"Hey, kid, how come you're home so early today?" Mouri lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, head tilted to one side, a piece of salted fish jerky between his lips. But the moment he caught sight of Ran behind Conan, he jolted upright like he'd been zapped, hastily hiding the half-empty beer bottle behind his backside.

"Ran? It's still early, isn't it? Hahaha... you're back already?"

"Dad, what are you hiding behind?" Ran narrowed her eyes. "It's already five o'clock in the afternoon. It's not early. Seriously, and Dad... you're drinking this early?" She dropped her backpack with a huff. "Conan, go upstairs and start on your homework. I'll call you down for dinner once the salmon fried rice is ready."

Conan nodded, but glanced at the television. "Hm? Oji-san, what was that just now? The previous channel?"

"Huh?" Mouri flipped back to the news channel.

"As of today, the Kaitou KID has yet to return the stolen gemstone. This marks the first time since his resurgence that he has delayed its return. Neither the owner nor the police have received his customary ' The Last Dance.'"

The anchor's words immediately caught Conan's attention. He retracted the foot he had already stepped past the door with, dropped his backpack, and leaned against the arm of the sofa.

"The Investigation Division has expanded their search. Last Tuesday, KID successfully stole the black leather case containing the gemstone. Witnesses claim they saw KID land mid-escape in Central Park. Inspector Nakamori has confirmed this sighting. However, by the time officers arrived, all they found was a discarded suit jacket near the fountain. No further leads have emerged. Tomorrow marks a full week. Will KID return the jewel at all?"

Ran was at the fridge pulling out scallions and eggs, ears tuned to the news. "Sonoko thought it was strange too. KID never delays returning the jewel. Last Tuesday, weren't you and Dad helping the police at the scene, Conan?"

"Yeah."

Conan swung his feet thoughtfully. KID not returning the gemstone was unusual—completely out of character, really. Yet the Kaitou KID from last Tuesday had been unmistakably the real deal. That night, after tossing his signature smoke bomb, Conan had chased him for five straight kilometers. He had climbed rooftops, panting and gasping, only managing to graze the thief's fluttering white cape before cursing aloud as KID saluted him with two fingers and vanished into the night sky.

It had been the last night of the full moon. Moonlight had painted Conan's sharp, determined face in silver. And KID? He'd worn that trademark cocky grin, showering the moonlight in front of him, only to be hunted down like prey shortly after.

Still, Conan had faith in KID's survival ability and escape artistry. After all, he had helped search the park with Nakamori-keibu that very night. Judging by the scene, it seemed KID had fled on his own. No sign of abduction, however, there was the indication of a third party.

What Conan hadn't expected was that, nearly a week later, after returning from a case in Karuizawa with Mouri, the gem still hadn't been returned.

"Huh? What are they all getting worked up about? Don't they realize KID's just a person too? Maybe he simply forgot. That black case is probably just lying around in his living room somewhere. Or maybe he used it to prop up his instant noodle bowl." Mouri yawned. "Anyway, the gem belongs to that Suzuki rich old man. For him, that jewelry set is probably just pocket change. He won't lose sleep over it."

Ran turned back to stir the scallion omelet in the pan, the hum of the range hood almost drowned out by Inspector Nakamori's booming rant on TV.

"Listen up, KID! If you're watching, get this through your damn ears! Go ahead and hide that case—I will catch you! Bwahahahaha!"

Ran jumped at the sudden outburst, cracking an egg too hard and shattering its shell.

"Still, if he doesn't return it, it is technically theft..." she sighed, crouching to help Conan clean the mess. She took a napkin and gently wiped a splatter of egg from his cheek. "Conan, what do you think? There's a lot of conspiracy talk online—some say KID was kidnapped, others say he found his true goal and retired... even rumors that it wasn't the real gem that was stolen, and KID returned a fake one to Suzuki, who's keeping quiet to save face. But that's not like Suzuki-san."

"Conspiracy theories, huh?" Mouri grunted, shaking out his newspaper and yawning again. "Maybe he was just too busy. Ever think of that? Too busy to return the gem. Simple explanation."

Conan rolled his eyes internally. Yeah right. You think KID is like you, watching horse races and forgetting to pay the electric bill ?

Still, something wasn't right.

"Conan, can you take the laundry basket upstairs for me? Dad! Toss out your dirty laundry already, I'm starting a load. Conan... your sleeve... what happened to it?"

Ran was clearly frazzled. She shot a glance at her father—lounging as if he had nothing better to do—but held back from flipping him off the sofa, her clenched fists cracking ominously. "Dad—you better help clean the mess too! Conan, come here. Take off that vest. Let me see if I can scrub it clean in the dishwasher. What is this?"

Only now did Conan notice the faint ring of semi-translucent milky-white residue staining the cuff of his dark school uniform. He remembered the new transfer student at school—he had been too busy coaxing her out of hiding to notice his sleeve had gotten dirty.

"Ah... I accidentally spilled something at school, Ran-neechan. I can take care of it myself." Grabbing his jacket and a bottle of stain remover, Conan began scrubbing at the fabric while still watching the television.

"That's not like you, Conan. Did something happen at school?"

Oops__Damn it.

Ran was observant and detail-oriented. When she saw the larger patch of the same stain on the back, she immediately knew this wasn't just spilled milk by accident.

"Actually, this isn't my jacket," Conan explained. "It belongs to a classmate ,Ishikawa. I was worried he might catch a cold, so I lent my jacket to him, we switched. I'll wash it and give it back tomorrow."

"Ishikawa?" Ran furrowed her brows. She didn't recall anyone named Ishikawa in the Junior Detective League, nor had Conan ever mentioned him before. Tilting her head in thought, she sprinkled rosemary and chopped scallions over the omurice before bringing it to the table. "Is he a new transfer student, perhaps?"

"You guessed it right, Ran-neechan." Conan flashed her a bright smile. Ran's expression darkened slightly.

"Did he get bullied the moment he transferred into your class? Conan... that's really awful. Shinichi once stood up to a bully too, did he tell you that? There was this one kid in kindergarten who loved to pick on Sonoko. One time, he deliberately splashed soup on her back and tried to blame her for spilling it. But Shinichi analyzed the splash trajectory and shut him down with his logic and deduction. Conan, does Kobayashi-sensei know Ishikawa is being bullied? And if you're going to get involved, promise me you'll be careful. Bring Mitsuhiko and Genta with you. Never go alone, okay?"

Conan shook his head. "It's alright, Ran-neechan. I won't let those classmates do anything to Ishikawa-kun."

After dinner, Conan flipped through his Holmes collection, bored out of his mind. The homework due the next day was already done and tucked neatly into his bag. A knock at the door. Ran stood outside holding a plate of fruit. "Conan, want some cantaloupe?"

"Ah... thank you, Ran-neechan!"

Conan hastily shoved his novel into the bag, scrambling to pick up a comic book off the floor and stuff it under his homework notebook before opening the door.

"Conan!" Ran scowled as she spotted the hidden comic book. Hands on hips, she chided him. "When you study, focus! You're just like Shinichi. Oh, by the way,Agasa called. Haibara wants to talk to you. Go downstairs and pick up the phone."

Haibara Ai calling this late? Conan nodded and dashed down the stairs.

"Haibara? Why are you calling so late? Don't tell me Agasa pulled his back again? Or blew up the kitchen and now you need to crash at my place?" Conan asked, utterly perplexed.

"You never answer your phone, so I had no choice but to call the Mouri Detective Agency. You made me wait forever, Conan." Haibara Ai spoke with her usual flat tone, but Conan could tell this wasn't a social call.

"Sorry. Everyone was watching TV in the living room. I can't exactly keep Conan's phone on. What if Ran suddenly gets the urge to call me?"

"Whatever. I just wanted to tell you that Okiya Subaru dropped by with a pot of failed chocolate curry and asked if you were free."

"What??" Conan froze. "What did he say to you?"

"Who knows what he meant. Something about an interesting case at Central Park last week. Wanted to know if you'd like to hear about it."

The taste of that bittersweet chocolate curry still made Haibara's stomach churn. Who on earth actually tries out those ridiculous manga recipes in real life?

"I'm heading over now. Is Okiya Subaru-san still there?"

Haibara raised an eyebrow and grumbled, "Still chatting away with Agasa. Can't get rid of him no matter how hard I try."

—--------------------------------------

Kuroba Kaito stretched out his long legs—God, how he missed them. This height, this young adult body, still awkward with youth but unmistakably grown-up. Leaning against the bar counter, he let out a deep sigh, glancing listlessly past the row of glasses at Jii-chan, who was diligently polishing a cup.

"Tell me... is there any way to undo this? Just being stuck in the same room with that damn Conan today was already a nightmare. But to have him treat me like some damsel in distress? He mistook my allergic reaction for tears! I, Kuroba Kaito, haven't cried since elementary school!" His voice rose with each sentence. "And then—he thinks he's some kind of hero? Tch. He even draped his jacket over my shoulders like we're in some sappy romance! I don't recall Sherlock Holmes pulling any stunts that dramatic."

"Kaito-sama... we've debated this at least twenty times. Are you still regretting enrolling at Teitan Elementary School?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know ," Kuroba Kaito snapped, annoyed. "Getting close to Meitantei is the only way to figure out what that drug was—the one that shrunk both him and me. But knowing something doesn't make it easier to deal with. Have you seen his eyes? They're terrifying."

Just the memory sent a shiver down Kuroba's spine. He couldn't tell whether the look Conan gave him was pity—pity for being bullied, for being a fool and a transfer student who was picked up by bullies—or that sickening kind of sympathy, the kind that said, I never thought KID would have to stoop so low as to play the victim.

And that made all the difference in the world.

"Gather the intel, then change back ASAP. Look at you now, isn't this good enough? I mean you are doing it great."

"Yeah, don't even try to cheer me up like I am a toddler. Sure, until five a.m. when I shrink back into a boy! For the entire 16 hours!" Kuroba slumped forward on the counter with a groan.

"What a disaster. From now on, KID's heists have to end by four in the morning at the latest—gives me an hour's buffer. And the scouting missions? That's all on you now, Jii-chan. Just pray Meitantei never suspects that KID and I are one and the same."

"You can count on me, Kaito-sama. I'd walk through fire for you." Jii-chan meant it—if it came to it, he'd give his life without a second thought.

"How am I supposed to explain this to Nakamori Aoko and the Keibu!Huh? A sick leave for a day or two is fine, but if this keeps going on, which it will, not only will the school demand documentation and certifications, Nakamori Aoko will get suspicious." Jii-chan voiced his concern.

Kuroba Kaito smirked, gave the leg of his chair a kick, and spun once in his swivel seat. "Simple. We just follow the precedent, right?"

Though he felt sorry for Aoko, Kuroba Kaito still made the call, using the same excuse as before. "Sorry, Aoko. I'm taking a leave of absence from school."

Suddenly, he understood why Conan had once made the same decision. Forget whether people would believe the truth, or if some lab would try to snatch him up for research—if the Organization found out he wasn't dead... no, they would know he wasn't dead. And if by any chance they discovered his condition—shrinking during the day, reverting at night—then not only he, but everyone around him would be dragged into danger.

"Leave of absence?!" Aoko gasped, staring at the darkened Kuroba residence across the street. "Are you kidding me? You have already missed since last Wednesday for so-called sick day, and now you plan to skip class indefinitely? Oh, I get it—this is just your excuse to ditch school with impunity! Kuroba Kaito, does your mother even know about this?"

Facing the barrage of questions, Kuroba Kaito replied with leisurely calm. "Of course. It was my mother's idea. She wants me to study abroad for university and suggested I get a head start by enrolling in a high school overseas to adapt to their culture and lifestyle. Aoko... don't cry."

He knew her too well. And with a tone "begging to be punched", he added, "Next time you see me, I'll be a well-educated and intellectual brimming with wisdom. You can save your tears for then."

"Cry? Like hell! Baka Kaito!"

The sudden news hit Aoko so hard she dropped onto her bed. Her feet dangled, disbelief flickering in her eyes—and indeed, two silent tears streamed down her cheeks. Raising her voice to mask the tremor in it, she shouted, "Fine, go abroad if you want! I won't miss you one bit, hmph!"

The call cut off abruptly, and with it, perhaps, the unresolved feelings between them. Jii-chan silently watched the wordless Kaito, worrying clouding his eyes. "You really didn't have to be that ruthless. Doesn't the little detective still keep in touch with Mouri Ran? Why go that far?"

Kuroba Kaito twisted his fingers together, and only after a long silence did he speak. "I'm not like Meitantei, Jii-chan. This isn't just about safety. It's not just the Organization, it's also the identity of Kaitou KID. I owe Aoko too much. Better to keep things clean now. You know how much I hate seeing her cry."

The old man sighed. "I really don't understand you young folks these days. Speaking of which, Kaito-sama, have you decided when your next heist will be?"

"Not yet. I want to observe the situation a bit longer," Kuroba Kaito replied, sipping his tea. "But I do have a mission for you. Brought it with me today."

As he spoke, he reached into the backpack slung beside the bar counter. Jii-chan set down his glass, curiosity piqued.

Thud. A stack of notebooks landed on the counter—Teitan Elementary's kana practice book, 1000 Math Drills, and "The Secret Techniques of becoming an English Masters."

Every single page was blank. Not a word written.

"......................"

And that was the exact same look which appeared on Kobayashi-sensei's face. She heaved a deep sigh. Sure, kids this age always had their little surprises, but Ishikawa Kaito's homework was something else entirely.

Leaving everything blank was one thing. There were plenty of scatterbrained kids around. But on top of that, the pages were covered in doodles—strange ones at that. Squinting, she finally made out what he'd been drawing.

"Everyone, hand in your homework now! Hurry it up!" Mitsuhiko called from the front of the classroom. Despite the mental fog caused by the instant shock, Kobayashi-sensei still remembered to have her class leader collect the assignments.

The math workbook had three pages of problems assigned. Ishikawa had only marked the first one—not with pencil or pen, but with three different colored pencils, drawing circles all over the page.

"Ishikawa Kaito, can you explain what this means?" she asked gently. Kaito bit his lip and stepped forward like a child who knew he'd done wrong but was bracing for the scolding.

"It's alright, I'm not mad. I just want to understand what you meant by this."

"Weren't we supposed to do calculations? But... I don't know how," Kuroba Kaito said, hands behind his back, head bowed in shame.

Kobayashi-sensei had always had a soft spot for students like this. Though she never intended to scold them, when Kuroba Kaito confessed so earnestly, her heart softened even more. Instead of reprimanding him, she consoled him gently:

"I understand. So you're trying to understand through drawing? I think that's wonderful! You're finding your own way to think things through, aren't you? Who cares if you only wrote one page? Right?"

"Yes." Kuroba Kaito barely suppressed his internal injuries from laughing so hard. Seriously? He'd been solving junior high-level math easily since kindergarten. He could calculate four-digit multiplications in his head with his eyes shut. The only reason his workbook was blank was because he had no idea how to dumb it down. He'd stressed over it so much, he fell asleep. Somewhere between dream and wakefulness, he'd started doodling.

"If there's anything you don't understand in class, make sure you come see me afterward. I'll explain everything again. You must clear up your questions immediately—that's the key to learning. Got it?"

No doubt about it—Kobayashi-sensei was a once-in-a-lifetime best teacher. Even Kuroba Kaito couldn't help but feel a twinge of respect.

When it came to the kana practice notebook, Kuroba Kaito had filled out most of the pages. Toward the end, though, fatigue had taken over and his handwriting devolved into illegible scribbles. Kobayashi let it slide.

"Sensei, here are the workbooks for Haibara Ai as well." Kuroba Kaito blinked. He hadn't even noticed when Conan walked up behind him, carrying both of their notebooks. Kaito immediately averted his gaze, but in the corner of his eye, he caught Conan's movements—first placing the books on the desk, ready to open them for inspection, then pausing. His hand froze.

Conan frowned, clearly unsure how to comment on the new student's...interpretation of the assignment. After a beat, he nodded, giving Kuroba Kaito a loaded look.

Conan returned to his seat in silence.

Kaito's face darkened completely. He'd seen that expression—disdain disguised as polite neutrality. Meitantei was actually treating him like an idiot.

Kaito should've felt satisfied. Everything was going according to plan. But deep down, something burned.

Frustration. And it lingered until lunchtime.

Ayumi finally mustered her courage and trotted up to Kaito's desk. "Ishikawa-kun, want to go to the school store with us?"Kaito shook his fluffy head without a second thought.

"Really not coming?" Ayumi asked again, undeterred. Genta wandered over, onigiri in hand. "Hey, Ayumi, forget it. He doesn't wanna hang out."

Genta meant no harm. He just figured the new kid wasn't ready to open up.

"But don't you wanna be friends with us? We're the Junior Detective League—me, Conan, Mitsuhiko, Genta, and Ai. If you joined, it'd be even more fun!" Ayumi blinked expectantly.

"Thanks, but I'm not interested in playing detective games," Kaito said with another shake of his head.

"Huh?!" Genta burst out. "What do you mean 'detective games'?! We're real detectives! We've solved tons of cases! Even the police say we're heroes! Right, Mitsuhiko? Tell him—"

"Genta," Haibara Ai interrupted as she stood, silencing the boy with a glance. Her gaze flitted between Kaito and Ayumi. Cool and aloof, she tucked a strand of milk-tea-colored hair behind her ear.

"He said he's not interested. No point forcing him. Ayumi, if Ishikawa-kun already said no, don't set yourself up for disappointment."

Ayumi looked disheartened, but she listened. She lowered her head.

"Okay..."

Rejection that swift and sharp lingered in Ayumi's chest. Even Conan noticed. On the walk home, Ayumi stared at the gravel beneath her feet, despondent. Even when they decided to stop for matcha ice cream, she couldn't summon her usual enthusiasm.

"Are you okay, Ayumi?" Conan asked gently.

She shook her head. "I'm fine..."

Haibara Ai glanced at Conan. "So... what did you talk about with Okiya Subaru yesterday?"

"Ah..." Conan hesitated, then decided she deserved to know. "It's about the Organization."

"What?" Haibara froze. Her eyes widened, a flicker of fear surfacing. "What did he say to you?"

"Not much," Conan admitted. "Remember last Tuesday? I was chasing KID. Didn't catch him. Nakamori said he saw KID flying toward Central Park. But here's the thing—a lot of people saw that white glider fall out of the sky. Dozens captured it on video. They tracked the landing to Central Park. There's even physical evidence—KID's white suit jacket. I was there with the police, searching for clues. But yesterday, Okiya Subaru told me... the situation might be even more complicated. It involves the Organization. They were conducting a secret transaction in Central Park that same night. The FBI had been monitoring the operation for some time. Apparently, the Organization was already on guard. But—"

"But neither the Organization nor the FBI anticipated anyone flying into the transaction site," said Haibara Ai, picking up the thread.

"Right."

They stopped in front of a park, bathed in the blazing sunlight of noon. Conan slowed his pace unconsciously, his gaze fixed on a boy perched on a swing. It wasn't until the boy leapt down from the wooden seat that Conan snapped back to his senses, realizing why he had been staring so intently.

Ishikawa Kaito.

"Conan, what do you think the connection is between the two?" Haibara asked. Conan shook his head gravely. "Honestly, I don't want to jump to conclusions. I don't think the two are related... Not with the lack of substantial clues at the scene. All we can say for sure is that someone from the Organization had been there. The grass was trampled with disorganized footprints, the pool had KID's white suit jacket drifting on the surface, and water stains along the edge—it was clear he escaped after falling in."

"He left footprints?" Haibara asked, raising an eyebrow. Conan nodded. "Exactly. But I haven't told anyone about that yet. We'll talk more back home. Let's not let the kids hear any of this."

With that topic concluded, their attention naturally shifted to Kuroba Kaito, still waiting on the swing set for Jii-chan to pick him up.

"Ah......it is Ishikawa-kun," Ayumi said nervously, "we should probably go now."

"Why?" Conan looked puzzled. "Didn't you say you wanted to invite him into the Junior Detective League? Now's your chance."

Mitsuhiko chimed in, "That was before Ayumi got turned down a few times. But we should still go say hi. He is our classmate after all. Maybe he's just shy. Hey, Conan—maybe you can talk to him."

Thus, without even knowing how, Edogawa Conan was appointed as the envoy. He strolled toward the swing set. Kuroba Kaito had noticed the noisy group of kids long ago but chose to feign ignorance. Among them, the one he least wanted to see was now walking straight toward him.

"Ishikawa-kun. I'm returning your jacket today." Conan pulled the neatly dried jacket from his backpack. Kuroba forced a polite, slightly awkward smile. "Thank you, Edogawa-kun. I've got your jacket too. I had Grandpa disinfect and sterilize it thoroughly, so you don't have to worry."

"Disinfect?" Conan blinked. Kaito blinked too—damn. His current persona wasn't the meticulous, calculated and smart Kaitou KID. He was supposed to be the clumsy Ishikawa Kaito.

"Uh..." Quick-thinking as ever, Kuroba spun a new tale on the spot. "Sorry... Edogawa-kun, could you not be mad?"

"It's fine. What happened?" Conan asked.

Kuroba pressed his palms together in apology and fluttered his long eyelashes. "Yesterday, Grandpa took me out for curry. I've never gotten the hang of chopsticks, so... the whole thing ended up smeared in curry."

To make the story even more vivid, he added, "And... I, uh, I tripped on the way home. I was carrying your jacket, and it tangled around my legs and I rolled all the way down a slope, so it ended up covered in footprints."

Suddenly, silence.

Everyone was thinking the same thing: How clumsy can one person be?

"But don't worry! Grandpa disinfected it like three times, soaked it in some kind of solution for an hour before drying it out. It should be totally fine now."

Conan forced a dry chuckle. The words "it's okay" lodged in his throat and never came out. He wasn't entirely sure whether he should even take the jacket back now.

"Maybe... you should just keep it?"

Kuroba gave a dramatic sniffle, feigning shock. "That wouldn't be right, Edogawa-kun! My mom always says, "Return what you borrow." If you return things, people will be willing to lend again. So here, take it."

Kaito balled the jacket up with the same hand he had just used to rub his nose and stuffed it into Conan's arms. Conan didn't know how to refuse again.

"Next time, watch where you're going. You could get hurt if you trip."

"But if I look down at the ground, I run into people. And if I keep my eyes up front, I always twist my ankle or trip over something."

"......Right. Just be careful, that's all." Conan had no idea how to continue this bizarre conversation. He cast a helpless glance at Haibara Ai, who, unsurprisingly, was watching the scene unfold from a distance with a look that said she was thoroughly enjoying the show.

"Are you just waiting here alone? Waiting for someone? Do you want me to call your parents?"

Conan tried to steer the conversation to a polite conclusion. Meanwhile, Kuroba was gritting his teeth. Damn it, Meitantei is really like a bloodhound—won't let go of anything.

"It's okay. Grandpa will be here soon."

Kuroba climbed back onto the swing, turning his back on Conan. He thought he'd made his point clear—Meitantei should take the hint and leave with the other brats. But then came a sentence that sent his soul straight out of his body:

"Ishikawa Kaito, it's dangerous for a kid to be out alone like this. It's already been twenty minutes since school let out. Why don't you come back with me?"

Bang__

The blue sky and white clouds flipped upside down beneath him. Weeds brushed his forehead, creeping gleefully into his hair like old friends. Kuroba Kaito went feet-over-head, crashing into the ground so hard he saw stars. Rubbing his head, he sat up just in time to hear Genta and Mitsuhiko whispering behind him:

"Jeez, this new transfer kid is so stupid."

"Genta, keep it down... and you shouldn't call people names," Mitsuhiko chided.

"But it's true," Genta grumbled. "He's always tripping over something. He couldn't even do math, have you seen his homework? A mess! He did not answer any of them correctly"

No! Kuroba Kaito swore to the heavens, this time it really wasn't an act! But that didn't change the outcome one bit.

Kaito considered two things: First, if he kept refusing, it was only a matter of time before Conan started getting suspicious. Second, Jii-chan clearly wouldn't make it here anytime soon, and his own skinny legs wouldn't get him far. The sun was scorching; he'd probably be reduced to a dried-up sardine halfway home.

So, in the end, he resigned himself to follow Conan back to Agasa's house. Only this time, in addition to Conan, Haibara, and himself, there was another guest waiting.

"Shinichi... ahem Conan, you're here," Agasa greeted at the door. Seeing an extra boy standing beside him, he blinked and adjusted his bifocals. Swallowing hard, he asked, "And this is... a new friend?"

Kuroba Kaito furrowed his brow and gave a small nod. Agasa didn't pry or suspect him at all..

"The sun's blazing out there. Come in, come in, you all must be roasting. Oh—I didn't get the chance to tell you... Amuro-san's here too."

Amuro Tooru, with his usual warm-neighbor-next-door demeanor, appeared holding a tray of fresh fruit and whipped cream sandwiches. Naturally, Conan assumed he was here for the same reason as Akai Shuichi last night—to discuss that ongoing incident—so he shot him a glance to take it elsewhere.

As Amuro set the tray down, he crouched slightly and smiled. "Hey? Who are you? Haven't seen you before."

Kuroba Kaito's eyes widened, and instinctively he ducked behind Conan. Given that the prevailing image of "Ishikawa Kaito" was of a shy, clumsy kid, Conan naturally stepped forward, spreading his arms a little to act as a protective barrier.

"He's my new classmate. Just borrowing my phone to call his parents to come pick him up."

"Got it. A new friend, huh? How adorable."

That squinting smile of Amuro's sent chills down Kaito's spine. Even the sandwich he handed over looked suspiciously like a booby trap.

This guy's the one who drugged me!

"You don't like strawberries? It's chocolate-strawberry flavor? Ishikawa-kun?" Amuro offered casually, extending one of the sweet sandwiches. Kuroba Kaito turned his head sharply, avoiding it like the plague.

"Onii-san is very scary," he muttered.

Who cares what his title is—Public Safety, undercover, whatever! There was no way he was trusting this man. God knows if that sandwich was added with something else.

"Amuro-san, actually, I just met Kaito-kun myself, so..." Conan offered a quick explanation.

Amuro raised an eyebrow, nodding slowly with an intrigued smile. "Interesting. That's the first time anyone's said that about me."

Interesting?! What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Meanwhile, he'd already slipped a bug into Conan's pocket, tracing Haibara's finger-point to the landline, and started listening in on their conversation as he made his way to it.

"...Tuesday, I heard you chased Kaitou KID to Central Park. Did you find anything?"

"Ahaha, no. KID was already gone before we got there."

So even Meitantei doesn't fully trust Amuro Tooru. Kuroba let out a breath of relief.

"Why do you ask?" Conan inquired.

"I assume Akai told you, right? Vodka screwed up big time. Something got switched, and no one knows what yet. Gin and Rum are keeping their mouths shut. "

"Switched?" Conan frowned. "What did he end up with?"

"The piece Kaitou KID stole last time."