further enrage the man.

"You have no right to accuse me of such things! I demand to speak with my lawyer immediately!" the man roared, his face turning a deep shade of red as he struggled against the restraints.

Ranran observed the chaos unfolding before her in amusement, "I always tell my parents never to donate money to charities because we may never know whether the money will ever reach those unfortunate people, but they always say I was talking selfish after our lives turned around. Now with this incident, I would have more of a good reason to be excuse from donating money!"

And The Boy in the Deer Mask was not going to argue with the 3-year-old's words on that matter.

"Mother, what is going on!? Why are the police putting red labels all over our furniture!? And what are the cops doing with grandpa!?" The panicked voice of the 7-year-old boy cut through the chaos, drawing Ranran's attention toward a figure standing on the mansion's grand front steps. It was a young boy, no older than seven, his eyes wide with confusion and fear as he surveyed the scene unfolding before him.

"Oh man, I didn't think the cops would choose to raid at the same time where our Edgewood Academy's head loaner would be present at that moment." The Deer couldn't help but noted, watching the scenes unfolding before him on his computer monitor through the Fox mask's eyes.

"I mean considering he loaned money to those noble kids up to a point that it was severely affecting our client's life, it only make sense for him to deal with the fallout he had caused onto those people whom he and the others loan their money to, nah?" Ranran chuckled.

The boy in the Deer mask nodded in agreement, though his expression remained troubled. "Yeah, but it's still pretty intense. I just hope nobody gets hurt."

Ranran glanced back at him, her eyes narrowing slightly behind the fox mask. "Even if they do, it is something well-deserved. I mean had our client not contacted us, we would be dealing with a bankrupted family. Or multiple to be exact. Not to mention....lost of our investment money."

"Well....that is true. But-"

As the chaos continued to unfold, Ranran's attention was drawn back to the young boy standing on the mansion's steps. His distress was palpable, but Ranran barely felt a pang of sympathy for him. The same couldn't be said for The Deer, as there was still a part of him that couldn't ignore the innocence of a child caught in the crossfire of adult corruption.

The boy's rushed forward, her face a mask of panic and disbelief. "What's happening, mother? Why are the police here?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear.

The young woman shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't know, son. They just came and started putting labels on everything. And Grandpa...they're taking him away! Said that he was doing loansharking and stuff!"

"What!? That isn't possible!"

Soon, it wasn't just the police that would be seen raiding in and out of the premises. "Hey!? Why am I being taken away!?"

Screams and yells followed, and soon, the sight of children younger than the boy was seen being dragged out of the mansion in tears as the mother yelled, "Hey!? Where are you taking the children!?"

"You are their foster mother, correct?" One of the adults went up to her before handing her something, "We had received tip that they had committed some financial fraud within the prestigious Edgewood Academy. So social services were called in to remove the children from this unsafe environment."

Ranran watched the scene unfold with a mixture of detachment and curiosity. The chaos swirling around her was like a theater production, each character playing their part in the drama of life. She couldn't help but marvel at the horrified faces of everyone, this included the rest of the children who soon grew as white as a paper after their crimes were revealed. This also includes the 7-year-old boy, who grew pale as he realized the severity of the situation. His eyes darted between his mother, the police officers, and the chaos unfolding around him

The woman's face paled, her hands trembling as she clutched the piece of paper handed to her. "But... but they were merely children... I doubt something like this would happen!"

"Mother, about that...." The son's eyes as Ranran witness darted between his mother, the police officers, and the chaos unfolding around him, a sense of betrayal etched on his young face.

The Deer beside Ranran shifted uncomfortably, his voice laced with concern. "Ranran, maybe we should go. This is getting out of hand."

But Ranran remained rooted to the spot, her gaze fixed on the unfolding scene before her. "Not yet," she murmured, her voice barely audible behind the fox mask. "I want to see how his mother is going to react what her little 'angels' had been doing in Edgewood."

The young boy's mother stood frozen on the steps of the mansion, her hands trembling as she clutched the piece of paper handed to her by the police. Her expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief, her mind struggling to comprehend the gravity of the situation. "Yori....do you know something that I had no idea about?"

The young boy, Yori, stood before his mother, his eyes downcast, unable to meet her gaze. "I....."

"Yori, how could you? How could you keep something like this from me?" she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

Tears welled up in Yori's eyes as he struggled to find the words to explain himself. "I... I thought I was helping," he mumbled, his voice trembling with guilt. "I thought... I thought we were doing something good..."

But his mother shook her head, her eyes filled with pain. "No, Yori. This isn't good. This isn't right," she said, her voice firm despite the tears streaming down her face. "You and your siblings... you've betrayed everything I've ever taught all of you. You've all betrayed our family!"

The chaos continued to escalate as more police officers arrived on the scene, their voices blending into a cacophony of shouts and orders. The children were ushered into waiting vehicles, their faces streaked with tears as they were driven away from the mansion.

As Ranran watched the scene unfold with a detached amusement, she couldn't shake off the feeling of satisfaction that bubbled within her. "This is a beautiful sight."

"Ranran, it's better we leave now. If any of those children spotted you-"

Ranran cut him off with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Relax, Deer. No one will recognize me. I'm just another face in the crowd."

But just as she is about to turn away and leave, one of the children yelled, "Hey! That is her! The Fox! She must have been the one who tip the cops!"

The Deer's voice grew urgent as he yelled through the Fox mask, "Ranran, run!"

Immediately, the little 3-year-old turned on her heels, her instincts kicking in as adrenaline surged through her veins. Without a moment's hesitation, she bolted from the scene, her feet pounding against the ground as she raced away from the mansion and the chaos unfolding behind her.

Behind her, she could hear the sounds of commotion growing louder, the voices of police officers and the shouts of the children blending into a frenzied cacophony. But Ranran didn't dare to look back. She focused all her energy on putting as much distance as possible between herself and the chaos she had left in her wake.

Eventually, The Deer was busy in his bedroom, frantically searching for a location for The Fox to simply hide away until the heat died down. Eventually, Kudos to him, he directed her to this bush where she hid for half-an hour till the police left.

"Where are you, you damn Fox!?"

She could hear the 7-year-old boy calling out for her angrilly, but all the girl did was purse her red lips as she observed the scene from her hiding spot, a smirk playing on her lips. She had outsmarted them once again, slipping away into the shadows like the elusive fox she was. "I know you are behind this! If I ever catch you, I demand you to stop all of this nonsense, or else this won't be the end, you hear me!?"

As the voices faded into the distance and the chaos subsided, Ranran emerged from her hiding spot, her heart still racing with the thrill of the chase. She glanced around cautiously, ensuring that she was truly alone before straightening her posture and adjusting her fox mask.

"Well, that was exhilarating," she murmured to herself, a smirk playing on her lips. "Looks like they'll be talking about The Fox for quite some time."

"Yeah, so call for low profile, Ranran....." The Deer's voice blared out of her fox mask.

"Low profile isn't really my style, Deer. You know that." Ranran chuckled softly, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins as she listened to The Deer's voice in her earpiece.

The Deer sighed, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "Can you imagine what sort of future he is going to live with? No more privilege, no more luxurious mansion, no more private school. Just a life filled with regret and consequences for his actions."

"Plus poverty, tons of it. It will be like that time I lived with my family in the slums when I was born before moving here."

The Deer chuckled softly, though there was a note of concern in his voice. "Let's just hope he doesn't come looking for revenge."

But Ranran waved off his concern with a dismissive gesture. "Oh please, Christopher. What's he going to do? Come after me in his poor tattered clothes? Or with his connections that he constantly flaunt about in Edgewood Academy? The same ones that he earn their loyalty by paying them to be his little henchmen?"

The Deer sighed, recognizing the validity in Ranran's words. "You make a good point. Even so....there is a saying that one is never to underestimate a noble child who loses everything. Cause it is the ones who had nothing....that makes them a terrifying threat."

Ranran's smirk widened at The Deer's words, her confidence unshaken. "True, but I've faced worse than a disgruntled rich kid. I'll be fine."

The Deer chuckled softly, though a hint of concern lingered in his voice. "Just promise me you'll be careful, Ranran. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Ranran's expression softened, a rare moment of vulnerability shining through her fox mask. "I promise, Christopher. I'll be careful. But you know me, I always land on my feet."

With that reassurance, The Deer couldn't help but smile. "That will do, Ranran. That will do."

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

Ranran's mind snapped back to the present, her memories of that encounter with Nori flooding her thoughts with a newfound clarity. She realized now as to why Nori looked familiar to her.

"Oh yeah....that incident 2 years ago....man, you changed a lot, didn't you?" Ranran thought to herself. As Ranran's gaze fixed on him in the computer monitor with an intensity that could rival the flames of a wildfire, she could only quietly mutter, "Already graduated into conning little rich girl's hearts after retiring from loan sharking."

At the same time, Mouri Ran who is present with Sonoko, Chika and Nori in the same restaurant was pondering about Nori's words, a flurry of thoughts danced through her mind like leaves in a gust of wind. Why would Nori  be specifically targeting Ranran as The Fox? What could he  possibly gain from it? And more importantly, how did Nori get tangled up in this intricate web of The Fox?

"I think I may know the answer to that," Ranran fixated her gaze on the view of Nori while speaking to Ran over the microphone, "The reason for his interest towards the Fox is simple....he thinks I wronged him."

Ranran's deduction sent a shiver down Ran's spine as she listened to her words. If Nori believed that Ranran had wronged him in some way, it could explain his sudden interest in The Fox and his attempt to seek her out. But what could Ranran have possibly done to incur Nori's wrath?

"I will tell you another time in the next meeting in Tantei association. Right now-"

"By the way, I heard through Chika that Tantei Association, a club ran by 7 children enrolled under the same school as you and Sonoko, correct?"

Nori's sudden mention of the children run detective agency caught Ran off guard, momentarily diverting her attention from Ranran's deduction. She blinked, processing his words before responding cautiously, "Yes, that's right. Why do you ask?"

His smile widened, though there was a glint of something in his eyes that made Ran uneasy. "Oh, no reason," he replied casually, though Ran could sense a hidden meaning behind his words. "I am just a bit curious....considering the press has yet to disclose who are their real identities. And whenever I try to ask Chika about it, she kept telling me she ain't sure, so I assumed perhaps you and Sonoko here might know? Cause I am a bit interested in hiring their service for a case, though it isn't a priority at the moment for me."

Ran's instincts told her that there was more to Nori's curiosity than he was letting on. She exchanged a quick glance with Ranran through her earpiece, silently relaying her concerns. Ranran's voice crackled through the earpiece, her tone serious. "Do what we rehearsed in the car earlier, Mouri."

"I see," Ran replied carefully to Nori, her mind racing with possibilities. "Well, the members of the Tantei Association prefer to keep their identities secret for privacy and safety reasons. But if you're interested in hiring their services, you could always submit a request to the association and they'll see if they can help you with your case."

Nori's smile faltered slightly at Ran's response, though he quickly regained his composure. "Ah, I understand," he said smoothly, though there was a hint of disappointment in his tone. "Well, perhaps I'll consider it in the future. Thank you for the information, Ran."

She nodded, though inwardly, she remained on high alert. Nori's sudden interest in both The Fox and the Tantei Association is definitely not a coincidence.

As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, Ran continued to observe Nori discreetly while at the same time, she was simply exchanging a glance with Sonoko, a subtle exchange of unspoken thoughts passing between them. Nori's charm was undeniable, but Ran is now having a bad feeling that Nori isn't a good boyfriend material for Chika. Not one bit.

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

"Just look at Chika-chan, she is so in love with him!"

6-year-old Sonoko had hearts in her eyes, telling all of this to Ran excitedly as the two little girls who remain seated at their dining table observed 9-year-old Nori taking out his wallet to flash his credit card for tonight's dinner at the receptionist table, while 9-year-old Chika accompanied him, her eyes all so sparkly as if she was under Nori's spell.

"I can't want to have a boyfriend like Nori one day, then I probably look like Chika, right Ran-san?"

Before Ran could respond in her usual friendly affection, a voice blare out in both little girl's ears through their earrings, "Oh Kami-sama, my braincells are likely to die if I continued to hear anything stupid as boyfriend talks for 5 more minutes."

The two little girls grew startled, recognizing the voice of the logical, ruthless, yet eccentric and ever-entertaining Kudo Ranran. This statement was enough to irk Sonoko, "You-"

"If you are going to talk gibberish again, you are going to blow the cover in front of your own friend's boyfriend that we are doing a secret investigation into him, thus, Chika may not want to talk to the both of you anymore, you want that?" Ranran taunted Sonoko.

Ranran's sharp reminder snapped both Ran and Sonoko out of their girlish chatter into silence. After a while, upon Nori having paid their dinner bill as he and Chika beckoned the two girls to leave their dinner table from afar, while walking towards the entrance, Ran who was walking beside Sonoko could hear the heiress speaking in a hush yet harsh tone through the earrings, "You know, if you keep on behaving that way, no one is ever going to want to marry you. And you will die all alone in a rundown house, Kudo Ranran."

Expecting the little child detective girl to curse her back, her only reply was, "Let me tell you something about love, and you may not want to hear it, but if a guy can promise you the world, then.....he can just simply rip that entire world beneath your feet, leaving you to rot like a wilted flower that he will no longer water nor had your beauty be admired with longing. No, because by the time you call out for him again, he will soon set his sight onto another flower that bloom a lot more beautifully than a idiot wild flower, Suzuki Sonoko. Mark my words on that."

Ranran's words cut through the girlish fantasies like a knife, bringing a stark reality to the surface. Ran felt a chill run down her spine at the sudden shift in atmosphere, so did Sonoko, who was too shock to respond.

"Anyway, I am off now, it is getting late. I will let you two know of the progress regarding both of your suspicions towards Chika, good night."

Before they could react, the two little girls could hear Ranran disconnecting from the call, leaving them in stunned silence. 

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

"Ran-san, after your time with Tantei association end in two months time, will you finally quit the association?"

That was the first thing Suzuki Sonoko questioned her best friend as they wait for Sonoko's chauffeur to bring over the car to drive them back home outside the restaurant. Meanwhile, the two had decided to leave the two puppy lovebirds at the other side of the entrance, the two seem to be chatting happily as they go.

Ran's mind was still reeling from Ranran's stark words as she stood next to Sonoko, the atmosphere heavy with the weight of reality. It was night-time, as Ran glanced at her friend, seeing the confusion and concern mirrored in Sonoko's eyes.

"I...I have to honor it, Sonoko," Ran replied softly, her thoughts still muddled. "Because I promise them this time that I will leave."

"....are you....no longer going to fight and drag Shinichi out of it anymore?"

Ran's heart clenched at Sonoko's question, the mention of Shinichi stirring up a mix of emotions within her. She took a moment to compose herself before responding, her voice tinged with sadness.

"I...I thought about it for a while, and honestly....." Ran admitted, her gaze drifting to the ground. "Of course...a part of me wished that Shinichi would eventually come back to us someday, but...I can't keep holding onto false hope forever."

"Ran-chan....."

"I...did many terrible things to Ranran these couple of months because of my jealousy towards Shinichi, not to mention....my refusal to take responsibility for the wrongdoings I had done to her and him," Ran found herself pouring her emotions to the heiress as she rambled on, "And...as much as it hurts for me to say any of this, I was very much in the wrong and should've been seeking either of their forgiveness in the first place."

Sonoko listened intently, her expression softening as she watched her friend struggle with her emotions. She reached out, placing a comforting hand on Ran's shoulder.

"Ran-chan, it's okay," Sonoko said gently, offering her friend a reassuring smile.

"No, it's not ok." Ran revealed in sadness, "There were so many signs that Shinichi was unhappy being with us, and it wasn't as if he didn't voice out his dissatisfaction throughout the past 2 years since we have became friends from kindergarten leading up to now. I kept....on brushing away every single part of his concerns and feelings, thinking that as long as he's with us, everything will be fine. But... I was wrong. I failed to acknowledge a single of his words and actions, because I assumed he was being dramatic, when the real dramatic one all along....was none other than me."

"Ran-san...." Again Sonoko spoke softly, her voice filled with compassion

"I just...I wish I had realized all of this sooner," she admitted, her voice wavering with emotion. "Maybe then things wouldn't have ended up like this had I just listened for once."

Before Sonoko could comfort her further, Chika who isn't aware about their sadness yelled across from afar while waving, "Ran-san, Sonoko! Nori's ride is here, so we are leaving first! See you guys another time, alright?"

As Chika's voice rang out, breaking the solemn moment between Ran and Sonoko, Ran forced a smile, though her heart still felt heavy with guilt and regret. "Yeah, see you later, Chika!" she called back, waving in return.

But then, her expression changed, when the valet of the restaurant arrived in a car that looked rather familiar. A sleek sports car arrived to the door before them, which make Ran's eyes widened while Sonoko wondered why. "Ran-san, are you...alright?"

"The car that Nori had arrived in earlier....."

"Yeah? What about it?" Sonoko's brows knitted in a frown before turning back to see a Midnight blue BMW Z4 parking in front of Nori and Chika.

("It's what they call a roadster," Sergeant Genzo explained while the other members were in the Tantei Association main HQ, "The BMW Z4. Everyone calls it the Zee 4.The one that was stolen has a 3-liter 6-cуinder engine.From a standing start, it can reach 100 kilometers an hour in 5.9 seconds.'')

That's right! Ran remembered.

Sergeant Genzo had previously mention about the car to Tantei association before, a gold coated paint car was stolen not long ago. But no way....it can't be a coincidence right?! That....this car which belonged to Nori's family...is the car they are currently seeking for!?