As expected, the story was beyond ludicrous.

From the story she had described as Shinichi listening attentively, he learns that the boy who was a Son of an Earl was an utter scumbag.

An opportunist thanks to the grooming of his greedy ambitious mother, he had told sweet lies to the girls of higher rank in order to secure a marriage of alliance that will serve as an upgrade to his family. When his mother successfully scored an arranged marriage to this girl who is the status of a countess, similar rank to an Earl, he was busy leading the other girls on behind her back while gaslighting her as 'overly controlling and possessive'.

The sad part of all of this was due to the mistreatment of her father who blamed her for the death of his wife, adding in favouritism over her elder half-brother, she mistook the fiance's treatment as love. Things took a turn for the worst when the idiot son of Earl fell for her best friend who remained indifferent towards him, and then hell broke loose.

A little back story, in Edgewood Academy, is a norm for noble girls to keep a leash on their arranged fiance when their eyes wander away from them since they were groomed by their parents. Making matters worst was the practice of arranged marriage had been badly condemned by the majority of children for a long time, as they believe love shouldn't be traded for the value of prestige and power, however, children no matter born with any status are ultimately powerless when it comes to their adult parents.

And so, to cope with the lack of control over fated marriages thanks to selfish adults, if a noble or royal child is seen brazenly hanging out with someone that ain't their fiance, especially onel who they have a romantic interest with, they will strongly support them in the name of their beliefs, no matter the age. It takes guts to be with the one you love after all, and they romanticize it quite heavily in a way...they are like the symbol of hope to their wrench fates.

Of course, to the eyes of adults had they known of this, it's called 'adultery'.

But the children didn't care. Adultery or not, tyrannical nobles or royals from arranged marriages are a nuisance, and for that, there should be condemned. But one only face such brutality if either of the child didn't have a good reputation. Which was what happened to the unfortunate countess, a combination of family dysfunction and gaslighting was enough to make her go crazy.

And that girl would've continued to persist and led her to a bad ending....had she not met Amelia, her classmate, who later suggests Ranran to her friend at that time, to do her bidding.

With the evidence and schemes being pulled, one exposure after the other thanks to Ranran, it ultimately rule in their favor. Suddenly, the client who was hated became a figure loved by the others while the scumbag is exposed, ruining his life. But according to Amelia, Ranran also did more than just that.

She also helped her client patched things up with her former best friend and half elder brother, then moved the client out with her elder brother of the residence away from their tyrannical father.

But with a tattered reputation, the scumbag somehow managed to find out Ranran was the one who ruin his life, hence, it lead to a spectacle when he strangled her. While he threatens her to apologize, even begging him for mercy, she laughed cruelly and challenged him to do so.

Shinichi who was hearing all of this had his hands covered his mouth, with his smartphone on speaker phone on the coffee table in the student council office.

Laughing!? Ranran laughing!? Even while being strangled!?

Wait, but she is...4 in this story! 4-years-old! What was going through her mind when she laughed like a maniac in the face of threat!?

"Anyway, the 'Deer' later managed to rush over to the school and brought a taser to later subdue him. And then the rest is history." The girl revealed this over the phone.

"Wait, taser!? You mean to say he electrocuted him!?" Shinichi founds his eyes bawling over one detail after another before listing what he had just learned.

Ranran's school environment... sounds...very messed up, especially for someone in a school filled with noble and royal children! This is a school of aristocracy! How is it that a school that is supposed to represent prestige has such messed up mindset?!

Supporting adultery, power imbalance, marriages in the name of money and influence...hell, even the nobility hierarchy order they had to follow...that is messed up on a whole other level! It's no wonder Ranran's behaviour is so messed up because for the past 2 years she was conditioned into this luxury jungle! If it were him, he too would become another Ranran!

Yet...at the same time...

Shinichi muttered about this before he was in awe, "Why didn't my parents send me to that place and put me in some public school?! It sounds like an intellectually interesting place!"

"Errr what!?" The female caller could be heard reacting in confusion to his response. "Uh no, I think you are missing the point here, Kudo-"

"No, you are not getting the point! How is it someone like Ranran is capable of....?"

Kudo Shinichi had expected something like that to happen in Ranran's life before moving here. After all, she's The Fox. Even so, this is getting ridiculous! How can a child of such age...actually know what she is doing?! Is Amelia making things up!? Even when he was as young as Ranran's age, he only knew how to watch Anime and play with toys rather than do all of....this.

As if Amelia was used to this response, she later states, "Our school...we only accept students of rare 1% intelligence, so Ranran being able to do all those things are kinda the norm to us." Amelia then clarifies further, "The unusually smart ones like Ranran who is able to pick up cues as young as 3...they get sent to a special talent program, and yes, that is adding to the rest of the lessons she had to take at that time."

"W-what lessons do they teach to children anyway?"

"Let me recall," The contortionist thought about it, "History of Arts, Politics, Etiquette for Nobles and royals, economics, accounting, Mock trial..."

Ok, that is enough. Hearing all of this is making Shinichi's head spin.

What the hell is economics?! And the heck!? Mock trial!? Shinichi knew what that term meant since he learn through Ran's mother, who works as a lawyer! "You guys have mock trials!?"

"Yeah, she didn't tell you!?" Amelia is amazed, how much did her friend not tell Shinichi any of this? "We have a functioning justice court in school, basically run by kids of all ages. And we do deliver school punishments. Ranran is a regular there for 2 years, depending on the cases she handled. Before becoming The Fox, it was just there to do mock trials and no kids are interested in it. But whenever Ranran as The Fox is around, you can bet the room is jam-packed with kids of all ranks, eager to know the story of how they ended up in hot water. The way she used to tear their reputation apart...man, she was one ruthless fox."

That's it Shinichi is done.

His life in comparison to Ranran is...too far fetch, no wonder Ranran is always ahead of him. Sherlock Holmes was the hero he aspires to be, and the person he most looked up to.

But after hearing this story from Amelia, Ranran's life in Edgewood Academy intrigued him more. Shinichi's dream aside from becoming a detective is to travel around the U.K soil someday since Sherlock Holmes' stories are based there. In his early years as a toddler, he always thinks Japan is far too safe, it was boring. But this was before he learn of the existence of 'The Snake'.

Hearing stories about Ranran in Edgewood Academy seem to confirm his point.

His kindergarten days are filled with playtime whenever he was with Ran and Sonoko, it was a mundane day for a typical pre-schooler: Singing nursery rhymes, playing at the playground and doing simple tasks such as treating the world kindly, napping during noon time, and keeping the world in an orderly fashion. Good guys are good ones, bad guys are beyond saving.

Then you have Ranran, whose days however are chaotic and violent as hell, it was oddly in a way to Shinichi....a fulfilling she led when she was The Fox, the kind of life he yearned for upon reading Holmes stories. He foresees her scheming about before executing those punishments to those nasty noble children, investigating further like a detective would, even as far as to flee from dangerous vengeful messed up kids. Overall, her life was also seemingly fun unlike his.

It was times like this he then begins to wonder...why didn't his parents send him to such a school? Their family are rich after all, although maybe not as overly extravagant as Sonoko's, they could afford to travel around the world and live in a huge mansion. Surely if he had asked, he could go without being held back.

But then he then recalled why he didn't do so: It was because of Ran.

Before, he used to have some sort of thing he could not put into words for her, as her smile made him feel some sort of warmth and happiness within him during his kindergarten days. He would do anything to keep that, so much so that when asked if he was granted the opportunity to go to another school far away, he would vividly refuse as he knew it will break her heart.

And Ran was naturally a happy child who is always amused with his deductions, she does think the world of him. They were so close that whenever they walk home, they held hands and head over to his neighbour's house to play. On occasion, if they were not with his neighbour, they hung out at his mystery writer father's office and he tells her the story of Holmes while she listens to his narration. Those were the good days. Although there were crying tantrums and stuff thanks to his obnoxious behaviour which he self-admitted was his fault, they always talk things out. Even during the Parkour event when Shinichi was deemed guilty, Ran stuck by his side and believed in him to be innocent.

However, enrolling at Teitan Elementary school changed everything for the two.

It was a phase of figuring oneself. Suddenly, hanging out with Ran felt like they talk about nothing but gossiping about their dream ideal man they want to marry someday, enjoying the romanticized fairy tale stories they hope to occur to them someday, hell, they even went as far as to scold him about his behaviour regarding him pointing out the realities within the tales.

Sure, whatever he pointed out labelled him as a 'killjoy', but so what? It's a matter of them learning of this sooner than later.

It was a time like this he grew a little sorrowful over how things panned out between them. Had he known of his future, he would've moved to another school. But then...if he were to think of it this way now, what does this make him?! Does this mean he was using Ran as he did with those 3 boys in the past to discourage his grandparents from setting him up on play-dates?

"I am still the worst." His heart aches at that thought.

"Hello, Kudo? Are you listening?" Suddenly, the voice from the phone broke him from his sorrowful thoughts, bringing him back to reality. Turning to his smartphone on the table, he answered quickly, "Ah, I am sorry, I was thinking of something, that's all."

"Ah...I know this is hard to digest, but Ranran really did all those things."

Right now, Shinichi has no reason to doubt Ranran's abilities, let alone, her credibility. Which reminded him of something he almost forgot to ask, "Neh Amelia?"

"Yeah?"

"Ranran....has she ever once betrayed her own client? If so, what are the reasons she would do so?"

"Betray you say....?" Amelia could be heard gasping before posing a question, "She did that to you, did she?"

Silence. For a long while, Shinichi wasn't hearing anything and wondered if Amelia going to snap at him about Ranran's character. But to his surprise, she answers, "Usually if that happens, it is intended to bring them closer to what they called OP: Bigger Picture."

"B-bigger picture?! What is that?" He pressed for more answers.

"In political terms...she is asking you to see what you are unable to see."

"See...see what?!" Shinichi demanded, eager to get to the truth.

"I don't know! It's got to be something you are missing out but she is able to spot on."

"Something...Ranran is able to see that I can't?" Shinichi then grew bewildered, "Like what?!"

"What did she do to you actually?"

"Well...she sabotaged a stakeout I was in charge of while on a case."

"And how did she do it?"

"Well, she set one of the member's phones from silent mode to normal, then when she contacted him, the ringtone was so loud that it alerted one of the suspects-"

"Did anything else happen before all of this took place? During the stakeout?"

"Anything?" His right eyebrow arched, "Nothing much, we were so bored, one of the members who was stationed at the bus stop actually took a photo of a bike leaning against an electric pole right next to-"

That suddenly made Shinichi freeze in realization.

That's right! A bike! How could he forget about that?!

A bike with rabbit prints all over the body! The photo was sent to Ranran, then the phone call happened...did Ranran do all of this thanks to this bike? If so...why? Did this bike mean anything?

In detective mode, he quickly thanked Amelia before hanging up the phone, as he picked up the phone in a haste before browsing for the picture of this bike. Finally, he located the photo.

There it was...is this the photo that started it all?

Shinichi took a good look at it, inspecting it one way or another. No matter what, it was your average typical bike. Nothing stood out in this photo.

Well, that was until he spotted a red dot in the rabbit's eyes after zooming in and out multiple times.

When Emiko took this picture, there were several others besides this photo. The rest she sent through the group chat, he started to notice the red dot in the eye would blink on and off as he swipes them from the earlier ones to the last like a slideshow. It could've been a defect when she took it, but Shinichi had a darker suspicion over why this dot kept appearing and vanishing.

If he was right with his deductions...that could've been the red light of an active camera installed in the body of the bike, under the guise of the rabbit imprints around the bike. This also means if he guessed correctly, Ranran could've noticed their stakeout had been exposed thanks to this camera, so she sabotage it.

Now millions of questions were running through his mind, who put that camera there to spy on them? And also, how did they know they were having a stakeout at the gallery? Plus, if Ranran knew there was a camera, why didn't she order any of them to destroy it and went as far as to sabotage this sting?

Ranran and Shinichi are firm about not letting any of their stakeout plans be leaked out of the association, so could it be that the German detective was responsible for putting it there? He was there at the same time doing an undercover stakeout at that time, so it shouldn't be a surprise he could've planted it there.

But if he was going to use a camera, to begin with, it ain't necessary for him to be there to do the stakeout. So that deduction is a bust. Another theory popped up, could it be plausible that The Snake planted it there? Or even the gallery owner they suspected?

After a while, he shook his head. No, if that were the case, he wouldn't have had his daughter continue meeting Michio in the first place a day after their failed stakeout. Cause he would have had footage as evidence to observe the rest of their actions to know how much they know about their devious plans involving the Red ruby. Plus, Ranran could've ordered them to steal this camera should she have known it belonged to the criminal mastermind.

Furthermore, why would Mr Enomoto bother to have a bike tied to an electric pole to film the front of his own gallery? Supposedly he and that Swiss company are in cahoots on faking a robbery towards a non-existent Ruby, he would want to reduce as much CCTV as possible to ensure the robbery didn't look stage in the eyes of the insurance company they were scamming.

So that leaves him with one motive over why Ranran did so: To ruin the footage.

Whoever it was that planted this bike, Ranran knew the person who was eager to record them for their own benefit, which is why she sabotage it in the first place to ruin it.

And he had a hunch over why this person did what they did.

Suddenly, the door to the student council opened, and as his head whipped in the direction of expecting the guest, to his disappointment, it was Takuma who is holding a stack of papers in his hands. "What? You were expecting Ranran?" The boy in the cap grinned before heading over to his girlfriend's desk to drop the stack.

"No, I was expecting the guest Reina is supposed to bring over for some investigation I am privately working on." The Apprentice huffed from his seat as the stack plopped on the table nicely, "What are those anyway?" He pointed to where he left off.

"Ah, these? Nothing much," The athlete shrugs as he answers," Bicycle parking registrations for Teitan Elementary."

"Bicycle-wha?" Shinichi is dumbfounded.

"Ah yeah, I think you were not aware of this, but there has been a surge of unexpected incidents, where idiots who don't belong to this school were brazenly parking their bicycles in our school, so the kids and adults who rode theirs here can't park as it was full."

"Eh!? That happened?!" Shinichi blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, those idiots have become brazen nowadays since a bar had recently opened 10-minute walking distance from our school. And even when Reina was with a teacher when they confronted those morons, they had the audacity to say there were signs that read 'free parking' here in a drunk tone." Takuma commented with a frustrated sigh, "Making matters worst is our interim school guard, who is taking charge because his boss took a month's leave to aid his ailing mother, couldn't really do anything about it because it ain't possible for one person to go against several drunkards. Hell, so many times we had to call the police to stop them."

"Couldn't the school just hire another guard then?" Shinichi suggested.

"After that food delivery trunk stunt Ranran pulled, they are not financially stable to hire another one, Kudo. Anyway, Reina was a little at loss over what to do, so she had Ranran step in about this. Then she suggested: "Why not had children and adults here apply for their own private parking spot? Proof they are a student or staff here. That way, if those morons were caught parking without proper documents, they could be easily kicked out and thrown in prison. Thank God we have Ranran, otherwise, Reina is going to lose her position here." The boy rambled with a sigh of relief.

"Even so..." The blue-eyed boy's eyes cast on the stack, "That is unusually a lot of paperwork submitted in a day. I would've assumed you would take days to collect the forms."

"Ah no, Ranran made an announcement 'first come first serve' basis if anyone is interested in V.I.P Parking."

"Eh!?"

"To speed things up, she marketed the walking distance between the closest spot to park a bike to the school building. As you are aware...our school is still considered big for us children to walk all the way back to class and out." Takuma chuckled while Shinichi rolled his eyes in a frown.

Of course, Ranran and her quick devious schemes. It amazes Shinichi at times, but also, frustrates him to no end morally and ethically.

Suddenly, an idea lit up in his head. "Can I see it? Those forms?" Shinichi requested Takuma's permission as something flickered in his eyes.

"Ah sure, though I don't see why you are interested in it anyway."

Shinichi rushed over to the table to scan one form after another, at a rapid pace while a puzzled Takuma observed him from afar.  Why on earth is he interested in it? He never rides a bike to school at all.

But Shinichi was by no means to explain what was going on, as he sorted the ones he had read to the right, his brain trying to process every single piece of information that he could find. But what he is looking for is a link, one that will confirm his suspicion wide open.

Finally, upon reaching the final paper, he froze still.

There it was, the form that says it all.

"Kudo? Kudo-kun?" Takuma wondered what is with Shinichi's reaction, his mouth having fall agape.

Confused by Shinichi's reaction, the boy in the cap peered over the paper which made him react that way. To his surprise, the athlete found himself picking up the paper to read out the contents, "Fuse Amaya-wait," he turned to confront him, "Isn't he the boy who you were with during the parkour event!? One of them who called Ranran a bastard 2 years ago!?"

Once again, to Takuma's astonishment, the apprentice's hand was trembling a lot more than usual. Not out of fear upon reading his expression, but rather...a mix of horror and bewilderment.

What the hell is going on....!? Why is it his name is on the form whereby he owns a rabbit-printed bicycle instead of Ishibashi Mamiko!?

So was his deduction wrong all along? About suspecting Mamiko?

No wait...the more he thinks of this, the more he felt like he was being thrown back to starting point. Ishibashi Mamiko, Fuse Amaya and this bicycle....what is the connection to the stakeout of that night?

From the way he has known Ranran after working for over a month, he is dead certain the drunkards coming to their school to park their bicycles were premeditated by Ranran to lead Shinichi to this discovery. The problem is...what is their relation?

The reason Shinichi was expecting Mamiko's name to be on the form is that since she is the founder of the journalism club, she had always been interested in seeking anything worth sensationalizing about Tantei Association to boost readership in Teitan Elementary according to rumours, well, he did another check unknowingly behind Mamiko's back through Emiko, she confirmed the rumours were true. Recording their real-life stakeout would be news tabloid-worthy and benefit Mamiko in more ways than one.

This is why spotting his enemy's name instead of Mamiko's on the paper form literally blew his head to bits.

He was so taken aback by what he had discovered, that even as Takuma realized his meeting is about to take place at his club and wished him goodbye before deciding to press about it another time, Shinichi numbly dismisses him.

Still feeling fogged with all of the information Ranran left him, Shinichi's train of thought was later brought to a halt when Reina's voice could be heard announcing behind his back, "Neh Kudo! I brought the person you wanted to meet?"

That once again snap him back to reality as his eyes turned to a glaring Reina at first, which was expected, since she was very much against it when he requested meeting the 'guest' she was protective of.

This 'guest' is none other than Reina's legal paternal cousin.

The reason Shinichi requested her presence was to understand Mamiko's true personality. After all, Emiko's intel shed light on him that this girl before him is the reason why Reina suddenly grew interested in becoming head of the student council. Reina had made it known that she had bad blood with Mamiko in the past till now because of a 'situation with her cousin', but it was unclear to the public in what specific way she detested Mamiko.

According to Emiko's intel, the cousin's name is 'Moriko', and her personality is a lot different than Reina's.

If there were a confrontational situation, Reina would resort to protective violence to put an end to it, though she rarely goes overboard like Ranran unless necessary. A point was proven when she unexpectedly became student head council. Moriko however would've been the type to just apologise even though she isn't in the wrong and move on from there. From all he had gathered, Moriko is a timid little girl who is meek and docile as a mouse.

So it was a huge surprise for him that when she entered the room, his expectation of a six-year-old child who describes being kind and gentle but can also be very timid and have a bit dull appearance...was thrown down the cliff.

The photo he was given by Emiko a month ago, was that Moriko had sunken eyes behind her heavy spectacles for someone her age with fair skin, a rectangular face, messy long black hair and brown eyes. Nothing about her stood out, which gave him a mediocre impression. It was an appearance that is so common among other children of Teitan Elementary, one would not give any attention to it like a pebble on a road.

However, although the girl before him had similar features in the photo, the impression was rather different as she took a sit before him while he head back to the sofa. Her once long messy black hair is now permed, cut short in an elegant fashion, with two different dyed tones, one side pink and the other half blue. The spectacle is no longer around, with some eyeliner around her brown eyes and donned in black lipstick, the clothes she wears show a black leather jacket around her white shirt, with a punk-looking skirt. One would assume she is a delinquent of the school.

So before Shinichi could ask the student head why is her cousin dressed in something that violated tons of the school rules, she merely replied, "She got to cast the leading role of a rockstar in one of the upcoming plays Ranran written recently for the drama club, don't worry about it, I got permission from the higher-ups to do this makeover."

Ah right, he almost forgot about the fact that Ranran had minimalized Sonoko's writing influence in drama club thanks to the break-in incident.

Moriko took a couple of tissues to wipe out the makeup on her face as if she was used to it, revealing her appearance to be as exact as the photo, though the expression seem to be no longer empty or vacant anymore, just plain confidence. A far cry from the intel that read her as 'loveable and friendly, but can also be very cowardly and a bit boring'.

A little hesitant to begin the interview, Mamiko questioned the boy, "So you requested my presence to ask about that girl who ruined my life, right?" she asked with a darkened expression.

Staring between the two cousins, the apprentice realizes Matsuyuki Moriko's physical appearance has no resemblance to Reina in any shape or form. Then again, she became Reina's cousin through the marriage of Reina's stepdad, so it's no surprise.

Even so, Shinichi was amazed. The transformation from a girl who blends into the background, into this harsh brashed-style girl is hard to digest. Did Emiko not update her profile because she deemed her like an extra with no relevance?

After Moriko told Reina to leave them alone, she left the office as Shinichi is left to digest all of this.

"Your old photo...while I was digging around about who knew Mamiko best, this was not what I was expecting." The apprentice's eyes were large and confused, and his shoulders sagged with the weight of questions in his mind.

"Of course. I intentionally send her that photo for a reason under Ranran's suggestion, "Crossing her arms, Moriko rolled her eyes. "After meeting that detective, I went through a period where I decided to screw it, this will be the new me. However, I had to deal with unwanted admirers," she replied, simply. "If they were going to want to date me, don't forget that old photo of me is what they would be seeing on a daily basis at home. Does that clear things up?" she replied, becoming irritated.

"Whoa, wait," Shinichi was shaking his head and waving his hands. "How does this work?" he wondered, his face incredulous.

"Ranran was right about you, huh? Not being observant when it comes to a girl's feelings?" Moriko sighs, before pointing out," Your mom, she is a famous actress once, correct? Do you see her doll up every single day for your dad in makeup? No right? That is what I meant. Unless you still can't get it?"

"That's... No... I get it now." Shinichi listened in a daze.

"You are also here...because you are doubting Ranran, who is now your mentor, correct?"Still shocked at what was happening before him, he numbly nodded to her.

Moriko stared at him as if he was a frog under a well, an unamused frown on her face. "How much do you want to know?"

"Starting with...Mamiko," he replied, nodding shortly.

Which was the only thing he could come up with in his head because really, he knew absolutely nothing about Ranran as a person. A shady girl is one thing, but where does she stand when it comes to her beliefs?

There had never been any inkling in Shinichi's mind that perhaps she didn't do it without motives. Ranran never offers anyone free lunch unless she benefits something from it. And it all had to start with Mamiko.

"I mean...I want to know how you and Ranran met as well besides that question." He shook his head, not sure why it bothered him so much to avoid saying Ranran is a power-hungry tyrant.

"When Mamiko dumped a bucket of dirty water from the wall, that is how we met," Moriko said, shrugging, while uncomfortably squirming with the question. "I was at my lowest, sobbing in the school courtyard at around 5 pm. Having just isolated all of my friends from me," The child actress shrugged, trying to look indifferent, but it was difficult talking about her past. "You know...you met my ex-friends before."

"Eh? When did I?" Shinichi was in disbelief, not recalling meeting anyone he knows of.

"Those girls who kept oogling all over you before Ranran kicked them out with their little make-up club. They used to focus on their dreams like I still am, we never once talked about going after boys before Mamiko manipulated all of them. I was at my happiest when Reina told me Ranran finally kicked them out of school for good."

"No way! "Shinichi asked, his voice surprising even him with how loud it was.

"They used to be academically driven, believe me on that."She was leaning back and turning her face away. "Never once dream of even using make-up, at all. But then she gave them a makeover one weekend, then they were all haughty with the attention other kids were given in our school. Had Ranran not made Reina head of student council and tightened all of the loopholes for the school rules they were using to beautify themselves, more of such idiocy could've continued on."

"And yet...you are wearing earlier-"

"Make-up isn't at fault, it's the user who used it irresponsibly who is the one who is in the wronged. And Ranran was right about that."The girl's face fell through and she appeared sad. "I sometimes wondered if that demon didn't exist, would I have remained friends with them till adulthood? I will never know the answer to that." She said quietly.

"I get that," Shinichi muttered sadly, thinking of his situation.

And as much as Shinichi doesn't give it away in his expression, it was clear he could relate to her one way or another. Once, he assumed his friendship with Ran and Sonoko would last. But it didn't, and he ended up with his sworn nemesis. But so far he has nothing to complain about besides her occasional scheming using underhanded tactics, and Ran, he must kick her out of the HQ. Her presence is merely ruining everyone's morale, must do so for Ranran who did nothing to her.

"How long were you....bullied by Mamiko?" Shinichi asked, looking slightly ill.

"2 years, that include kindergarten days. It started with her eyeing the ribbon hairpin I was wearing, only to steal it. Then the doll I was gifted by the teacher, then her locking me up at a toilet booth the whole day till an adult went to look for me...."

The apprentice then noted the actress's hands curled on her knees, "Why did she go after you?"

"She said someone like me had too much love of this world, so it's fair for her to take it away from me." She bit her lips as she continued, "You know...it got to a point that I even told the teachers. But..."She chuckled bitterly to herself, "When I found out through Ranran that the teachers I had told were in some way...bought over by Mamiko-"

"Bought over?! Wait, is Ranran trying to say they are bribed by her!??" He yelled, leaping out of his chair with a bright, angry face.

"Mamiko had something over them, that was what Ranran revealed to me." Reiko nodded slowly. "She had influence over the teachers, didn't you know?" she asked, lifting her brow. "I am glad that she never got a spot in Edgewood Academy and Ranran did," she said as her face softens.

"What!? Mamiko applied for a spot before!?" Shinichi asked, his face scrunching up with confusion.

The girl then rolled her eyes, shaking her head with exasperation. "Are you really her apprentice!? How is it you had no idea about Mamiko's true nature?! How does someone as dimwitted as you could become her apprentice?!" she muttered.

Shinichi sputtered with rash annoyance, turning purple with the accusation that he was stupid.

"Then again, I ain't surprised." The girl then decided with a shrug, "You probably don't even know about the fact that Ranran had cameras bugged all over the school."

This time Shinichi was startled, "W-what did you just say!? Ranran-bugged the WHAT!?"

"The school, it was part of the contract she made with Rei-chan in return for making her head girl to protect me." Her cousin shrugged weakly. "I didn't want to at first, but then when Ranran reasoned with the safety situation from that devil, I agreed. Best decision I ever made."

"But wait...if she bugged every corner of the school, that it means...."

Of course, if she bugged the school...what are the possibilities that Ranran could've had footage that showed him being framed by Rokuro!?

But if that is the case, does this mean Ranran knew all along and chosen not to prove him innocent!? Just to make him her apprentice!?

Suddenly, all of the painful emotions he had felt from that day surged back in him. The day he was pointed as a villain by the many other children when Rokuro lied he was the instigator, and Ran and Sonoko sided with him, the apprentice's rage burning in his intense blue eyes.

"Wait, if she had bugged the school...did it mean Ranran had video of that day when Rokuro framed me and led me to my suspension at soccer club!?" Shinichi asks. She goes to respond but is quickly cut off by him, whose voice is now beginning to raise with both hands on her arms trying to confront her. "DID SHE OR DID SHE NOT!?"

Unfazed by his anger, she thought about it, "Rokuro? Do you mean that feud you had with your former soccer leader of yours? I wouldn't really know since she never told me, Rei-chan or even Tak-san for that matter. But if she knew, I wouldn't be surprised. She isn't the type to leave every stone unturned."

This only seems to serve to make Shinichi even angrier. "So Ranran did know all along I was innocent," He said bluntly, still holding onto the girl's arms. "I am going to kill her!"

It was then she took a deep breath, "Let me ask you something, who called her a bastard a year ago?" She watched the boy's face as it cycled through his emotions. Angry as he was, she watched his face switch from anger to horror. Breathing heavily, Shinichi let go of the cousin and sat back down, mumbling under his breath.

"Did you know, Ranran did consider submitting this video to the teachers? Even after what you did to her years ago," The cousin said when everything had quieted down.

"What I did was wrong, but it doesn't make her any innocent either way!" Shinichi shouted, his hand lifting to run through his hair. "That bloody cunning girl!" he bellowed, irrationally.

She stared at her for a minute, her expression one of irritation. "You don't know much of anything, do you? Why she didn't do it towards the very end?"

"Holding grudges, she is good at that," He replied, sighing, his shoulders slumped with the new information.

"Yeah well, that's what happens when you mistreat someone," Reiko responded, frowning as she crossed her arms over her chest, staring out at them with accusing eyes. "You hardly know the real motive behind it."

"I am sorry, but did she do all of this in the name of revenge!?" Shinichi shouted, his arms flailing emphatically. "She can do it for Takuma who spoke ill of her, but not for me!"

He didn't like just how much it hit home; there were a lot of things he didn't know. Did that mean she was merely opening the association to scheme a revenge plan on him? How much hate does she have towards him to the point...she didn't even submit the video that could've proven his innocence? Why? She can do the same for Takuma who hated her, but not for him?

"Revenge is one thing, but you are not seeing the bigger picture" The actress stated simply before sighing. "Mamiko technically runs the school the way her mom runs the streets in real life. She was doing this to feed her and her brother's ego, and we had no idea till Ranran poured the files on the table! Do you know how upset we were?! When we found out there is no way we can ever kick her out of school?! Let alone, getting her exposed?! That girl...no matter how hard you try, you will never find a stain on her because someone else is always going to clean hers!"

Leaning back, she stared at Shinichi impassively.

"You and Takuma are different things. During his peak of fame, he never called her one and discredited her talent because of her background. Revenge? Even if she did have that thought, you deserved it! You and your thoughts about justice...at first glance, she knew you couldn't be relied on! While you were too busy being blinded by accommodating those two girls around you, she was busy handling her Fox career while trying to stabilise the amount of influence Mamiko had on the weaker kids! She would've continued her Fox career if it wasn't for you blindly following her thanks to that satan! You had every right to call her a cunning girl, but did you not question why?!"

As he shook his head, she retaliated, "Because when it comes to girls, you are oblivious to their intentions like Michio is!"

And it was at that moment, Shinichi felt a volcano in him has erupted.