Conan: Mentality Collapsed!
"Seriously," Mori Kogoro grumbled, "Isn't he supposed to be hanging out at Teitan High School this afternoon? He should be free as a bird..."
"He's only been there three times," Mouri Ran explained, trying to smooth things over. "He goes to the Basketball Club occasionally, but he hasn't been these past few days..."
Conan's mind raced as he recalled Mouri Ran's recent after-school trips to school, his expression turning serious as he silently analyzed the situation.
Chi Feichei graduated from high school years ago, Beika High School at that. There's no way he'd be hanging out at Teitan High School's Basketball Club, right?
Ran's been going to school every evening lately, saying it's for Karate Club intensive training. But she even knows whether Chi Feichei has been to the Basketball Club or not. And recently, whenever she goes to school, she comes back in a good mood, she doesn't pester him on the phone calling 'Shinichi, Shinichi' anymore, and sometimes she spaces out at home...
Plus, just now, when she mentioned Chi Feichei staying at the Hospital, she looked all melancholy...
This feels really bad!
They both go to Teitan High School in the afternoon, the Basketball Club and the Karate Club are really close... Could it be... a date?!
Thinking about it more, Chi Feichei has never had a girlfriend, and doesn't seem to like any girls. That time he got drunk and said he liked Ran, and Chi Feichei said their age gap was too big, was he trying to dissuade him?
He treats Chi Feichei as a Friend, but Chi Feichei wants to steal his Girlfriend?
Mentality collapsed!
Should he tell Chi Feichei that he's Kudo Shinichi? If he reveals himself as Kudo Shinichi, Chi Feichei, as a Friend, shouldn't consider Ran anymore, right?
No, no, right now he needs to figure out what Ran is thinking first...
Even after arriving at the Hospital, Conan was still preoccupied.
"Mr. Mouri..." Shinchide Yoshiteru said, looking at the Diagnosis Report, "Six months left..."
Mori Kogoro and Mouri Ran jumped in surprise, even Conan stopped his wild thoughts.
"I can understand how you must feel," Doctor Shinchide said, putting down the Diagnosis Report, "But it really can only be maintained for six months..."
Mori Kogoro lunged forward, erupting in a frenzied roar, "Hey, you're going too far! Suddenly telling me I only have half a year left to live? If I had some serious Illness, you should be more tactful! But you just blurt it out like that, what kind of Doctor are you?!"
Doctor Shinchide was taken aback by Mori Kogoro's reaction. "Serious Illness? I just said you only have six months left to control your Alcohol."
Mori Kogoro froze. "D-Drink/Alcohol?"
"Yes," Doctor Shinchide picked up the Medical Report again, double-checking. "The Inspection results show that you've developed Alcoholic Liver Dysfunction, though it's still mild."
Mori Kogoro sighed in relief and slumped back into his seat. "Doctor Shinchide, you really like to tease people. There was no need to call me every day, urging me to come, and even have me bring my Family along..."
"It's because Hassashi has been worried about you, asking if you'd come to get your Report, so my Son called you, wanting you to come sooner," Doctor Shinchide explained with a smile. "And I also know that to get someone like you who enjoys a Drink/Alcohol to control their Drink/Alcohol, you definitely need Family support. You just need to reduce your intake a little each day..."
"I'll make sure he doesn't touch Liquor for the rest of his life!" Mouri Ran said with a bright smile.
"What?" Mori Kogoro was aghast.
"Husband," Shinde Yoko entered, "Miss Bin Tian just called, asking you to see her for a consultation."
"Seriously, again?" Doctor Shinchide calmly stood up to leave. "That Patient is such a headache, making a fuss over a Gastric Ulcer..."
Shinde Yoko watched Doctor Shinchide close the Door behind him, muttering with a dark look, "Patient? That's a nice way to put it, more like a Mistress, isn't it?"
Conan and Mori Kogoro exchanged surprised glances.
Shinde Yoko finally seemed to notice they were still there and quickly changed the subject. "Sorry, my husband should be off the Phone Call soon, please wait a little longer!"
"Um..." Mouri Ran leaned forward and asked quietly, "Could I use the Washroom? The Patient Washroom seems to be out of order..."
Seeing that Mouri Ran was just going to the Restroom and Mori Kogoro was fine, Conan's mind drifted back to his worries. He looked up at Shinde Yoko and asked, "Aunt, is Brother Chi staying here?"
"Hassashi? Yes, he's been staying here recently. Little brother, do you know him?"
"Yeah! Isn't Brother Chi here right now? We called him when we came, but couldn't get through..."
"He went to the Pet Hospital and hasn't returned yet. If you can't reach him by Phone Call, he's probably in the Operating Room."
"I see. So, recently he's been..."
...
Afternoon, 7:41 PM.
Mori Kogoro and the others were invited to stay for Dinner at Niide Hospital.
"So Young Master Tomoaki is the top Graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at Todai University..." Mori Kogoro remarked, then caught sight of the half Human Model reflected in the Window of the Corridor outside, and a chill ran down his spine.
When he first entered the Courtyard, he'd thought the Environment was quite nice, but then he'd unexpectedly glimpsed a Bloody Figure standing straight beside the Wall, nearly scaring him witless.
Even though it was just a Human Model, it was still creepy to put it there. He'd asked about it, and the Shinde Residence people actually said the Storage Room was full and there was no Place to put it...
A Family with two Doctors, their Home is certainly something else!
"Not at all, I didn't expect Mr. Mouri to be the Famous Detective Mori Kogoro," Shinde Tomoaki said with a smile, subtly glancing at Conan. "No wonder he became Hassashi's Teacher. Is he learning Medical Knowledge from you, Mr. Mouri? I heard Detectives need to know some Medical Knowledge..."
"No, no, he's learning Reasoning from me!" Mori Kogoro said, trying to hide his complete lack of Medical Knowledge and changing the subject. "Will you always wait for him to come back for Dinner?"
"Yes," Shinde Yoko chimed in with a smile. "He's been coming back before Dinner every day recently, so we wait for him."
"Something must have delayed him today," Shinde Tomoaki glanced at the wall clock. "Surgeries running long is common, but he should be back soon."
Conan sat at the Dining Table, a cold feeling settling in his stomach.
The Corridor in this Home is decorated with Anatomical Models. Ran should be the most afraid of these things, but she still wants to stay for Dinner. Could it be because Chi Feichei comes back for Dinner every day?
Now that they're at the Dining Table, she's been silent the whole time...
Huh?
Conan turned his head and realized Mouri Ran was staring intently at Shinde Tomoaki. "Ran... Older Sister?"
"Hmm?" Mouri Ran snapped out of her daze.
Conan hesitated for a moment, then asked directly, "Do you guys know each other?"
"Of course we do," Mouri Ran turned to Shinde Tomoaki with a smile. "Brother Hassashi going to the Teitan High School Basketball Club, that's with Doctor Niide, right? I saw you talking together."
Huh? Wait a minute...
Conan's Mind started racing again.
If there was something between Chi Feichei and Ran, he should have noticed some hints in their usual interactions. And if Ran wanted to find Chi Feichei, she wouldn't need to specifically go to Teitan High School. Going to the Pet Hospital or contacting him under Mori Kogoro's Name would be enough, right?
Could it be that Ran is actually interested in Shinde Tomoaki?
"I was the one who asked him to come along. I heard that more Exercise and social interaction are good for his recovery," Shinde Tomoaki said, turning to Conan. "Conan, do you like Exercise?"
"Uh," Conan looked at Shinde Tomoaki's reflective Glasses and the smile on his Face, feeling a growing unease, like he was being targeted. "S-Sort of, I like playing soccer."
"Is that so? Exercise is good," Shinde Tomoaki, still remembering Zhi Ming Fukuyama's request to observe Conan, asked with a smile, "Do you play with Friend?"
"Yeah!" Conan pretended to be a Child, nodding with a cheerful smile, but his heart felt heavy.
He hadn't noticed anything strange before because he was lost in his own thoughts, but now he sensed something was off.
Shinde Tomoaki seems like a very kind person, but the Maid Miss Hobon Hikari barely speaks to him. And when their eyes do meet, she quickly looks away, not out of shyness, but more like... fear?
Moreover, since they arrived, Shinde Tomoaki seems to have been secretly watching him, and his gaze is making him uncomfortable...
(End of Chapter)