Chapter 240: Heading to Osaka
"Oh, by the way, Ran-neechan, which family is hosting this event?" Conan asked, his tone deliberately casual.
While he wasn't particularly invested in such high-society affairs, Kazuha was participating, and it never hurt to gather more information. One never knew when a seemingly trivial detail might become useful in a future case.
"Hmm, let me think..." Ran Mouri frowned, tapping a finger to her chin in thought. "The family's surname... I think it's Kamisato. Yes, that's right, Kamisato."
She nodded, her memory clicking into place. "Sonoko mentioned it to me before. She said the event is being put on by an entertainment company their family owns."
"Oh, I see," Conan murmured, filing the name away.
Later that night, just before bed, Conan made a point to call Heiji Hattori. He launched into a tirade, complaining that Heiji's failure to mention the details had almost made Ran suspicious. He only hung up after Heiji admitted with a laugh that he had simply forgotten, leaving Conan staring at his phone with a mask of sheer exasperation.
A few days later, under a bright and sunny sky, the area in front of the train station was a whirlwind of activity, with travelers coming and going in a constant stream.
Suzuki Sonoko, Ran Mouri, and Conan Edogawa were already waiting on the platform.
"The train's almost here. Why isn't Natsume here yet?" Sonoko fretted, her expression laced with anxiety. "You don't think something happened, do you?"
"Don't worry, Sonoko." Ran gently patted her friend's shoulder, her voice a soft comfort. "Natsume is always punctual. Something unexpected might have delayed her, but since she hasn't called, I'm sure she'll be here on time."
"You have a point." Hearing Ran's calm reasoning, Sonoko's tense expression softened slightly.
Her relief was short-lived. She frowned, her gaze narrowing on the group of children standing nearby. "But speaking of which," she said, her voice dripping with dissatisfaction, "why are these little brats here, too?"
"Hehe, the Detective Boys naturally have to stick together for every mission," Genta declared with a sheepish grin.
Sonoko rolled her eyes, a familiar mix of disdain and teasing on her face. "Heh, don't give me that. You just heard about the idol event and decided to tag along because you're interested, didn't you?"
Mitsuhiko scratched his head, a bashful smile spreading across his face. "Haha, well, it's true we only just heard about it, so of course we're curious. But Sonoko-neechan, don't worry! You won't have to look after us. Professor Agasa asked Okiya-oniisan to be our chaperone!" He finished by pointing a thumb toward Subaru Okiya, who was standing quietly nearby.
At the mention of his name, Subaru Okiya quickly nodded in agreement. He pulled his gaze away from Ai Haibara, who was actively trying to shrink behind the others, and echoed, "Yes, that's right. I will most certainly take good care of the children. Please rest assured, Miss Suzuki."
Sonoko pouted, not entirely convinced. She shot the kids a skeptical look but reluctantly accepted the situation with a sigh. "I hope so."
She knew perfectly well that this group was hardly the type to behave and stay put. But they were already here, and there was nothing to be done about it now. "Alright, alright," she relented, wagging a finger at them. "Since you're here, you stick close and don't go running off. Got it?"
Genta and the others immediately nodded, their faces alight with excitement as they promised to obey.
Just then, Natsume arrived on the platform.
She wasn't alone. Flanking her were two men—the same friends Ran and Sonoko had met before.
Sonoko's expression became one of pure helplessness. She had originally planned for a simple trip for four. The addition of the children already felt like a crowd, and now Natsume had brought two more people.
"Please excuse our intrusion," Zhongli said, his voice a calm baritone that cut through the station's din. He offered a polite, disarming smile. "Natsume mentioned that our destination was the same as yours, and I thought it would be more convenient to travel together. I hope you don't mind that we came uninvited."
Faced with such impeccable manners, Sonoko could only shake her head repeatedly, insisting it was no trouble at all.
This starkly different reaction did not go unnoticed by the children.
Genta mumbled under his breath, "Sonoko-neechan wasn't nearly that nice to us. And if it's because he's a handsome guy, Okiya-oniisan is pretty good-looking too!"
"Perhaps it's because some people possess the basic courtesy to look others in the eye when they speak," Haibara commented coolly, her voice flat.
Conan instinctively glanced at Subaru Okiya's perpetually narrowed eyes upon hearing her sharp remark.
At that moment, Haibara's own gaze drifted over Natsume's companions. She noticed the faint, gem-like glow of the Visions pinned to Kaveh's and Zhongli's attire, instantly recognizing them as people connected to Teyvat—people who were not ordinary.
Yet, even with this realization, Haibara found she couldn't summon the same deep sense of fear she felt around other Black Organization members. Her wariness toward Zhongli and Kaveh was minimal, certainly nothing compared to the intense vigilance she maintained around Subaru Okiya, a man who had yet to reveal a single flaw.
'Maybe it's just their personal temperament,' Haibara mused. Compared to the strange, unnerving graduate student who had suddenly moved in next door, she found herself far more willing to be near Zhongli and his friends.
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