Chapter 35: An Air of Merriment

In the touching scene of a family reunion, two of the three family members were unable to stand back up.

Knowing that the couple across from him were the Kudos, Karasawa had held back his strength. Though, based on his understanding of the "Conan-verse," even a full-force blow wouldn't have caused any real damage—the "good guys" in this world could be summarized as wielding the "guns of kindness." One need only look at the peerless sharpshooter Akai; the only way his enemies ever die is by their own hand, never through a direct strike on camera. It seems no matter how a protagonist acts, they simply cannot kill anyone. Just look at the soccer ball that could deflect a naval cannon by ninety degrees; even that, when it hit Yukiko Kudo, didn't result in a fatality.

Still, it was no surprise that the two who had been thoroughly thrown were now sidelined for the next day or so.

"Tell me, you two, are you really that bored?" Conan sat across from the coffee table, staring at the couple sprawled on the sofa, his temper flaring. "Did Professor Agasa tip you off?"

If his parents, who traveled the world at a whim, had even a shred of reliability, it would be a miracle. What was this nonsense about "staging a performance to wake up a careless Shinichi"? It sounded more like they just wanted to manufacture a spectacle of him being caught off guard so they could laugh at his expense.

Yusaku Kudo, wincing as he huddled into a pile of cushions to rub his back, struggled to sit upright. "Given the magnitude of the situation you're in, how could he not notify us?"

"That's right, Shinichi," Yukiko added, leaning against her husband. "You encountered such great danger, yet you still thought you could handle it all by yourself. Just which side of the family did you inherit this inexplicable hot-headedness from?"

Yusaku sighed. He looked toward Karasawa, who was walking behind the sofa, dutifully cleaning up the various traps scattered across the hall, and pursed his lips in reluctant admission. "The only reason you escaped unscathed today was pure luck—you exploited an information gap we hadn't accounted for. We didn't anticipate Karasawa-kun being such a powerful asset. If it had just been you, the situation would have been completely one-sided."

Their plan had been interlocking and precise, perfectly tailored to the psychology of their stubborn child. Had it not been for the high-combat-power variable of Karasawa, they would never have met their Waterloo.

"I know there's a huge risk, that's why I've been trying to keep it hidden—"

"No! You have no idea!" Yukiko glared, her eyes flashing with anger. "Why do you think your father and I were so terrified when we saw you captured? You still don't understand what you're up against."

Yusaku adjusted his large glasses, which looked identical to the ones Conan wore now, his tone dropping to a grave register. "If your identity is truly exposed, your mother and I, the Mouri family, Professor Agasa, Karasawa-kun—everyone you come into contact with will face the same danger as today. Shinichi, come abroad with us. I will find a way to ask my contacts at Interpol to help investigate the drug you were given. Until you recover, staying in Japan is simply not safe."

Conan bowed his head.

By now, the initial fear of being pursued and the adrenaline of his counter-maneuver had subsided. He understood that his parents' words held merit; he was likely facing a vast, deeply entrenched organization. They weren't just a simple criminal syndicate—no mere gang could develop a bizarre drug capable of shrinking a human being.

Reason and logic both dictated that this was not a situation a high school student could handle on his own. His parents' desire for him to leave with them was a perfectly rational plan.

But... leaving Japan...

Conan’s mind drifted to Ran Mouri, who lay awake at night tossing and turning out of worry for Shinichi. Then, he looked over at Karasawa, who was kneeling on the floor, quietly picking up thumbtacks one by one, his expression unreadable.

"No, I can't leave," he said, shaking his head firmly. "I have reasons why I must stay."

He couldn't just walk away. The fact that Shinichi Kudo's death hadn't made the headlines was the biggest loose end. If the organization truly decided to investigate the missing person case, Ran—who had been at the amusement park with him that day—would be the first in the line of fire. Even the troublesome cases he used as excuses had become reality; if Karasawa hadn't truly been left with no other choice, he never would have entrusted life-altering investigations to a boy in a child's body.

He couldn't abandon them. He couldn't abandon his responsibilities. He still had to protect Ran...

"Shinichi..." Yukiko could easily see the familiar stubbornness on his youthful face, and she couldn't help but sigh. Who did he inherit this mule-headedness from? Neither she nor Yusaku were such closed-minded people!

The conversation fell into a stalemate.

"Here, black tea." The silence was broken by the only adult still capable of moving freely: Karasawa.

Yusaku reflexively caught the cup and thanked him, only to stiffen immediately as he realized this was the culprit who had left him paralyzed with pain. He held the tea, unable to bring himself to take a sip.

"Thank you, Karasawa-kun." Yukiko, who found the youthful and handsome Karasawa quite charming, smiled her thanks. Ignoring her stubborn son for the moment, she took the initiative to ask about him. "Are you a friend of Shinichi's? I never imagined he had friends he could share such secrets with. This kid wouldn't even contact us on his own..." As she said this, she shot a sour look at Conan, feeling a pang of jealousy.

Her child had grown up, made new friends, and developed secrets he wouldn't tell his own mother and father.

Karasawa offered a mysterious smile. He looked at Conan, raised his eyebrows, and gave a playful look that clearly asked, "Should I tell them about your dark history?"

Conan pressed a hand to his forehead, recalling his foolish blunder, and let out a cough.

"Him? He’d never volunteer that information," Yusaku said, easily guessing his son's predicament with a scoff. "I suspect he was doing such a terrible job playing the child that he got found out."

"It’s true, he wasn't very convincing," Karasawa agreed.

Yukiko thought back to the awkward, transparent lies her son used to tell and sighed, patting her cheek in distress. "When I was your age, I was already being nominated for Best Actress at film festivals. How did you only inherit your father's obsession with deduction and none of my talent?"

"That's not it! I..." Conan gritted his teeth. He couldn't very well admit that a slip-up led him to accidentally prick Karasawa with a needle—and that the poor aim likely made the sedative ineffective, ruining the whole charade halfway through. He could only offer a dry rebuttal: "It was an accident! Being discovered by Karasawa was just an accident!"

Yukiko clapped her hands, a new idea striking her. "I've got it! Since Shinichi insists on staying in Japan, the genius and beautiful actress Yukiko will give you special training in acting! At the very least, you’ll need to be able to fool the Mouri family!"

"Hey!"

"It’s decided! Now, for the first lesson: let’s learn how a child should act cute!" Yukiko looked at Shinichi's youthful face and patted Yusaku's hand with nostalgia. "When Shinichi was this age, he would throw himself into my arms, crying and begging me to buy him a new soccer ball..."

"Ahhh!!!" Conan covered his ears in a breakdown. Seeing Karasawa sitting to the side, suppressing his laughter so hard that his teacup trembled, he felt even more ashamed and frustrated. "Stop it, please stop!"

For a time, the Kudo residence was filled with an air of lively joy.