Shinichi scratched his head awkwardly. While he definitely had feelings for Ran, he felt they were mostly rooted in friendship—perhaps with a dash of romance mixed in. He wasn't entirely sure himself yet, so how could he give Ran a definitive answer?
Seeing him hesitate like that, Ren was truly speechless. How had he never noticed before that this kid was such a chronic overthinker?
"Sigh, think it over yourself. It's between you and Ran, after all. It's not like an outsider like me can just barge in."
Returning to his seat, Ren's thoughts drifted elsewhere.
It's been twelve years since I came to this world.
Twelve years ago, he had transmigrated here as an orphan. Relying on his parents' insurance payout and their life savings, Ren had hired a lawyer to help him purchase an apartment. He hadn't lacked for money in all these years. He had even made a tidy sum writing breezy, "laid-back" light novels after the economic bubble burst. He was comfortably well-off now—at least enough to never worry about food or shelter.
As for meeting Shinichi and the others, that had been a genuine accident. Originally, he thought he had transmigrated into a parallel version of the 1980s. He had planned to invest every cent into internet companies and wait to get rich. Even if the internet didn't pan out, he figured he'd just buy a few thousand Bitcoins when he turned thirty and live out the rest of his life in luxury.
But to his utter shock, one afternoon while out to play soccer, he ran into a young Shinichi doing the same thing. Once he realized who he was looking at, Ren knew his life plan had to change!
After befriending Shinichi, Ren naturally met Ran and Sonoko. Then, for the sake of his future happiness, Ren began meticulously building up Sonoko's affection.
Duh! When a massive "gold mine" like a Suzuki heiress is standing right in front of you, anyone with a brain wouldn't hesitate!
Though it started a bit cynically, after years of friendship, Ren truly fell for the girl. Sonoko was loud and brash on the surface but incredibly thoughtful and caring underneath. And she was beautiful—the moment Ren saw her with her hair down and her headband off, he couldn't look away.
In middle school, Ren officially launched his "offensive." After six months, they became a couple. Then came the PDA—he'd been dishing it out ever since. Time hadn't faded their feelings; if anything, they had grown deeper. They were like an old married couple now, their love evolving into a deep, familial bond.
After the final bell, Ran dragged Sonoko away. Ren headed to a nearby gym. To prepare for the dangers of this world, Ren had trained himself relentlessly over the years. While he wasn't a "human tank" like Kyogoku Makoto, his skills far surpassed an average black belt.
While Ren worked out, Sonoko and Ran sat in a cafe. Listening to Ran talk excitedly—and watching her turn red from her own imagination—Sonoko sighed helplessly and said earnestly, "You should make sure Shinichi can actually make the date first. He is a 'big shot' detective, after all~"
Ran didn't mind the cold water. She smiled. "Shinichi promised me. He never breaks his word! By the way, the city tournament is in a few days. Are you coming?"
"Of course! As your best friend, I'm at every match to support you!" Sonoko said, puffing out her chest.
"Great! I'll get you a ticket!" Ran laughed.
"No need, I'll have my family get me front-row seats," Sonoko chuckled. "By the way, should I get one for your Shinichi? If not, I'm only buying two~"
"Wh-What do you mean my Shinichi" Ran blushed. "Besides, I'll give Shinichi his ticket myself tomorrow night"
"Ooooh~~" Sonoko's eyes were full of teasing. She feigned heartbreak. "So Shinichi's ticket was ready all along? There was never a spot for us Truly a friend who picks romance over her bestie!"
As night fell, the city was draped in darkness.
Once their planning was done, Sonoko sent Ren a message to pick her up. At the gym, Ren estimated the time, packed his gear, and sure enough, received the text moments later.
As he was leaving, the gym owner, a blonde woman with delicate features and a tall, striking figure, smiled at him. "Ren, going to pick up your girlfriend again?"
"Yeah. It's late. I wouldn't feel right letting her walk home alone." Ren smiled and nodded. "I'm off. See you in a few days!"
"Bye~"
Liza watched Ren disappear from sight. Her gaze turned ice-cold as she looked around the empty gym. She whispered to herself, "I've lingered here too long. It's time for a new identity."
When Ren arrived at the bottom of Ran's apartment building, Sonoko and Ran were waiting outside the cafe.
"Your guardian is here, so I'll leave you to it~" Ran stuck her tongue out at Sonoko, waved to Ren, and headed upstairs.
Ren walked over to Sonoko and smiled. "Let's go. I'll walk you back—or do you want to stay at my place tonight?"
"Emmm, sure. I'll just call Mom and let her know." Sonoko nodded. She pulled out her phone, and after a brief explanation, her mother agreed without a single worry.
Sonoko put her phone away and gave Ren a deadpan look. "My mom really trusts you, huh? She didn't even ask a single follow-up question."
"That just shows that in your mother's eyes, I'm a responsible man! She's already at peace with handing you over to me~"
The two joked and laughed as they walked to Ren's apartment. With Ren present, the "trash" lurking in the alleys didn't even dare show their faces, so no clichéd "hero saves the beauty" scenarios occurred.
At home, Sonoko went to wash up. Ren sat in a rocking chair on the balcony, looking out at the dark streets. Once Shinichi becomes Conan and the timeline goes haywire, I should be able to get a smartphone pretty soon.
I should probably help Shinichi out at the amusement park tomorrow. He is my childhood friend, after all.
Though he suspected that with Shinichi's personality, even if he helped him dodge it this time, the boy would eventually find a way to get shrunk, he still wanted to try. If the timeline broke, he had no idea how many years he'd be stuck in the eleventh grade!
A moment later, a fresh-faced Sonoko came out. Seeing Ren on the balcony, she crawled onto his lap, poking his chest muscles with a finger. "What are you thinking about?"
"I was thinking about when I finally get to eat my cute little white rabbit~" Ren laughed, pulling Sonoko into an embrace. The faint scent of her shampoo made his heart race.
"Hmph! You can eat whenever you want! But you'll have to be the one to explain it to my father afterward~" Sonoko giggled.
"Don't worry. As a real man, I won't cross that line until we're adults," Ren smiled.
"Oh? Only until we're adults?"
"Of course. We're getting married the second we graduate high school!"
"Okay~"
One day later.
"Dammit! That jerk Shinichi stood me up again! I'm never forgiving him!"
Early in the morning, Ran arrived at the classroom with her fists clenched and a look of pure fury, searching for any sign of Shinichi!