Chapter 53: The Detective from Osaka (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Shoichi and Haibara took a flight to Osaka.

Along the way, Haibara was extremely anxious and uneasy.

Because Shoichi had told her that this trip to Osaka was to trace her roots and officially recognize her family.

She still remembered when Shoichi first took her in, he had said she was smuggled back to Japan with her parents, and after her parents died, she had no remaining family.

She had no idea where Shoichi had managed to dig up her relatives.

She was merely an impostor assuming a false identity; what would happen if she were exposed?

Stepping out of the airport, Shoichi was slightly taken aback when he saw the person waiting for them.

He nudged Haibara and said, "Call him Uncle."

Haibara's heart skipped a beat. Pushed forward in front of the white-haired elderly man wearing black-rimmed glasses, she anxiously called out, "Uncle."

The old man frowned, looked at Shoichi, and asked, "Who is she?"

Haibara's heart leaped straight up into the clouds.

Just as she was desperately thinking of an excuse, Shoichi said, "Haibara Ai, my father's illegitimate daughter."

Huh?

A giant question mark popped up over Haibara's head.

"Hmph, he was never a man to mess around like that," Sumitomo Taro said.

"Get in the car."

Shoichi led Haibara to get into Sumitomo Taro's car.

Haibara's mind was completely blank.

Weren't we coming here to trace my roots and recognize my family? Why are we meeting Shoichi's uncle?

Sumitomo Taro didn't pay much attention to Haibara's identity, simply chatting idly with Shoichi.

"Why did you bother to come and pick me up in person?" Shoichi asked.

"Naturally, because I was afraid whoever came to pick you up would anger you and end up as a corpse abandoned in the wilderness," Sumitomo Taro replied.

Shoichi stroked Haibara's head with a helpless expression. "Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about me? How could I ever do something like that?"

"Heh, as if I don't know what kind of person you are," Sumitomo Taro said.

Undermining your own family's business and making your first startup capital by short-selling copper ore—could you possibly be any good?

Although Shoichi had only been back in Japan for a short time, this uncle of his had kept a close eye on his nephew.

This kid was an absolute menace.

Shoichi sighed.

There was no helping it; people simply misunderstood him too deeply.

Even his own biological father was like this, let alone outsiders.

One day, all of you will realize that I truly am a gentle and kind gentleman.

"You really are a lot like your father," Sumitomo Taro remarked suddenly.

"Is that so?" Shoichi felt that he was a bit better looking.

Sumitomo Taro continued, "You both love standing in the spotlight."

Shoichi said with an indifferent shrug, "What's wrong with standing in the spotlight? It's all for the development of the company. The worst that can happen is hiring a few more bodyguards."

Future bosses all became internet influencers and livestreaming gurus anyway.

He was still being quite low-key... right?

Shoichi pondered for a moment and decided perhaps he wasn't all that low-key.

It seemed that for the sake of his own safety, hiring bodyguards was an urgent priority.

"In any case, your father is already in prison; just keep your wits about you," Sumitomo Taro said.

In Osaka, surely no one would dare to lay a hand on a member of the Sumitomo family.

Besides, Shoichi still possessed a certain sense of boundary. Although his name was a frequent visitor to the newspapers and public discussions about him were numerous, at least his photograph had not yet appeared in the news or on television programs.

The most widely circulated photo of him—delivering a check to Mouri Kogoro—had his face blurred out.

...

"Heiji, the day after tomorrow, accompany me to attend Sumitomo Taro's birthday banquet."

At the Hattori residence, Hattori Heiji's father, Hattori Heizo, was changing out of his police uniform.

"Understood." Heiji nodded.

Continuing to read the newspaper, he looked up and asked, "Sumitomo Shoichi from Tokyo should also be coming back to attend Mr. Sumitomo Taro's birthday banquet, right?"

"What are you thinking about?" Hattori Heizo asked.

"Nothing."

Heiji put the newspaper down.

In truth, he had long maintained a subscription to Tokyo newspapers, initially to keep tabs on that guy Kudo Shinichi and challenge the great detective.

Ever since that great detective disappeared, the name Sumitomo Shoichi had been appearing with increasing frequency in Tokyo's newspapers.

Moreover, a publication called the Justice Daily had exposed a multitude of scandalous wrongdoings regarding him.

Such a person remaining alive was an injury to Japan itself.

Back in Tokyo, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department had practically been reduced to Shoichi's lackeys; no matter what Shoichi did, the police department could flawlessly sweep it under the rug.

What made Heiji even more furious was that Mouri Kogoro, currently Tokyo's most renowned detective, actually turned out to be one of Shoichi's running dogs.

This was a desecration of the detective profession.

Heiji let out a cold snort.

Once Shoichi arrived in Osaka, no matter what crimes he committed, he would not escape his eyes.

Osaka's detectives were nothing like Tokyo's detectives!

This place was certainly not his lawless sanctuary.

Hattori Heizo warned Heiji, "When you go to the banquet, you'd better be polite and avoid stirring up any trouble."

"I know," Heiji replied.

He possessed the necessary etiquette.

However, if anyone acted lawlessly and treated the law as nothing, he certainly wouldn't let the matter rest either.

Seeing the latest content in the Justice Daily, Heiji's dark face began to flush with heat. The comparison between the United States and Japan was utterly humiliating, leaving him no place to hide and prompting deep self-reflection...

...

"Ah, speaking of which, Miss Yoko's film crew seems to have come to Osaka for promotions as well," Mouri Kogoro said, stepping off the tour bus and stretching lazily.

Sitting in the car for so long had practically wrecked his lower back.

"It seems so. Shoichi-nii said Miss Yoko will be staying in Osaka for promotions all week," Ran said, holding her phone.

"Then we can go see Miss Yoko again!" Mouri Kogoro exclaimed.

Enough already, you star-struck old man.

Conan curled his lip.

Ran had used incredible luck to win a free trip to Osaka; such a wonderful travel opportunity was not meant for chasing celebrities.

Besides, Miss Yoko was terribly busy every day; how could she possibly have time to see a sloppy old uncle?

Conan furrowed his brows and asked, "Ran-neechan, do you and Shoichi-nii get along very well?"

"Pretty well, I suppose," Ran said with a smile.

Shoichi-nii, much like Sonoko, came from a massive conglomerate background, yet he carried no airs at all.

Furthermore, Shoichi-nii seemed to enjoy chatting with her and frequently shared recommendations for delicious food and fun places to visit.

She had already taken Conan to several of those spots.

Ran continued, "Shoichi-nii is originally from Osaka, so we can ask him if there are any fun places worth visiting here."

"Let's not bother asking; we're supposed to stick with the tour group," Conan protested.

"But I've already asked," Ran said, looking at her phone.

Moreover, Shoichi's reply had come very quickly.

[I haven't been to Osaka in a long time either, so I'm not familiar with the changes here. Let me ask around, and I'll definitely let you know if there are any fun places. ——Shoichi]