Seeing the little shota bolt to his room, Eri felt a surge of annoyance.
'That boy!' she thought, frowning.
Still, she didn't dwell on it for too long. After all, Akashi was at home, and there would be plenty of chances to bond with him later.
---
Not long after, Ran announced that dinner was ready, inviting everyone to the dining table.
Akashi approached, his eyes lighting up as he surveyed the feast before him.
Roast beef, grilled eel, teriyaki chicken cutlets, seafood soup, cold vegetable salad, grilled squid, and tonkotsu ramen—the table was brimming with delicious aromas and vibrant dishes.
He couldn't help but marvel inwardly. 'This… this is what people eat!'
Ran's cooking skills far surpassed Eri's, and it showed.
Ran removed her apron and beamed at Akashi.
"Well, Akashi, what do you think?" she asked eagerly.
Akashi picked up his chopsticks, sampling a piece of roast beef. His expression brightened as he gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"It's amazing! Sister Ran's cooking skills are simply unbeatable!"
Hearing this, Ran's smile stretched wide, her eyes curving into cheerful crescents.
Eri, sitting beside them, couldn't help but interject.
"Akashi, surely you enjoyed the curry I made this morning too, right?"
Akashi froze, an awkward smile tugging at his lips.
The green curry from earlier that day surfaced in his mind—it wasn't exactly something he could praise honestly.
Unable to bring himself to lie, he avoided answering altogether, instead focusing intently on his meal.
Sometimes silence says it all, and the winner of this unspoken competition was clear.
Ran shot her mother a smug glance, relishing her small victory.
Eri frowned slightly, feeling unexpectedly outdone by her daughter. An inexplicable sense of unease crept over her.
But then, she caught herself.
'What am I doing? Competing with my daughter for attention?'
The thought left her feeling both exasperated and amused. Shaking her head, she let it go, pulling out her chair and joining them at the table.
---
The three of them soon dug into the meal, their laughter and conversation filling the room.
Meanwhile, back at the Mōri Detective Agency, Kogoro's stomach let out a loud growl.
Slumped over the desk, he glanced at the clock, its hands pointing to 7 p.m.
"Why isn't Ran home yet?" he muttered irritably, patting the empty beer can beside him.
Frustration flickered across his face as he shook the can—completely out of alcohol.
Little did he know that his wife and daughter were enjoying a lavish dinner with Akashi!
---
Back at Eri's apartment, the atmosphere was lively and cheerful.
Ran, in an especially good mood to celebrate their "new family member," had gone all out.
Even Eri, typically reserved, poured herself a glass of red wine for the first time in ages. Ran happily joined in.
"This is Mom's house," Ran reasoned aloud, sipping her wine. "It's safe. Besides, tomorrow's the weekend—no school!"
Akashi watched as the two women's faces flushed a warm, rosy hue from the wine.
The sight of their relaxed and cheerful expressions inexplicably made him feel a little uneasy.
Ran, now more talkative than ever, leaned in and began chatting animatedly.
"Mom, Miss Yoko sent me a text earlier about the case Akashi and I helped with."
"She's super grateful for your help and told me she's officially terminated her contract with her old agency."
Ran paused for dramatic effect, then added with a grin, "She signed with a new company—Suzuki Media Agency!"
Hearing this, Akashi's eyes widened slightly.
'Suzuki Media Agency? That's definitely Sonoko's family's business.'
It wasn't hard to guess what had happened. Sonoko must have pulled some strings and leveraged her family's wealth to secure Yoko's safety.
Thanks to this, Yoko would no longer have to deal with the shadowy, exploitative practices of her former agency.
Originally, Akashi had considered stepping in to help the kindhearted idol himself. Now, it seemed his intervention wouldn't be necessary.
——
"Then, to express her gratitude, Miss Yoko added a substantial commission fee for Dad!" Ran said, her voice light with relief.
"Dad even mentioned he's going to the bank tomorrow to deposit the money."
"This is the first significant income we've had in six months!"
As she spoke, Ran's tone grew more relaxed.
After all, she was the one who managed the household's finances—buying groceries, taking care of daily necessities—while her father, Kogoro, spent his days drinking and betting on horses.
Ran knew all too well how tight their finances were. This commission fee was a lifesaver, alleviating their family's financial woes, at least temporarily.
Feeling in a particularly good mood, she leaned closer to Akashi, gently ruffling his hair with her fingers. Her delicate face lit up with a playful smile.
"Akashi," she began sweetly, "how about going on a little vacation with your big sister in the next couple of days?"
"Vacation?"
The question caught Eri's attention.
"It's Sonoko—she's invited me to her family villa," Ran explained. "But I don't want to go alone. Akashi, will you come with me?"
As she spoke, Ran clasped the little Shota's small hands and gave them a playful shake. Her tone was soft, almost coquettish, with the faintest trace of the red wine she'd enjoyed earlier.
---
When Eri heard the mention of Sonoko, she immediately nodded in approval.
After all, the Suzuki family was one of the most prominent chaebols in Tokyo. If Akashi had the chance to make connections with them, she was more than happy to let it happen.
Faced with Ran's affectionate plea, Akashi found himself defenseless.
"Alright, alright," he said, reluctantly agreeing.
A villa vacation? The thought struck him as suspicious—it felt like the setup to a murder mystery, possibly involving some dangerous incidents.
Nonetheless, Ran seemed eager, and he thought it best to accompany her.
The moment he agreed, Ran's eyes sparkled with joy. She pulled him into her arms, exclaiming, "Akashi, you're the best!"
Without warning, she planted a kiss on his cheek, her soft pink lips lingering for a moment.
Seeing this, Eri's face darkened in annoyance.
'Why does my daughter always beat me to it?'
Suppressing her irritation, she finally spoke up.
"Hey, hey! You're not a child anymore—what are you doing?" she chided. "Ran, you've clearly had too much to drink. No more red wine for you, or you'll end up like a drunkard!"
Standing abruptly, Eri took away the wine bottle and began clearing the table.
Ran, cheeks flushed from the wine, stuck out her tongue mischievously behind her mother's back. Then she grabbed Akashi by the hand and tugged him toward the living room.
---
Once in the living room, Ran quickly noticed how dusty and disheveled Akashi appeared. His back bore faint traces of dirt, likely from the Maple Leaf coins he had carried earlier.
"Akashi, where were you playing today? How did you get so dirty?" she asked with concern.
Before he could reply, she added, "Come on, let's get you cleaned up. Sister will help!"
Without waiting for his response, Ran started pulling him toward the bathroom.
Akashi's eyes widened in alarm.
'Why does everyone insist on helping me bathe?' he thought, panicking.
He quickly waved his hands in protest.
"No, no! I can wash myself!"
Ran's expression shifted instantly, her mood swayed by the effects of the red wine. Her lips quivered, and she put on a pitiful, teary-eyed expression.
"Does Akashi hate his big sister?"
"N-no, that's not it!"
"Then why won't you let me help you?" she countered. "I heard Mom bathed you yesterday. If Mom can do it, why can't I?"
Akashi struggled to counter her logic, his words tripping over themselves.
"No, that's not—uh—I mean—"
"Great! That settles it!" Ran declared triumphantly. "Don't worry; my bathing skills are top-notch! Even Sonoko has begged me to bathe her before, but I didn't agree. You're special, Akashi!"
Ignoring his protests, Ran tugged him into the bathroom.
---
The bathroom door swung open, releasing a cloud of steam. The tub was already filled with water, foam bubbling across the surface.
Ran had apparently prepared everything in advance, including removing the non-slip mat.
Akashi froze. His gaze shifted to the slick, polished floor and then to his newly upgraded Level 3 Pear God Fall.
'How many times am I going to fall here?' he thought grimly.
Ran, still flushed from the wine, chuckled as she held up the shower head.
"Shower first, then soak in the tub—perfect!" she announced. "Akashi, take off your clothes!"
Her casual tone left no room for argument, but Akashi hesitated.
"Kya!"
However, before he could respond, Ran slipped.
With a startled yelp, she lost her footing and fell backward into the tub, splashing water everywhere.
The foam-covered surface left her soaked, her white shirt and blue school skirt clinging to her frame. Her long legs, clad in black ankle socks, hung limply over the edge of the tub.
Akashi couldn't suppress his laughter at the comically undignified scene.
"Sister Ran, let me help you up!" he offered, stepping forward instinctively.
But as soon as his foot touched the soapy floor, he lost his balance.
With a slip and a thud, he tumbled into the tub alongside her.