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Outside Beika Sakura Tower.
"Huh—"
"Are we just leaving like this?"
Ran looked confused.
"What else?"
"The stalker Yoko Okino was talking about is already dead in her living room."
"And she promised to settle the final payment."
Ran touched her chin, deep in thought.
Well… that made sense.
Miss Yoko Okino's request had been successfully completed.
Even though they hadn't really done anything, their idol had still agreed to pay them the agreed-upon reward.
But… something still didn't feel right.
"Do you think Miss Yoko will be okay?"
Even after leaving the Sakura Tower, she couldn't shake the unease in her heart.
No surprise there—
Sonoko always said she was too sentimental.
"She'll be fine."
"She didn't kill anyone."
"If the police can't find the truth, this whole thing will just turn into a cold case and be forgotten."
"…"
Ran nodded thoughtfully.
Even though Akira's words were a bit dismissive of the police, she couldn't deny he had a point.
The only concern now was that if news of the murder got out, it might affect Yoko Okino's rising career in the entertainment industry.
"Let's go."
"Time to head home and get some sleep."
The job was done perfectly.
Now…
It was time to enjoy life.
"Alright…"
But that nagging feeling still wouldn't go away.
As she calmed down, she finally understood why.
Whenever she followed her dad to crime scenes, they never left until everything was resolved—the suspect crying and swearing their innocence before being taken away.
"Wait…"
"What did you say you were going to do?"
Sleep?
Was Akira planning to spend the night… at her place?
Mouri Detective Agency.
Just as she suspected…
Akira really did intend to stay in her room tonight.
"Shhh—"
"Don't forget our three rules."
She agreed.
But only under two conditions:
No being too rough.
He had to leave by 6 AM.
"Enough talking."
"Time is precious."
Akira wasn't about to waste the few hours they had left.
"Shhh—"
Ran's heart nearly jumped out of her chest when Akira suddenly smacked her butt with a loud slap.
That feeling—
She swore she had never done anything so nerve-wracking and thrilling in her entire life.
"Listen."
"Your dad's snoring is louder than the car horns outside."
"We're totally safe."
With that, he scooped her up and tossed her onto the soft bed.
Now that was a surprise—
Catching someone off guard completely.
"Tch—"
Ran frowned deeply.
Baka—!
What happened to the first rule about being gentle?!
Meanwhile.
From a dark corner across the street, two pairs of eyes were locked onto the Mouri DetectiveAgency.
"Doc…"
"Did Ran just… bring a guy upstairs?"
Shinichi Kudo saw it with his own eyes, but he still couldn't believe it.
"Uh…"
"Looks like it."
"Maybe he's just a client looking for Kogoro Mouri?"
Professor Agasa had no idea how to comfort him.
He wanted to come up with a reasonable explanation to ease Shinichi's already crumbling heart.
"Ha… ha…"
Shinichi's lips twitched uncontrollably.
A client?
What kind of client seeks out a detective at midnight—when even stray dogs are asleep?
Besides—
Kogoro Mouri's detective agency barely got a single case in an entire year.
Even if, by some miracle, a clueless client had actually shown up—
Why didn't they turn on the lights after going upstairs?
"Doc."
"Ran… really has a boyfriend."
"Who the hell is that guy?"
The evidence was right in front of him.
Ran hadn't turned on the lights when she got home.
She even closed the curtains.
From the way she did it, he could tell it was an urgent, impatient gesture.
He didn't even need to think about what was happening inside that room.
"Damn it!"
He refused to believe it—
Ran had really brought a man home for the night.
And the worst part…
No matter how hard he racked his brain, he had no idea who that guy was.
He had never seen him before.
He was completely numb.
Only now did he realize…
He didn't know much about Ran's circle of friends at all.
"....."