The next morning, outside the Mōri Detective Agency—
"I'm heading out!"
Edogawa Conan, up early as usual, dashed down the stairs with his solar-powered skateboard in hand. From the second-floor balcony, Kogorō Mōri stuck his head out and shouted:
"Wait! Today we're supposed to—"
"I've got plans. I'll be back late!"
Conan didn't wait to hear the rest. He waved, kicked off, and vanished down the street.
Today, he planned to revisit the suspicious details he'd noticed during the banquet case. Ran wasn't in any immediate danger, and the unfinished clues were gnawing at him.
A few minutes later, a silver car pulled up outside the office.
Hayashi Yoshiki and Kisaki Eri stepped out.
Upon learning that Conan had already left, Eri frowned at Kogorō.
"Didn't you tell him we were going to Dorobiga Park today?"
"Didn't get the chance. He bolted before I was even awake."
Kogorō adjusted his tie in the mirror, muttering irritably.
Eri raised a brow thoughtfully.
When Ran appeared downstairs, ready to leave, Eri tugged gently at Kogorō's sleeve and whispered:
"I think we should let Yoshiki and Ran go together—just the two of them."
"Huh?"
Kogorō blinked.
"Why?"
"I trust Yoshiki. He'll take good care of her."
Silence.
After a moment, Kogorō understood.
"You mean... Yoshiki and Ran...?"
"What do you think?"
Kogorō frowned, thinking.
To be fair, he did think Yoshiki was a dependable, polite, and capable young man. Even if the kid had ditched dinner last night...
Still—he was definitely better than that good-for-nothing, missing-in-action Kudō Shinichi.
Kogorō scowled at the thought. Ran had lost her memory, and that brat still hadn't shown up—hadn't even called.
At least Yoshiki is present.
After a quick, silent discussion, it was Eri who took the lead.
"Ran, your father and I have something urgent we need to take care of, so why don't you go with Yoshiki first—"
"Is it important?"
"Ah, yes! I've got a sudden case to attend to."
"Ahem, and I have a client coming by for... training, so to speak…"
The two scrambled with overlapping excuses.
In the end, Ran—still a little bewildered—got into Yoshiki's car alone and explained what her parents had just told her.
Yoshiki was quiet for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"Then let's just enjoy ourselves. Who knows? Maybe Uncle Kogoro and Aunt Eri will join us after they're done."
"Okay."
Ran smiled and buckled her seatbelt.
Yoshiki started the engine.
Dorobika Park
The amusement park sprawled over a large area.
At the gate, while handing over the pair of tickets, Yoshiki noticed Ran's distant gaze.
"Did something come back to you?"
"...It feels familiar somehow. Like déjà vu. But I can't recall anything clearly."
"It's alright. We're not here to force anything—just to have fun."
"Okay."
As Yoshiki led her inside, Ran's tension began to melt away. She looked around, curious and quietly excited.
"It feels kind of like... coming to an amusement park for the first time."
"That's a nice way to put it."
"I guess there are some perks to forgetting things, huh?"
Yoshiki chuckled.
"Yeah. The thrill of experiencing something for the first time... it's something you don't get twice."
"You don't have to sugarcoat things for me, Brother Yoshiki."
"Fair enough. But today, I'm in the same boat as you."
"Huh?"
"This is also my first time at an amusement park."
Ran blinked in surprise.
Then smiled.
"So... where should we go first?"
"I'm fine with anything."
"Are you afraid of heights?"
"...That's hard to say without trying."
He wasn't, in truth. But leaving the question open added a bit of mystery—just enough to keep her subtly attentive during the day.
They ended up choosing the closest ride.
Turned out to be a kiddie train.
As the train rolled along its track, screams echoed from the high-speed coaster overhead, completely drowning out their ride's quiet clunking.
When they stepped off, Ran burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm sorry—it's just... you looked so cute sitting on that tiny train in a suit."
"Oh?"
Yoshiki raised a brow, feigning offense.
"I thought it was quite fun, actually."
Then, narrowing his eyes:
"But I suppose these kinds of rides aren't suited to someone with... adult responsibilities."
"No, no! Don't say that just because of me!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes!"
"Then again, I do have my pride as a grown man."
He gave her a soft, teasing smile.
"Unless, of course, Ran personally requests it."
"Then please, Brother Yoshiki..."
Ran clapped her hands together and gave him a hopeful look.
"Oh well..."
Yoshiki relented with a sigh.
Suddenly—
"Teacher Yoshiki!?"
"Huh?"
"Ahh! It is Teacher Hayashi Yoshiki!!"
A nearby girl shrieked in recognition. Then, as a match dropped into a dry forest, a chain reaction erupted—dozens of heads turned toward him.
In a place filled with young female visitors, Yoshiki's presence stood out.
"This... could be a problem."
He turned to Ran, and whispered:
"Let's hide first."
Then—he grabbed her hand and ran.
"Eh? Ah! Oh!"
Still processing what was happening, Ran followed as Yoshiki led her deeper into the park, hand-in-hand.