"Wait, are we literally getting paid...?!" Ranran gasped.

"Of course, and here is why," Michio handed out the newspapers to each and everyone one of them." The case is famous on its own already, or about to." he explained,"Junko and I were in the theater when it started. Someone cut up a movie and stole parts of it."

"Was it 'Origin Of My Childhood'?"Ranran pointed out.

"That crappy movie where the ending showed they didn't end up together?" Shinichi added.

Before Ranran or Shinichi could go on, both Michio and Junko stood up almost immediately and stomped their feet on the flooring. "How do you both know the ending!? You both watch it?!" both exclaimed.

"Or you watched some pirated copy?! Which I am certain one of you is capable of," demanded Junko.

Ranran and Shinichi shot a glance at the two, "Wikipedia summarizes everything in an instant."Ranran said.

"Exactly, just reading five minutes of the summary is enough." Shinichi nodded with Ranran in agreement before he diverted back to the two elder children, "We don't like watching romance, but we didn't want to be peered pressured into watching it, so we read the entire summary filled with spoilers to criticize it if one brags the movie is good. Please, that movie is too overrated."

"And cringy. Too cringy."Ranran spat in distaste.

"I am glad you both understand my point of view. It's like the equivalent of eating 10 packets of sour candy." Michio added with a sour expression.

"Michio really hates it," Junko told Emiko, who was reading the story in the newspaper Michio gave earlier.

"I probably would have too, after hearing how cringy it is," mumbled Emiko quietly to herself.

"I was going to see it next week," said Takuma, before blushing immediately, having to realize what he had said. "Reichan wanted to see it!"

Shinichi frowned. "Now that you mention it, your girlfriend is also into these kinds of movies, huh?"

"Whether Tak-san likes it or not, she is the queen in that relationship, "Ranran's eyes twinkled in glee teasingly at a blushing Takuma.

"When you said girlfriend, you mean?"Junko was confused.

"Didn't you know? Our student head council is actually his girlfriend!"Ranran winked.

"EH!?"Junko reacted in shock.

Takuma colored turn red on his face. "She lives next door, that's all!"

Emiko meanwhile continued reading the paper,"Who wants to hire us again?" she looked up and asked.

"A man name Mr Muniko Tomio," replied Michio, holding up the business card he'd been given by the stranger. "He's a wealthy businessman, let alone, prominent in the movie industry of Japan as he is a well-to-do film investor."

"What is a film investor?"Ran questioned.

"His job is to basically give money to the people in charge of making the movies, one that he knows would make tons of money in returned profits once it is released to the cinema."Shinichi explained to her before turning to Michio, "How did you come across someone like him?"

"Today, he was watching the movie 'Origin Of My Childhood' around the same time as us, but when it showed a scene filmed in the street, Mr Muniko recognize someone he knew in the background," Michio described.

"Who?" asked Shinichi.

"Some man who is supposed to be legally dead, not sure who he is,"Michio explained. "According to Mr Muniko, he allegedly stole money from him."

"But if he is dead, how could he be in the movie?"Takuma scowled."It doesn't make any sense."

"That's exactly what Mr Muniko wants us to find out,"Majima told him. "And that's not all. This is where the case gets very mysterious..."Michio dropped his voice and leaned forward. "It was right in the middle of a street scene when the screen went blank. Someone had gone up into the projection room and wrecked the film. So nobody could see it again."

"Wait, aren't we in a digital era? Why is the cinema you both were in happen to be using some old obsolete film projector that requires film reels?"Ranran couldn't help but wonder, "Nowadays cinemas all use a digital projector so things like that won't happen."

"The Cinema we headed to, Movix Cinema, specialize in watching movies that come with film reels, Ranran. Mainly the classic ones dating back to the earliest as 1894."Junko explain as the red lip girl blinked at her blankly. She exhales her breath, "Basically, Ranran, there are people who are interested in watching movies as old as that, but digital cinemas can't play the file as it is produced on a film reel. This is where Movix comes in to do the job."

"Couldn't they just convert the film reel to digital? That way, everyone can watch it on a digital projector."Ranran pointed out.

Rich girls and their conveniences, always thinking they are smart above everyone. Junko rolled her eyes as she thinks of this silently before explaining to the girl, "There are things in life, Ranran, that even if one digitalizes it, it can never be the real deal."

"But that movie 'Origin of my childhood' was produced last year, why is there a film reel of this made out?"Ranran fires another question.

"That's because the director behind the movie was used to growing up in the era of film reels. He always believes a filmmaker's best work is to show off the best shots of a film. It evokes nostalgia for others. Plus, the resolution is higher than digital. So all of the movies produced out of this can only be watched through film reels, Ranran."Junko is a little fed up at Ranran's throwing one question after another at her.

"If it were good as you say..."Ranran folded her arms as she thought hard about it, "That idiot wouldn't have sabotaged the movie you were both watching easily."

That comment made Junko's right eye twitch, which amused Takuma as he knows Ranran's comments struck a nerve with her. Ranran then diverted to Shinichi, "The culprit probably was aware of this flaw, that is why he had no issue destroying the film projector so that no one could recognize him."

Shinichi meanwhile began to pace up and down. "Sabotage huh?" He nodded. "That would make sense."He then frowned, "But then this movie ain't just solely in one cinema alone. I am certain many more copies of this movie are made to distribute for other cinemas just so to make a profit."

"I agree, "Ranran nodded to her apprentice, before rubbing her chin, "Maybe this was unplanned. The man who destroyed the projector happened to be in the same hall where didn't expect to see Mr Muniko. When he realizes Mr Muniko manages to spot him in the movie, only then does he quickly rush over to destroy the film."

"It could've been someone who bore similar resemblance to the person that he assumed to have been dead legally, no?" Emiko crossed her arms with doubt written on her face.

"But what a coincidence, huh? The culprit not expecting Mr Muniko to be in the same theatre as him, watching the movie that almost exposed his death as a fraud?"Takuma demanded.

"What if someone followed him to the theatre and plan all of this? Wanting him to know he is still alive, only at the last minute backtracked?" probed Ran.

"Would someone who faked their death want to follow someone who he had wronged all those years?"Emiko said.

"There are lunatics nowadays doing that sort of thing, so it is possible either way," agreed Junko. "But when we were in the projection room, Sergent Genzo arrived." She gave Michio a frosty stare. "And expected from Michio, he didn't bother to tell him about our talk with Mr Muniko."

"That means we know more about the case than the incompetent cops," Ranran grinned. "And we're going to learn more about it very soon."She jump out of her seat," Majima, contact Mr Muniko after school and we have an appointment with him at his house in one hour's time."

"Ooi! Genzo will be furious after what you did with the Crow-!" protested Junko.

"Silenced."Ranran spoke firmly towards Junko, shutting her up with her cold blue eyes as Ranran went on, "Who was it that insisted on following the association the other day when we were working on the tiger case?"

"It's..."Everyone stares at Junko silently, before she blurted out embarrassingly, "me."

"Who was it that voluntarily came back with a signed 2nd contract?"

Junko hated this, she hated that Ranran is smarter than her in many things, despite her being a 6-year-old while Junko is 4 years her senior. But she knew Ranran had power over her, "Me." she answers.

"If you know the answer to these 2 questions, don't bother to argue. Otherwise, you are just making a pathetic fool of yourself as you did with the dogs."

Junko gritted her teeth as her hand curled into a fist, trembling while Ranran went on announcing to everyone.

"I advised all of you to anticipate the unexpected as soon as you stepped foot here. You have my word on it that as soon as we acquire any more facts, we'll share them with him. Meanwhile," Ranran hold out the plastic bags of film on the table, "Majima indicated that these pieces of film were left behind in the projection room. Once we get a photo of whoever it is that took his money, we can observe what he was doing in the film and figure out who he is. Only thing is..."Ranran thinks deeply, "We either digitalized this or watch it on some old projector."

"How long would it take to digitalise it?"Michio inquiries.

"I googled it," Emiko produced the search results on her smartphone showing to everyone, "It may take 3 weeks."

"3 weeks!?"Heads whipped to Takuma, "There isn't much time! By then, that man would've vanished as if he is dead."

"So Ranran's other option is to watch on some old projector huh?"Ran scratched her head while she pouted, "We can just find another cinema that offers those services like Movix."Ran proposes.

"Unfortunately like Ranran said, because film reels are far too obsolete, Movix is the only one in existence that runs films with reels."Junko voices in distress.

"Well then, how are we going to inspect this in a short amount of time then!?"Michio conveyed his concerns.

"I figure we can join them together and look them on the projector back in Agasa's place," suggested Shinichi.

"I am sorry, who is Agasa?"Michio questioned in curiosity.

"Shinichi's neighbour, "Ranran replied, before she suddenly recalled, "Oh yeah, wasn't he there when that shooting took place at my-"

"We will go there at another time, after visiting Mr Muniko. The appointment is in an hour."Shinichi abruptly interrupt before Ranran could finish her sentence, not wanting anyone to hear of his break-in over Ranran's house.

It was fortunate no one seemed to pay heed to it as Michio nodded. "I agree."

"So where does this Mr Muniko live in?"Takuma questioned.

"Well, his address is accordingly...wait, let's on the laptop we recently receive and see how to get there from here."As the conversation was taking place among the five kids while Michio picks out the laptop from the shelf to check it out, Ranran pulled Shinichi aside.

"I wasn't wrong, right? That Mouri would come back here with the second contract." She whispered by his shoulder as he groaned at the accuracy of Ranran's deduction once more."You are blind when it comes to how she thinks."

"You ain't wrong."Shinichi didn't deny this, as his hand covers his face to wipe out in frustration, "The worst part was she didn't bother to hide it when I confronted her the other day."

......................................................................................

Not long after Ranran instructed Shinichi to convince Mouri Ran to leave the association, she stormed over the association HQ within minutes with contract in hand, calling Ranran a coward for using Shinichi to force Mouri Ran to leave the association. When all of this is going on, a lot of the other kids their age were there to witness it across the hallway. At first, there were giving the stink eye look towards the red lip founder, assuming that she is the kind of girl who uses underhanded tactics while pretentiously acting as a saint.

That was until Ranran rolled her eyes to say, "Feel free to leave if you ain't pleased with the terms and conditions I have specifically placed, I didn't simply 'forced' you to sign, cause every single member within the association are all given the same contract besides you."

"But-"

"If you choose not to sign, should anything happen to you, did it not occur to you that should you remain in the HQ and the worst occurred, who is going to be the one held accountable, Mouri?"

Silence.

"Any leader who runs their respective has to be responsible for the welfare of their fellow members, which is why this contract rule came up in the first place. Of course," Ranran scoffed dryly, "That didn't mean they deserved to be treated like slaves towards 'unreasonable members', which is why I put that contract to protect oneself."

Again, other children hearing this gave her the stink eye, but Ranran didn't care as she coldly adds, "Yes, this sounds selfish to the core. But if you were in my shoes, say if there is a situation whereby I instruct you to remain in the HQ while we are out chasing bad guys, but you went against me and ended up getting kidnapped, and in the worst case scenario....you died. Who is the one at fault? Me? Or your moronic brain?"

The hallway was thick with a mix of discontent and contemplation. The stares from the other kids became more intense as Ranran's words sank in. Her argument, though harsh, carried a weight of truth that was difficult to ignore.

Mouri Ran, still clutching the contract, struggled to find a counter-argument.

"Now, unless you have anything else to talk about aside of 'personal issues', put your ego outside the door, Mouri Ran."

The sound of the door slamming echoed down the hallway, cutting off Mouri Ran's protest before it could fully form. The other kids, who had been watching the exchange with a mix of discomfort and curiosity, exchanged uneasy glances. The tension in the air was palpable.

Mouri Ran stood there for a moment, the contract still tightly gripped in her hand. Her face was a mix of anger and frustration, but there was also a glimmer of reluctant understanding. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and regain composure.

One of the bystanders finally broke the silence. "I never thought I say this, but as much as that girl had a reputation for being 'crazy', she doesn't sound unreasonable as Mouri Ran, huh?"

Another girl who was with him nodded in agreement. "I guess those rumours about Ranran being a 'psychopath' were made up lies after all."

"Probably by someone who didn't like that her 'crush' is dead serious on being with her."

Once more, the tone of hostility that was initially targeted towards Ranran shifts to a more ambivalent mix of curiosity and grudging respect. The whispers among the kids gradually shifted focus, revealing that the earlier judgments had been clouded by misunderstandings and perhaps even jealousy.

Mouri Ran, overhearing some of these comments, clenched her fists. She wanted to respond, but the lingering frustration made it clear that any attempt at a comeback would only fuel further conflict. 

......................................................................................

"There is a saying that a rabbit cornered to the wall will bare its teeth and bite the hand of the aggressor," Ranran said in amusement as her eyes twinkled."Ran isn't a simple rabbit after all."

"Tell me about it," Shinichi sighed deeply with his shoulders slumped.

And it wasn't surprising to Ranran, since the 'Cheat Book' revealed to her that Mouri Ran had always been a persistent person. A point proven that in a distant future, this was during the period when 17-year-old Kudo Shinichi was poisoned and shrunk into 7-year-old Edogawa Conan, whenever he unexpectedly shows up due to taking the temporary antidode in front of her as this was during the period he lied to Mouri that he had taken a secret case outstation, she always rushed around to seek him out, which he always ended up narrowly escaping without getting caught that he was Conan.

One might think Shinichi is born with plot armour, whereby Kami-sama is by Shinichi's side in terms of having his real identity concealed by miracle in front of her so many times, even Ranran who was reading all of this back then had a hard time buying it. Drugs that shrinks a teenager into a child actually exists in the future? What sort of sick psycho would come up with that sort of drug!?

Then again, back in her previous hometown, they had tons of customizable drugs that do unusual wonders (though not to a sci-fi level like the one that shrink teenage Tanteis). Let alone, a A.I projector that foretell the future, so who was she to judge that this drug might not exists!?

"Ranran, can you come up with a way where she can no longer come here? I don't want her to be in danger after what had happened between me and her."

The apprentice's pleas woke Ranran from her trail of thoughts, making her blink in response before she states, "The problem is she already signed the 2nd contract and handed it to me in person. If she had made a promise declaration previously but violated it in 4k resolution, I could've taken the contract to her mother and exposed her as a hypocrite."Ranran contemplates, "Her mother is a lawyer, with document proof, she won't take this lightly if she finds out her own daughter is a liar."

"Wait, how do you know Eri-obasan(aunt) is a lawyer? I don't recall having told you any of this?" Shinichi begins to look at her with suspicion.

"My mom and her are best friends since they were kids. One time, when she was in London on a work trip, she bumped into my mother and I. That is how I got to know of her-"

His mouth fell, "Really!?"Ranran nodded to him before he proceeded to ask, "Do you have a good relationship with her mom?"

"We have an amicable relationship if one asks. Why?"

"Then why did you not-"

"If I do bring this complaint to her mother, especially without proof, I'll be in her eyes like some spoilt brute."Shinichi blinked her eyes, stunned that Ranran called Ran a 'brute', which defines Ran as a savagely violent person or animal.

And she wasn't in the wrong either. Though Ranran did give Mouri's mother a good impression, God knows how much Ranran's own mother had shared to Eri about her true self. Let alone, Ranran isn't even sure whether Eri will ever believe her over her own daughter. No matter how you look at it, Ranran isn't Eri's daughter, there is no mother in the world who would blindly believe the words of a stranger telling them that their child committed some faults.

"That said, however, there is another way I have in mind, but it will cause a huge rift between her parents and herself."

His eyes perked up in interest, "How!?"

Making sure the 5 others are away from them, Ranran urged him to lend her his ears before she whispered the plan. Shinichi's eyes obviously grew wide in horror, before turning to her, "I don't have that a good relationship with them, Ranran. They always think that I bring nothing but trouble to her."

"In what way?" Ranran was doubtful about his statement, "You are their daughter's friend since kindergarten."

"There have been several misunderstandings over the years....mostly because of the trouble I unintentionally caused." Shinichi grew sombre at that.

"Tell me in specification, how bad could it be that for the past 2 years since kindergarten that they would've look at you differently?"

Shinichi looked down, his fingers drumming nervously against his leg. "That day....it was the first time we decided to celebrate Christmas at her place."

".....uh huh?" Ranran leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "Let me guess....judging your personality, you told her Santa ain't real, right?"

Sensing he didn't reply, she knew she hit the mark.

"Oh, that was nothing, she insisted it was real," Shinichi shifted uncomfortably. "But then after putting actual facts, refusing to believe it, she....cried. And Sonoko made a huge fuss over it."

Ranran's eyebrows shot up. "And her parents sided her? Over this lie?"

"Oh no, that wasn't the reason why they were mad at me. They only became madder because she was so upset, she ran out of the apartment-"

"Apartment?" Ranran grew confused before figuring, "The one above Kogoro Ojisan's private Tantei agency, right?"

"Ah no, before you moved here, they used to live in an apartment when her Tousan and Okaasan were still together before moving there." Shinichi corrected her as he adds in a glum, "The problem was...it was heavily raining at that time."

The founder's eyes widened, "Let me guess....she came home sick, did she?"

"Without her coat or any umbrella."

"Yikes," Ranran clicked her red lips at that thought.

"She fell sick the following day. And...."

".....and what?" Ranran demanded to know more.

"....it may make me sound like a douchebag if I were to say this, but-"

"Say it."

Reluctantly, he goes, "It was night-time, but I decided not to search for her when her father demanded I know look for her."

This left the little girl in disbelief, "Why?"

"Because on how Ojisan putted it, he was saying things like 'You were at fault for making her cry and flee out of the apartment on a rainy night, I should go out to look for her'. Of course," He chuckled dryly, "Eri-Obaasan later scolded him off before telling everyone to calm down and then reassured she would be alright, because she and I knew the apartment they were living in at that time is tightly secure that even a child can never escape through the entrance, nor jump up the high walls surrounding it."

"Ok, that sort of incident is a bit too far fetch to earn disapprovals from them."

"Oh no, there is another one," Shinichi sighed, looking uneasy. "This one happened a few months before the Christmas incident. It was Mouri's birthday taking place during class, and I was busy telling everyone about this "

Ranran's curiosity was piqued. "And?"

"During the party," Shinichi continued, "Her parents bought her this Apricot cake from this popular bakery, cause she has been dying to try it out after Sonoko couldn't stop yapping about it. At that time I had no idea it was a Apricot cake, so I was busy telling everybody in class that I recently learn Apricots can be dangerous if you eat tons of the seeds that came with it," Shinichi said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly while Ranran's jaw dropped, "To cut a long story short, it was one thing that I inadvertently caused a panic among the kids because some of them apparently eaten the cake."

".....Mouri was no exception, was she?"

"Oh no, she fainted."

Once more, Ranran gasped, "She got poisoned?"

"No, she assumed she was when she and the others were hospitalized. Just mere placebo." Shinichi said with a sigh of relief. "The doctors confirmed there was no actual poisoning. The cake was safe to eat, but the stress of the situation thanks to my facts....let's just say her parents were not pleased with me."

"Alright, let's put it this way: Just because you are direct and blunt, it doesn't mean they are not going to believe you over their own daughter. The way I see it....you are just merely baring the facts of what you learn, or in many ways, bearing your heart out earnestly."Ranran remains adamant on that fact.

"But as you are aware, I ain't their child, Ranran, no parent in the world would buy the word of another child that didn't belong to them over their own,"Shinichi groans, before adding, "All Mouri needed to do is to tell her parents about you manipulating me to join T.A using our feud after that Extinction Heist incident, where the gangsters almost put a bullet in her head thanks to the money you stole from them, and then we are done!"

"Hey, they owed us after locking us up and letting us die there. Also, I didn't tell Ran to get involved, she just choose to remain in Tantei Association because she couldn't trust you to be around me, let alone, wants her friendship between you and her to end. Plus, I didn't steal you from her, you broke into my house and willingly choose to be my apprentice. "Ranran reminded him, before adding in further detail, "And I am certain Ran didn't air out everything about your soccer drama with her in school, or else her parents would've stopped her from continuing her so called activities here in T.A harassing me and you."

"And you are that confident because...?"Shinichi prompted her with a puzzled expression.

"Okaasan(Mother) went over to pay her mother a visit to explain how Ran ended up in T.A, and from what I gathered, Miss Kisaki and her ex-husband (Ran's mom and father) seem to not be aware that you both fought in school."

"Say what now!?"Shinichi's jaw dropped.

"My mother never brought it up about this, since she thinks this is something you and Ran should settle both privately. That said however...she did test Eri to see whether she knows anything that had happened recently in school, including Ran's father. To her knowledge, they knew nothing at all. They think so far you and him are in good terms."

For a moment, Shinichi gawked at Ranran's revelations. "Why would she not share this info to them?"

"Who knows? Maybe to look good in front of her parents who are constantly arguing?"Ranran shrugs, "Or to not give them an excuse to ensure she quits T.A. Or..."Ranran paused.

"Or...what?"Shinichi pressed her to continue.

"To make me a bad kid out of her so that she has a reason to steal you back from me? That is something I do foresee her telling her parents if worst come to worst."

That make Shinichi grow pale at the thought of Ran talking nonsense about Ranran with her assumptions, similarly to the time she sided the damn idiot boy who got him kicked out of soccer club in their school. Ran has done further damage to his reputation,  is she going to do the same for his detective dream as well? Let alone, Ranran?

"Don't worry about it, there is a limit to what she can do to destroy your dream. Let alone, go after me is like digging her own grave."Ranran admitted, "Also, even if you fail to convince her parents, at least you would grace in their good books regardless and make Ran's life so unbearable, she will eventually leave on her own accord."

Shinichi appeared hesitant to go through with Ranran's suggested plan of keeping Ran safe.

"Just think about it, you don't have to go through it if you don't feel like it."

"I will think about, "Shinichi considers solemnly, then decided to switch topics, "About the man in the movie...consider if what the man said is true, that the said extra that appeared in the movie isn't supposed to be alive. What should we do about it?"

"We'll get the police involved, "Ranran reassured him. "Daijoubu (It's alright), let's see how things go, only then we will decide. "

"The distance is kinda expensive, don't you think?"Ran suddenly brought this issue up after the five other kids figured out the directions on getting there."I mean don't get me wrong, we can take a train or taxi, but there is a limit to how much one can travel with the money we have."

"I agree."Junko buzzed at that thought, "I don't have that much money to travel that far as well."

"Neither do I."Takuma and the rest of the kids exhale their breaths before turning to the Kudo twins, "What are we going to do?"

"Can we not call Agasa? I know he has that large beetle car to drive us there."Ranran offer.

"We can't rely on Agasa, Ranran."Ran shakes in disapproval, as she knew Shinichi's neighbour had to rely on it to go to work," He also had to drive to work with that car."

"Don't worry, I thought about this for a while after the events of Extinction Heist. It's free, we can travel without issues, and we can get there on our own without relying on others." Shinichi reassures everyone.

Now, Ranran had every reason to be worried over Shinichi's suggestion.

The other day during their meeting, the discussion on what form of transportation would be convenient for Tantei association has been a long discussion that was getting no where. Whatever suggestion Shinichi throws in, she senses it can't be good. He is the type who rather do things without shortcuts the way Ranran would.

"Shinichi, I have a better suggestion—"Ranran began.

Shinichi cut her off. "No, we ain't going to use the money you somehow manage to find out of nowhere, "He puts his foot down on the founder before announcing to everyone, "We are leaving this untouched," he stated firmly.

"But come on-"

"No means no, Ranran."

Ranran scoffed and looked at Shinichi. "Why?"

"You stole it from them, that's why."

Ranran narrowed her eyes at him. "Not true."

"Taking money from bad children, selling items belonging to bad children, blackmailing bad children by using their dark family secret against them...all of these are illegal, Ranran."Shinichi listed.

"Technically, they deserve it! I don't see why you think this is a bad idea!"Takuma supports Ranran's tactics from afar.

"Thanks, Tak-san!"Ranran felt pleased that someone complimented her strategy.

"Look Ranran, "Shinichi had his hands on her shoulders, looking at her straight in the eye, "Tell me Ranran, are we any different from them if we do all those things you said!?"

"If you look at it this way, we are using their money for the public's good."

"I am sorry?!"

"It is basically the cycle of life. We are trading in bad children's sufferings in the name of justice."

Shinichi pinched his nose bridge, frustrated his points is getting nowhere. Deciding reasoning with her would be a complete waste of time, he shifted to everyone and informed, "Mina-san(Everyone), gather outside. You are all going to see our new mode of transport."

...........

"This isn't what I had in mind when you said we are going to travel using that."

Ranran pointed at the 'vehicles' with a grimace as Shinichi felt a thin trickle of sweat begin making its way down his back as all the kids gathered outside Ruth and Co, a.k.a Michio's mom's jewellery shop."Ranran-"

"I know we said we can't afford a taxi, and I did agree we tone down to smaller vehicles. But I didn't think you end up with these!"

Ranran couldn't help but pointed toward a Gogo scooter, two skateboards, and a Mamachari (a slang term literally meaning "mom's bike in Japanese"). Even the other kids were bewildered by what they were staring at. "Who is going to ride which?"Junko shifted to Shinichi, demanding a reply.

"Ranran will ride on the Go-go scooter, you will navigate the skateboard with Ran on it holding you to the back, Michio the same with Takuma on the 2nd skateboard, while Emiko controls the Mamachari as I sit to the back," Shinichi ordered.

"What!?" Ran and Michio reacted in surprise together, before Michio reminded Shinichi, "You do know it isn't possible for one to navigate a skateboard with one holding onto you, right?"

"The two skateboards and Go-go scooter were made by Agasa not long ago, it runs on solar power, and is wide enough to have two people on it."Shinichi discloses this to everyone, "I went over to eat lunch the other day, told him about my problem and he came up with this.

"Eh!?"Ran lifted her head at him, "Really!?"

"A question, how old was that neighbour of yours?"Emiko questioned, examining the red scooter."

"41, why do you ask?"Shinichi scrunches his face at her.

"Ah right, now that makes total sense." Emiko finally understood before she showed off the scooter, "It probably explained why he handed you this obsolete 1974 Honda kick-n-go scooter!"

Ranran nodded with everyone, having a sense of distrust over the mode of transportation."We should use Ranran's funds."Takuma thinks and the others agreed.

Shinichi addressed this issue by responding, "Guys, right now we don't have the budget to travel around as we please unless we use Ranran's illegal funds."

"Hey!"

But Shinichi ignored her, "But do you guys not consider if anyone touches her fund, do you all want to get implicated if someone finds out you are all aware of it, and you all choose to stay silent?"

That twisted all of their expressions from doubt to horror. Ranran meanwhile, said nothing and only responded to Shinichi's words by rolling her eyes.

"So don't complain about any of this. Right now, we have a client to deal with. So are you guys coming or not?"Shinichi insists.

Reluctantly the kids had no choice but to do so.

.............

Watching 7 children travel with an antique scooter, a Mamachari and 2 skateboards startled witnesses across the city as they headed their way to Mr Muniko's home. After all, it ain't common for one would see 7 kids on their rides together as a large convoy. To encourage each other as their travel distance was going to belong, they interact with each other.

" The storyline of 'Origin Of My Childhood' sucks. Far too overrated for my liking."Ranran rants in distaste while Junko and Ran rasped over the founder's rants. Michio, Shinichi, Takuma and Emiko continued to listen intently to her logic.

Ranran listed, "First was the bright typical protagonist who charms everyone with her naiveness and innocence that gets others including the supporting character to fall for her, then the cliche where the egotistic male lead unhealthy dark obsession towards her is romanticized to viewers and readers alike. As if it meant nothing."The kids slow down from the slope before travelling further.

"Well, that sucks," Takuma expresses, holding on to Michio while he navigated the board, the wind is breezing through everyone as Emiko mutters,"Sometimes I think authors are useless, why is it they never bother to add more background stories to side characters."

"It's their job to do so in order to make the main female and male lead look good, Emiko."Ranran sighs.

"Similarly like Dr Watson to Holmes?"Emiko randomly said out of the blue.

"Kinda."

"Hey, Watson is alright, you know? He aint as useless as one might think."They both turned to look at Shinichi, who withered at them trying to hold onto his sitting while EMiko rides the bike, "I can't believe I am hearing this...the same girl who is raised in the U.k where Sherlock Holmes is famous for...talk so lowly of Watson like that."

"I didn't mean he is completely useless. After all, Watson is the second male lead, I wouldn't really categorize him as a side character."Ranran stirred the scooter at ease.

"Wait, you actually think so?"Michio reacted in surprise, diverting the board to the left corner.

"He may not be as smart as Holmes, but he is a extraordinary man in his own right. To be able to become the great meitantei's most trusted friend and partner tells us Dr Watson is not your ordinary man, no matter how one portrays himself to be."

Ranran's words made everyone stare at her in awe.

Junko who happens to be listening to this as she struggles to control the skateboard with Ran holding her from the back was apparently — surprised. "I don't know, but being in a literature club....a lot of us think he's rather stupid."

"What part of him is stupid?"Michio tilts his head.

"To look at things objectively, he can't think as smart as Holmes does. And he only got lucky becoming the friend of the greatest detective because Holmes was an outcast, unlike many male leads who are loved and popular. Also, Holmes made one friend in his entire lifetime besides Watson form University, and that was it."Junko stated the facts.

Ranran firmly shook her head. "True, but Sherlock Holmes is not so insecure in terms on not having friends around him, that he needs to surround himself with stupid people to make himself look intelligent. Watson was one of those few who actually looks up to him and wasn't bothered by his observing talent that tell tons of tales in a person's life."

Minutes later, they left their part of the city behind.

"Then Ranran, if you were to be put in charge of making the movie 'Origin Of My Childhood', what would you do it differently? The way to spoke earlier, it ain't easy to write a story for a movie that makes money, you know?"Ran reminded her, clinging onto Junko.

"If I were put in charge...the first thing I do is teach the ML a lesson by threats of prison."

Jaws dropped."Why would you want to write that sort of thing, Ranran!? Audiences will be sure to hate you for it!"Junko was appalled with Ranran's way of thinking, is Ranran trying to glamorize evil!?

"No.1 was how he harass her inappropriately,"Ranran explains while they are stopped at the red light, "Before they realize they were each other's childhood sweetheart, the FL was working as a maid for his family. The first time he laid his eyes on her, he kept saying he love her despite rejected his advance repeatedly. Then he would gaslight it by saying how cute she is, how pretty her eyes are, and how he would love to kiss her despite her not wanting to—"

"Oh yeah, I did watch that in the movie."Junko recalled, before she describes,"But that is love, Ranran."

"That's right! Anyone would do that around the person they like."Ran emphasized her point.

"Is it?"Ranran scoffs as the girls wondered why did she react that way,"If you both see the boy you had a crush on having to deal with a girl behaving like the male lead, are you all going to justify that is love?"

"Hell no!"Ran and Junko reacted in unison and outrage, before realizing Ranran's point.

"Second, the family secret in the movie. When the FL found out that her dad murdered his beloved grandmother, fearing this would ruin their relationship, they broke things off. And when he found out, instead of comforting her, he blames her for making him fall for her, even though he was clearly the one who went after her throughout the entire movie and she clearly rejected him. If it were me, I will kick him to the shins for being a dick."

Everyone grew sweat at Ranran's words.

"Lastly, the heroine is such a Mary Sue. If you really dislike this person going after you, be serious about it and actually do something about it, rather than pulling one petal after another from a flower, fantasising fairy tales that can never work out in real life. Let alone, go 'wishy washy'. Unfortunately the standard in stories among society has dropped so tremendously, dumb heroines and male leads like them has become too popular, they throw away their logic out of the window without hesitation."

Shinichi wanted to say something, but he realizes Ranran has made her point. Junko who is listening to this was fuming as the others were fascinated by her words of logic.

"Ranran....if all of the movies were done in your way of thinking, the movies will be a huge fail because of you!"Junko spoke in frustration.

"I doubt so, I would pay to watch it."Shinichi defended Ranran.

"Excuse me!?"  All heads turned to Shinichi, stunned.

"I mean, think about things realistically. If your future love life is as similar as the female lead, and you knew all of about it in advanced, would you go through with it?"

The other children remain silent before Takuma answers,"Why would I? The ending ahead of me has nothing but heartbreak and misery."

"Exactly, certain decisions in life..... can never work in real life, or else society will never progress, which often leads to crimes." He shrugged his shoulders.

Ranran looked unbothered as she rode the Gogo scooter far away, looking blasé about the whole ordeal occurring moments ago. The other children remained silent, absorbing the wise words of the young apprentice of Tantei association. Everyone were stunned into stillness, shocked.

They never understood Ranran's depth and reasoning. Now, thanks to Shinichi's interpretation, it seems like they finally got the message.

"What are you guys doing? Follow her,"Shinichi order Emiko to paddle on her bike with him sitting at the back. The other children didn't know what else to say.

"I didn't know she thought like that." Michio stared down at the handlebars of his bike, mind whirling with endless thoughts about her words, fists clenched tightly around it.

"That is why she is my true friend even up till now, she sees things very differently than one might imagine. She judges at times, but she can be understanding if you get to know her as a person. Come on guys, Shinichi be mad if we stalled on, yeah?"Takuma left them skating away.

"What kind of life that Ranran must have been living in the U.K to have such outlook I wonder....?"Ran couldn't help but wonder, as Junko had their skateboard follow them.