As Eiichi Yamagishihiro was escorted away by the police, Akashi suddenly felt a shiver run through his entire body.
Moments later, a surge of yin energy flooded into him.
『Ding! The case is over. Congratulations to the host for receiving a gift from the Yin Spirit and gaining Yin energy +3000!』
Overwhelmed by the energy, Akashi felt an indescribable sense of euphoria, his eyes momentarily turning white.
Conan, who had been observing him closely, was instantly infuriated.
"What's with this kid?" Conan thought, his annoyance growing. "He's in Ran's arms and has the nerve to look that blissful?"
Ran, meanwhile, noticed the strange behavior. Concerned, she quickly shifted Akashi, laying him across her lap.
"Akashi, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.
Even Yoko, standing nearby, stepped forward, her concern evident.
Akashi took a moment to calm himself, his expression returning to normal.
"I'm fine, Sister Ran," he said quickly. "It's just an old issue. It'll pass soon."
But Ran wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? Should we go to the hospital?"
Akashi shook his head. "Really, I'm okay."
"Besides, Miss Yoko's situation is more pressing. It's clear the murderer has no intention of confessing. I think it would be best if Aunt Eri took over this case. She'll ensure justice is served."
Yoko was moved to tears. Even in his discomfort, this child was thinking about her well-being.
"What a sweet and thoughtful boy," she thought.
However, when Yoko heard the name "Eri," something clicked.
"You mean Miss Eri Kisaki? The 'Queen of Victory' lawyer? You know her?"
Ran chuckled lightly. "She's my mother!"
"With her on the case, there's no way Eiichi Yamagishihiro will escape justice!"
Her tone carried absolute confidence. To Ran, her mother was like a superhero—capable of achieving anything.
Yoko was stunned by the revelation. "Your mother is the most powerful lawyer in Tokyo!?"
Her astonishment gave way to hope. Perhaps with Miss Kisaki's involvement, this terrible ordeal could end favorably.
Yoko reflected bitterly on the rumors she'd once dismissed about young artists being exploited by powerful individuals. She had always believed those were just baseless stories.
But now, faced with her own narrow escape, she realized the truth.
She recalled Eiichi Yamagishihiro's phone call. She didn't know who he had spoken to, but it had cost Akiyoshi Fujie his life.
As she thought of Fujie, Yoko's heart grew heavy. He had died protecting her.
"What an idiot," she murmured, tears slipping down her cheeks. She quickly turned away, trying to compose herself.
Regardless of everything, Yoko knew one thing—she couldn't stay at her current agency.
Resolving to act, she vowed, "I'll ask Miss Kisaki not only to ensure Yamagishi goes to prison but also to help me terminate my contract. It's time to move on."
---
With the case resolved, everyone left Yoko's apartment.
Ran, still worried about Akashi, refused to let go of him, keeping him close the entire time.
Conan, trailing behind them, seethed with quiet jealousy.
As they descended the stairs, Kogoro asked, "Ran, how did you know there was surveillance in the basement?"
Ran smiled. "Akashi told me! He asked Miss Yoko about it, and she shared everything with him."
Conan's annoyance spiked.
"I asked Miss Yoko the same thing, and she wouldn't tell me!" Conan thought bitterly. "But she told him? That's blatant favoritism!"
Ran continued, oblivious to Conan's frustration.
"Akashi also told me the deceased was Miss Yoko's ex-boyfriend and that Yamagishi planned to 'sell' her."
Kogoro raised an eyebrow in approval.
"That kid is sharp," he said. "Much smarter than this annoying brat."
Conan, taking the verbal hit, could only clutch his chest in mock agony.
He opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, Takagi Wataru pulled up in his car, ready to take everyone home.
---
The driver of the car was Takagi Wataru, while the passenger seat was occupied by the rotund and imposing Inspector Megure.
That left only the back seat available for the rest of the passengers.
Kogoro and Conan were quick to claim their spots, slipping into the back seat without hesitation.
Ran, holding Akashi in her arms, lingered by the car, her cheeks suddenly tinged with red as though recalling something.
She leaned close to the boy and whispered softly, "Akashi, when we get in the car, don't keep shaking your head, alright?"
Akashi's lips twitched in a mischievous smirk, but his expression remained outwardly innocent.
"Why not? It feels really comfortable!" he replied, feigning innocence. "Sister Ran, does it make you uncomfortable?"
Ran's face grew even warmer as a peculiar memory surfaced.
The last time they had been in this situation, she had felt a strange tingling sensation.
*She remembered the way Akashi's body pressed against hers, the sensation of their proximity, the way he shifted his body and rubbed against her.
Comfortable, yes—but oddly unsettling.
When she had stepped out of the car, her legs felt weak, a sensation she couldn't explain.
"It's strange," she thought to herself. "This has never happened before."
Her gaze shifted to Akashi's bright, innocent eyes.
"He's just a kid," she reminded herself. "What could he possibly know?"
Shaking off her doubts, Ran turned away, her face still flushed, and muttered, "There's really no winning with you."
From inside the car, Kogoro's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Ran! What are you doing? Get in already!"
"I'm coming!" she replied hurriedly.
Still cradling Akashi, Ran finally climbed into the back seat.
As she settled in, the boy leaned against her, their closeness unavoidable in the cramped space.
Conan, seated awkwardly between Kogoro and Ran, could barely contain his frustration as he observed the scene.
Veins throbbed visibly on his forehead.
Sure, he knew Akashi was just a child—but that knowledge didn't stop his feelings of irritation.
His face twisted in barely-contained anger.
Sensing the heated gaze from Conan, Akashi's lips curled ever so slightly.
He adjusted his position, leaning into Ran with an air of exaggerated comfort.
Then, with deliberate nonchalance, his small hand reached for Ran's.
Before Conan's very eyes, Akashi spread her fingers and intertwined them with his own, their palms pressed together.
Conan's face turned beet red in an instant.
His breath came in quick, heavy bursts, resembling an agitated bull terrier.
"This is provocation! Absolute provocation!" Conan thought, his fury reaching a boiling point.
Akashi's actions, however, weren't just a blow to Conan.
For Ran, who had turned her head to gaze out of the window, pretending to admire the scenery, it was a moment of internal chaos.
She could feel his tiny fingers laced with hers, the warmth of his palm against hers.
It was such a simple gesture, and yet her heart raced uncontrollably.
Her mind spiraled.
*She glanced over at Akashi, his innocent face turned toward her chest as he comfortably rested.
*His presence beside her felt both natural and incredibly stirring, a contradiction that left her mind reeling.
"Why is my heart beating so fast?"
"What's wrong with me?"
"Why does this feel so... intense?"
The questions swirled, leaving her flustered and bewildered.
She bit her lip, willing herself to calm down, but her composure was slipping fast.