By next Thursday, Suzuki Sonoko had to deal with the two worst things in her entire life.

First and foremost was that since the video fell into the hands of the disciplinary board on a Monday, they were vehemently furious, it didn't help when the word travelled to the elder Kudo matriarch, she demanded the school to either take action against the unremorseful Suzuki Sonoko for emotional manipulation and bullying onto her two grandchildren, or that she will personally head over to the Suzuki family and drag her out to slap her.  Parents from both sides were not happy about it either, even Shinichi's parents wanted Sonoko to be punished.

Now the Suzuki could've easily squash the Kudo family beneath their feet like a bug, but since Ranran's mother comes from nobility, adding the fact that the Suzuki clan did not want to go through another episode of going close to bankruptcy since they angered the aristocrat community, they agreed their daughter should be punished. They were utterly horrified when they received the video, and it didn't take long for them to willingly agree, giving them permission to punish her.

And Reina, Ranran's best friend/Student head council, is in charge of submitting the rights of students at Teitan Elementary school's disciplinary board. Recently, she adds on paper that if a kid, mainly a bully is found guilty thanks to overwhelming evidence, the victim gets to choose the punishment against the attacker. And she wronged Ranran and Shinichi, meaning one punishment per victim. Which was approved.

From Ranran, she requested public caning of Suzuki's backside, in front of every single child in the school during the assembly as an example to teach those a lesson, let alone anyone who downplays bullying. 10 strokes.

Suzuki was horrified, but it wasn't as surprisingly bad dealing with the physical pain, compared to Shinichi's request. His was by far the worst.

Right now, the school hallway was booming with whispers, pointing fingers at the heiress while she reeled from the effects of Shinichi's punishment.

"Don't pay her any attention." A girl leaned in to whisper to another, who seemed to be a new kid so Sonoko didn't hear.

The new kid seemed confused and looked at the girl who was distancing her friend protectively away from Sonoko. "Eh? Why not?"

"Recently it was discovered that Sonoko's family sponsors Mamiko's mom to run a prostitution ring!" The girl simply said bluntly.

"A rich family...doing this sort of thing? I find it hard to believe! Also, what the hell!? Why would they do that!? Have they lost their mind!?" The new girl was shaken.

"They must have, cause it explains a lot about why Sonoko is as equally delusional as her friend, Ran, sharing one brain cell in general."

"I mean it made sense now why she and that Mamiko girl hung out together a lot, considering both of their parents are running a such shady business. I kept wondering why that Suzuki girl kept doing those things, but damn, I didn't think she would be this evil enough to begged her parents to sponsor her friend's mother."

"Ugh! What a horrid girl! It's one thing for her to simply flaunt her rich family's wealth and all of that, but it's another for her to simply attempt to force Shinichi to abandon his Tantei dream to be married of! What sort of era did she think we are living in now!? The Heian Period!? Where you can just simply force people to give up their dreams and be married off and end up doing housework!?"

"That is right! This is the 21st century for God's sake! And of all things, I could not have guessed that for a girl to do this to a boy is even possible! I thought these sorts of things only happen to girls!"

"Well, the 21st century is all about balancing equal rights regardless of gender, so I guess times have changed."

"How despicable! Really!"

Kids were staring, pointing, or making disgusted faces at Suzuki.

Suzuki knew if she continued to walk slowly, she would crumble and burst into tears while recalling Shinichi's words cast upon her.

.....

"To me, I felt like...I don't know if I should even say this."

"Eh?" Ranran and the discipline-hearing adults who were in the room were surprised at Shinichi's statement, who seemed nervous and hesitant to speak.

The two were gathered alone to discuss the punishments they agreed upon Sonoko, who was trembling and white as snow, upon listening to the caning announcement from Ranran recently.

"Just say it, no matter how tiny or big it is, we will see to it after you say it out." A woman among the adults reassured him in a soft tone, as she was trained to when it comes to young kids like them.

Perking his head up at that tone feeling encouraged, he revealed, "Rather than punishment, I want...a police investigation carried out on the Suzuki company."

"EH!?" The three adults were stunned, and so were Ranran and Sonoko.

Since they were made aware that the two work for Tantei Association by Reina, it made sense for the two to talk police terms of that sort. The woman then questions, "May I...ask why?"

Realizing he finally had their attention, he went forward with the plan, "Ishibashi Mamiko...the girl who came up with this plan with Sonoko...I got word that she liked me, that is why she did what she did."

"So....?" One of the men doesn't see where he was heading with this.

"Then around 2 days ago, on a weekend, many worried adults....went to us to ask us a favour." Deciding to be a bit vocal, he took out his triumph card from his cape, one that he had been planning since the day he found out about Mamiko and Sonoko.

Placed it on the table, and their jaws dropped when they eyed the photos placed on the table. Ranran said nothing, but she soon realizes why Shinichi took her to the pub during the weekend, not long after solving the ruby case.

"Their children usually hang out at the Crooked Baron Pub, it's a place where BSL activities take place. Recently, their children have been acting so traumatized and refuse to head back to that bar, they begged me to take their case to find out why since they refuse to talk after hearing about us solving the ruby case on the news online. And then...when we were given the glasses, this was what we see..."

The three adults grew ill, the woman was so horrified that she kept the photos in her blazer, to prevent the poor children's eyes from being 'tainted' any further. Sonoko meanwhile has no idea what was going on.

"We were shocked when I learn that woman was...Mamiko's mother." He paused, "The same one who schemed all of this with Sonoko. I think...she liked me, the same way her mom does with those men. And I felt sick, very sick."

He trembled, like a weak little puppy before the sympathetic adults.

"I barely know her well enough as a friend, let alone a schoolmate. So...when I learn about the video where she suggests to Sonoko...I was reminded of the fact that Sonoko's family...was one of the major investors who invested in those glasses. So...what if...she...is planning to do to me? The same as her mother is doing to those men? But she can never be charged with a crime because Sonoko and Mamiko are friends? Hell, what if...they are planning to do the same to other kids like me?"

"KUDO SHINICHI! YOU BETTER STOP LYING!" Sonoko is becoming angrier by the minute, slamming the coffee table.

"SUZUKI SONOKO! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK AFTER BULLYING THESE TWO CHILDREN!" One of the men's yelling silence the haughty heiress. If the adults weren't around, Ranran could've burst into laughter that Sonoko looked as if she was going to cry.

But Shinichi made himself so vulnerable, that Ranran acted the protective facade around him, fuelling Sonoko's anger even further.

Then again, she is shameless anyway. And the adults bought it, admiring Ranran and Shinichi's relationship.

(Jesus Christ! Kudo is playing a little boy who is more concerned about others than himself, and this is going to screw anyone who wronged him in the worst way possible.)

Ranran was honestly impressed at Shinichi's acting. As expected from the son of an actress on the silver screen. He is implying that Sonoko's family is secretly supporting Mamiko's mother's shady activities as a prostitute!

(Oh damn, Sonoko...you wronged Shinichi in the worst way possible, and now karma is coming.)

Those were the thoughts of Kudo Ranran, while she side-eyed Sonoko being all as sweaty as she has ever been in her entire life.

Feeling Shinichi's act of fear and terror, the adults pitied the little boy before agreeing with Shinichi's words. Police are going to look into this, so they better be prepared.

.......

That's right, Kudo Shinichi finally figured out the 'Blue square' cryptic words Ranran was implying to him.

She was telling him to figure out a way to remove the blue square of the glasses that would ultimately expose the racy lady's acts. By removing the censorship protection that the glasses provided to the children, this would ultimately land the Suzuki's and mostly Sonoko in hot water.

After all, no one likes it when children and inappropriate acts are mixed together, as it can only end with a public outcry.

Having attempted to convince his neighbour Agasa to remove it was difficult since he did not want to ruin their quote 'innocence'. But then Ranran said she has allegedly seen it in the U.K, plus Shinichi pleaded it was necessary to carry out their plans to capture that sociopath Mamiko and he reluctantly comply. So in between handling the ruby case, with Ranran's connection with the bartender at the pub, it was easy as pie to just remove the squares from those glasses, exposing those poor kids to indecency.

In a way, Ranran does feel bad for them, they were innocent pawns to Shinichi's phase 2 scheme. But no choice, he had to break free from the manipulation. Sacrifices are needed, and those children are from prestigious schools to begin with, constantly flashing their high and mighty attitudes.

Also, he was beyond fed up with the meddling from Mouri Ran, let alone, being pushed around by Mamiko and Sonoko.

And the 2nd worst thing in Sonoko's life occurred in the worst way possible, when their family company ended being investigated for allegations of prostitution by the police. Even more so when both parents were detained to facilitate the investigation, leaving her elder sister to look after her.

Every single news report about them sounded degrading, even Sonoko's reputation was torn to shreds when the press learn about the alleged bullying of the Kudo boy to marry him off to a friend, the media painted her as a wild child, and that the future of her family's company would be in jeopardy, articles even said luckily she is the 2nd in line to the parent's company, otherwise, the company's financial value will plummet. The media hasn't forgotten what she did when she angered those noble children, so they painted her as a far worst villain than she is.

She is a child, but not spared from the harsh words from the adult reporters regardless.

Sonoko had tears spilling past her eyes and falling onto the screen of her phone, warping the news that her family's company is being investigated for prostitution.

Thanks to social media and the Internet, and also the connections between the Kudo family and the police, the whole school had begun talking about Sonoko's family getting involved with such activities that it disgusted them, even more so when they learn about rumours than Shinichi was targeted with malicious intent by Mamiko to do such vile activities, as well as her feelings for him, that they began to go after the newly disgraced Mamiko, who had just recently returned from a school trip.

The public anger from Teitan Elementary among the kids was a lot more brutal for them, especially Sonoko. Though this time no one attack her with brooms and mops, there were deliberate trips intended for her that led her to fall down and have her big forehead hit hard on the ground. More mud was dumped onto her whenever she isn't looking, and words chanting her to die on her desk appeared to increase up to the point, the form teacher had to request another table for her. But it would only end up pointless since words would be added later on.

Mamiko wasn't spared from the witch-hunting either, the whole school now strongly believed she is a pervert-in-the-making for going after the 'traumatized' apprentice. They grew more riled up when new rumours spread that Ranran found out about it, and to ensure she too remain silent, Sonoko framed her as 'The Fox', then send Ran and Sonoko to harass her when the founder began to shield Shinichi away from the delusional girls.

The second rumour came from Moriko, Reina's cousin since Shinichi needed Ranran's help to ensure that Tantei Association's reputation remain intact despite this unfortunate scandal. No way he would want this scandal to overshadow their work as detectives.

It was going splendidly according to Shinichi's plan.

Even Amaya, Mamiko's half-brother, wasn't spared when this scandal blew up in their face.

You see Suzuki Sonoko's family company had a value of over millions of yen, so any dirt from such a company involving rich people is something the press would be more than happy to dig around, and Shinichi knew it. To stir an investigation into the family company, he requested Ranran to give him Watanabe Botan's contact, the nephew from the first case who is currently studying at Edgewood Academy. Shinichi then have him send the video Ranran recorded the other day at the pub from a computer cafe in the U.K. anonymously to an employee with a shady reputation, one who was working in the Suzuki corporation at that time. In case the police track the IP back to the U.K., it would be beyond difficult. Plus, Botan had a history of doing such things back then during his Cocaine smuggling days, so no problems.

Why Shinichi knew about this employee was obvious, using his paternal grandparents' connection, he got word that he was never fired despite everyone knowing of his R18 porn addiction on children due to 'higher ups' protection. Suzuki's family has no idea since they can't oversee every single company, so this was the perfect plan to strike.

As predicted, that disgusting man got hooked and then became a regular at this pub. Fortunately, he was too much of a coward to approach the children who were there, for he was far too hooked on the dominitrix performance of Mamiko's mom. Then, Shinichi waited till finally, he anonymously tipped the cops to raid the pub. Following his piteous act, it was evident the Suzuki companies are screwed.

Of course, he wasn't that completely evil to a point that he was going to make many people lose their job.

With good proper police work, the family and company's reputation will survive. But Sonoko won't. Oh no, this is good damaging enough. But it wasn't enough for Shinichi. Nope, he needed to go even further.

Mamiko's family life having been exposed in the worst way possible through tabloids was awful, especially since her mother was also arrested in handcuffs, and that photo was on the cover.

That's right, they even published the name of her children, and now the witch hunt for who their fathers are took centre stage.

And this pisses Amaya off more than ever since everyone now knows that he and Mamiko are siblings, he too was subjected to being disgusted and taunted by the other kids. It was bad enough he was thrown into the worst class where he had to deal with his dumb classmates and he was mocked for it, now he had to endure further hell ahead of him.

But the thing that finally made me pissed the most, was when he realised that the alleged 'victims' were reported on the news, but their identities were never released.

And he had a nagging suspicion about who did this. Oh...that girl is going to pay!

Only the Kudo family is capable of such a feat to have their identities kept away from the press, this was the same thing that happened to him years ago when he called that arrogant girl a 'bastard'. And that Ranran girl is ruthless, damn him, he wished he pushed her to her death! She is such a vicious little psychopath!

With determination, he stormed over to the association within their school.

.......

Slamming the door slide open, he turned to see Kudo Shinichi, who could not be bothered to deal with his enemy while playing chess of his own. "What do you want Amaya?"

This bugger...he ain't feeling intimidated at all?!

Enraging Amaya further, he was about to confront him till Shinichi's causally said, "It was a fun drama, you know? The way things played out for you and that sister of yours."

It was then Mamiko's half-brother stiffened, "No way...it was you?!" He hissed while confronting the blue eye boy in a cape coat. That's when Shinichi laughed at the boy, whose anger turned dumbfounded by his reaction. Outrage, he demanded,  "How dare you!? I could've thought it was that 'bastard' girl who did this to me!"

"You didn't think my mentor Ranran was the only Kudo within the family to come up with a scheme that befitting for the both of you, did you all not?"

Gawking, he was about to ask why he did when Shinichi shut him down by answering, "Was it fun when you decided to ruin my spot in soccer club?" Gasping in response, Shinichi even adds, "Your sister has a crush on me? Sorry, but...she doesn't even fit the minimum requirement of my type of girl."

As much as Amaya hates his half-sister, it irked him that Shinichi would speak so lowly of her like that, he made a grab of his collar before pulling him closer to punch him, "You!"

Unfazed, Amaya could feel a painful sting from his neck, forcing him to let go of Shinichi before tumbling to the ground in a fetal position, observing Shinichi's sneering eyes with a baton on his right hand, sparking electricity around the weapon.

"You bastard! I should've known...you were no different than that girl! I should've bullied those two friends of yours when I made that threat that you should hang out with us when we were in kindergarten!"

"Go ahead then," The blue-eyed scoffed, not intimidated by Amaya who is wincing in pain, "You and that sister of yours are a long way ahead when it comes to scheming."

Laughing back, he taunted, "You think you Kudos had the power to throw our mother in prison? Think again! She will be out before you realize it! You have no idea of the men she had at her disposal to come into power! And if you are doing this to kick us out of school, think again!"

Exchanging a smirk, Shinichi refuted, "My plan was never to throw her in prison permanently, no, she is more of a valuable pawn to me as soon as she is released. Also, kick you both out of school? Why should I when you and her finally reserved a spot as Teitan Elementary's personal punching bag? Especially for all of the pain you and your sister caused not only on me, or Ranran, but everyone else in this school?"

"Excuse me!?" The elder boy was taken aback by Shinichi's response, wondering where the hell this boy before him gain all of the bravado to speak to him that way?!

And Shinichi wasn't wrong, his award-winning act did rile up the entire school, and even the teachers were pissed off by this.

"So here is what is going to happen," He strolled around the agonized boy, as elegantly fit for a noble, "While you suffer, Ranran and I will watch from the association. Each time you and her attempt to get us to manipulate each other, something bad will happen to both of you. And it will become worst each time you both do so. In addition," A scary smile formed on the boy, it is utterly giving Amaya bad feelings about this, "The funds that were initially given to both your baseball club and your sister's journalism club, it will be allocated as compensation for emotional damages to the both of us having to endure, 6 months. Of course," he brought up, "Sonoko too has to pay since Ran can't afford it, her share too was no exception."

With a gulp from the baseball athlete, the door slid open revealing Takuma, "Tak-san," The apprentice call out to the quarterback, "Kick him out."

"I'll be more than happy to," He muses before grabbing the boy and throwing him out of the office.

"Remember the words I said: I know everything now, tell your sister that driving a wedge between me and Ranran....will ultimately become her worst downfall!" Shinichi growled before Takuma slams the door, cutting Amaya from Shinichi permanently.

As Amaya meets his fate, he begins to question whether Shinichi was truly a 6-year-old boy.

.......

Why? Why is it this child is capable of such ruthlessness, she was able to come up with a such devious scheme that instantly destroys lives? Especially towards a 5-year-old?

It's cruel. It's cruel and it's harsh. There's no reason for it to be like this.

Yet- here they are.

Following the kidnapping incident, Emiko honoured her words when she did what Ranran told her to do to keep her reputation as an artist intact, and while it protected her as well as the students of the prestigious art academy, since the video of the 5-year-old girl bragging about her dad collecting bribes from the school regarding wealthy families paying for their grades to stick go viral, her conscience weighs heavily on her heart.

The politician Ranran had arranged did a neat job, she had the connections to ensure that their degrees would not be devalued and even secure them future employers that are willing to take them in after they graduate before this scandal made it to the news. The ruby case Emiko was involved in did her good in her favour, that a sponsor is offering to pay her to study in a university overseas, a better offer than the one here. And obviously, Emiko's parents were more than happy to approve, since rarely such an opportunity comes by. Even so, she felt guilty.

Arrests were made, following suicides.

The five-year-old didn't, she was kicked out of the school, but not before every child she had wronged gathered to physically attack her when the news broke out. With her dad sent to prison, she was no longer in power to get away with things she was used to doing on the weaker kids, and one of the kids in that kindergarten even shove dog poop into her mouth before shoving her head into the toilet bowl according to Emiko's cousin. There were even rumours that the kid had a parasite infection to her brain because of the poop incident and that she is now bedridden, uncertain whether she will ever wake up again.

It didn't help that the ruby case finally made her classmates realise she wasn't as evil or cruel as they originally assumed, and that they grew friendly towards her after Tantei Association began to detail their case files on the social media platform. Emiko's classmates were fortunately not the opportunistic kind, the artist knew, but they rarely approach her because of the fact that she was a child of divorced parents, with reserved doubts that she could be mentally unstable when she opened the intel business.

Reading that she isn't as calculative as they had assumed, they approach her with caution. It took baby steps, but by this point on, she is now seen eating together more and more during recess. Her classmates did bring up the fact that as cruel as this decision was, it wasn't as if she choose to do it because she wanted to. Even all her classmates admit they would do so should they were put in her position, which lifted her heart a little. They knew about her family situation, so they didn't judge her to be someone who is overly ambitious to trample an innocent 5-year-girl, since that kid is a bully. The class Emiko is in were equally as intelligent as her, so it's no surprise why they sided with her.

But it still feels heavy. "You are mad at me."

Emiko finally looks up at Ranran entering the classroom, the artist who had parted ways with her classmates with a cheerful goodbye and promised to hang out again to talk about such issues is now all alone in the classroom with the founder. Ranran was walking past her classroom till she spotted her sombre expression. Though Emiko smiled a bit more, it felt wrong since she thinks it is her fault that she almost killed someone.

Truthfully, she felt a little mad not at Ranran, but at the cruel world that made her be this ruthless. Now Emiko is beginning to suspect something made her the girl that she is today.

Cause she is certain that 'something' didn't do this to Ranran, she could've come up with a less inhumane way for Emiko to settle this problem.

Emiko sighs. "I'm not mad at you, it's just that-"

"Just that what?" The founder prompts.

"When a pic of you in the newspaper showed up, as The Fox, I always wondered to the girl behind the mask...what sort of kid are you to have such bravery to look at dead corpses, confront horrible adults that disrespected you 24/7? Cause I can't imagine the decisions The Fox made were easygoing. Then the realization hit me: You must have gone through the worst sort of hell in the world to be able to go that far. Because it was difficult for me when I made this decision...to protect my dream by using a five-year-old girl."

Emiko stares at her blankly. "I get it, the decisions you made have to benefit the victims, regardless of how cruel it may sound, even so...why does reality have to be so cruel to force us to make such decisions!?"

Ranran looks puzzled but she already knows that Emiko sometimes can't make sense of this reality before her.

"I think I get it now, why kids refused to get involved with you. It ain't because of your personality, but rather...you are a painful reminder, the product of reality."

Expecting her to scoff at words like 'You are weak and foolish', instead, what came out of the red lip girl's mouth was, "This is why I said from the start that this detective career...not everyone is cut out for it. Even this level of scheming...one must face the worst of hell before one can grow out of it."

Without any sound suddenly tears run down Emiko's face, and her body started to tremble all over. Once again she wished she would have acted differently, but she couldn't. Even with her intelligence, Emiko knew Ranran's solution was the only way out.

Grabbing a seat to sit opposite the 3rd grader, the 1st grader revealed an incident with a bitter deranged expression, "You know...back when I was younger than that girl, in my old school, there was such a bully who is 8 years old." Realizing she is about to reveal a thing of her past, Emiko straightened up from her seat to listen, "She was physically sick at an early age, always monopolized her illness to gain the attention of her parents and peers around her while leaving her elder sister out. The reason this was possible is that...the elder is adopted."

Not knowing where Ranran was heading with this, she continued.

"The client, who is the unfortunately adopted child, a 10-year-old, gains inferiority out of this later on, the prick didn't even spare her fiance and bewitched him too. Everyone around her villainized her, that was until...she contacted me and my mentor at that time."

"Wait..mentor?" Emiko became startled. "You have one?"

Nodding, she smiled, "The best part was the client's transformation, it was easy to send her to a family, a childless couple, who treasured her more than the one she was in with her new adopted siblings. And therapy had to be involved. Suddenly, she realized she was so much better without those trashy people and thinks they are an eyesore. Before that idiot sister of my client realized it, especially her trashy family and fiance, they were humiliated in the worst way possible with the evidence we had gathered."

Amused, it then dawns on Emiko that whichever direction this story is heading with, it's bound to go dark.

"Knowing that going after my client is beyond impossible, she went after me: I was four at that time." Ranran chuckle made Emiko's jaw drop, "We had a deep pond in our school back then, her plan was to get my client's ex-fiance whom she seduced to push me in there to drown since she got word that I enjoyed going there. I was clearly in the way of her life. She was going to make it as if I played around the pond, and died of accidental drowning while she meekly watch from her wheelchair with him."

"...so judging that you are here...I assumed...it happened the other way around?" Emiko figures, hoping she was wrong. Then again, her perceptiveness never failed the artist.

"Kinda," Ranran shrugs before revealing in a deranged yet gleeful tone, "I wanted to make her realize...that the last thing she sees before dying...is when the one she trusts the most murder her, the same way they did to the client, so I exposed her to that boy who planned to drown me in that pond that she had several boyfriends besides him, that he was justly merely a boy toy. He too had inferiority, so long story short...they both drowned."

Emiko's hands covered her mouth.

"It was the first time someone died," Ranran reminisce of this bitterly, before giving her a sombre expression, "I knew if I didn't do it, they will continue to kill more kids."

"And so....you must have been traumatised, huh?"

"Ah, it ain't a big deal, really." She dismisses the elder girl, as a dark memory soon played out in the founder's head.

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

Ranran burrowed her head into The Boy's embrace from that day, in the living room of his mother's house. After a long time, she began to speak, "They are both dead."

The Boy was shaken, but he continued to hold his apprentice without saying any other words.

Ranran continued, "I didn't expect them to die, but...for some reason, I didn't feel bad the moment they both drown. And honestly....I could've called, but then I realise them being alive would meant more sadistic torments for our client, so I made the decision to let them die."

"Ranran...."

It was not clear if Ranran was frightened or upset, but it was evident to him that she was beginning to question her ruthlessness. So far, the pond incident led everyone to suggest that the male victim attempted to save the female victim from drowning in the pond, leading to rumours of a heart-breaking romance at first.

But then, when the police investigation followed text messages from both of their phones making attempts to kill a younger child, it led their reputation to go south.

Suddenly, everyone in Edgewood speculated that they attempted to kill each other, it later led to the closure that forbade any student from getting close to the pond since. As well as rumours of that place being haunted.

"I feel like...a murderer. But...aside of wanting our client to live...I too want to survive, and yet....if we didn't, we will all die....I sounded evil, huh?"

Clenching his teeth at the heart-wrenching tone of the 4-year-old, he spoke, "Survival...there are no right or wrong answers, Ranran. What has happened is not our fault. We only did what we could to protect ourselves. If there was anyone to be blamed, it was them! If it wasn't for them, the rest of us wouldn't have resorted to this!"

Ranran then breathed a heavy sigh. She whispered, "Am I evil like them now? Cause I'm scared. I am scared of becoming like them."

The Boy hugged her tightly, "No you are not, Ranran, you are never going to be like them. Believe in me."

...........

After listening to such a dark tale, Emiko was speechless.

Naturally assuming Ranran has such a dark past is one thing, but this story blew up all of her expectations. First of all, Ranran is unusually young when it happened, so Emiko couldn't imagine how she was able to handle such guilt.

Also, the hell with children attempting to drown Ranran who was then 4! What is wrong with them? Didn't Junko say that Edgewood Academy is a school filled with nobility and royalty!? Where did all of their mannerisms go when all of this is happening!?

"Anywhere I go, I am reminded that this is a dog-eat-dog world out there," The founder formed a bitter smile, before finally ending the story with, "In life, he shared that either one gets eaten or you bite them back. The question about this story isn't about morality, but mostly about who deserved better: You either let the person you hate live a fulfilling life while you suffer at your expense, or fight back. It's ok...to be selfish."

Having stood up away from her seat, she greeted her goodbyes before leaving the artist to solemnly think about her words.

........

While Ranran was on her way back to the HQ, she was surprised to witness this scene before her.

Watching Amaya being dragged by Takuma down the school hallway as other kids quietly observe, she was reminded of Shinichi's phase 2 plan.

The one thing he learns while working for Ranran is that she always punishes people by taking the thing they value the most. And with his experience in Tantei association, even before all of this while working alongside her, he put that investigation experience to good use for those two siblings.

Initially, when Ranran read through phase 2 of this plan, her first response was that this is going to ruin every aspect of Suzuki Sonoko's life in the worst way possible, calling it a 'massacre plan'. The sole purpose of this plan is to imply that the Suzuki family is involved in the such disgusting activity. In a way, it is misleading others to think that Sonoko is such a disgusting person, even more so towards the siblings.

Honestly, reading this made Ranran wonder what sort of torment Sonoko put him through to push him this far of sanity!? Is this those anime moments where one faces a traumatic moment, their powers awakened at their peak!?

Judging this, Ranran is certain that is the case,

Where her friend is taking him, she ain't certain, but she knows Amaya is about to be tortured in the worst way possible.

This level of scheming... is almost equally matched to the founder. But Shinichi didn't care, he justified the amount of suffering Sonoko is about to endure can never be as bad as Ranran's time leading the funeral procession, let alone, what she put him through.

Upon entering the office, Shinichi is a little surprised to see his mentor after the commotion, but then decides it was time to do 'The Final act', this one he will need Ranran's help.

.......

Back in the principal's office, Ran is being scolded in the worst way possible. "Mouri Ran! How could you be as cruel as a devil!?"

Eri continues, to which Ran attempt to reply, "Okaasan, I can explain—"

"Explain what!? By justifying Suzuki's bullying towards those two!? Have you lost your bloody mind?" curses Eri.

In her 6 years of life, her mother scarcely used the vulgarity, "Okaasan, you don't understand—"

"What part do I not understand!? There is video evidence of your friend setting up a plan to not only make Ranran's life miserable but also manipulate Shinichi into hating her! And instead of apologising you defended her for all the things she did to them!"

"I..."

"The worst part out of all of this was that you pushed him to Ranran, and you had the audacity to blame Ranran!? What is wrong with you!?" If looks could kill, her soul would shatter at the core and she wish a sinkhole would open below her and swallow her. "Are you really my daughter?! What happen to my daughter who used to be gentle and docile!? When did you become this...twisted psychopath the way you are!?"

Ran give no reply, for it was pointless arguing with her mother who is a lawyer.

Her dad is recuperating now in the hospital in one of his recent detective cases as a private investigator today, so when her mother who was on an overseas working trip at that time got the phonecall, she confronted her daughter upon getting an express ticket back to Japan since yesterday.

Eri was livid, why is her daughter becoming a child she barely knows?

"Okaasan, I may be in the wrong for defending Sonoko, but how could you...how could you call me a psychopath when Ranran is clearly one?!" Ran a challenge in reply.

"Are you not?! From the moment you joined the association, you never stopped harassing them, especially that poor Shinichi boy! I always wondered why he kept sticking closely to Ranran, but after watching that video, if I were him I would be no different either!"

Ran's face reddens in anger. Did he have to take things too far?!

Dragging her parents into this mess, let alone, her best friend's reputation to the mud with lies...Kudo Shinichi has taken things too far! No, she decided, before, he never was like this. He became this twisted because of that she-demon! Kudo Ranran!

With all of this running through her head, she was about to point out to her mother when Ranran did this, a man stormed over to the office to call the principal, "Sir, I think there is a video uploaded by that Kudo boy, should we do something about it?"

"Video, what video?"

"It's..."The vice-principal was reluctant to share any further, in front of mother and daughter no less.

.......

With the profile pic of Tantei Association appearing under the video setting, it's time he nailed them to the grave!

Placing the Ipad Pro before him, he makes his first-ever live stream announcement while Ranran stood behind the Tablet, watching the first ever 'Denouncement' video shared under their school confession sight, something that he knew all the kids hung out online to share their personal stories anonymously.

"A very good afternoon to everyone, this is 'The Wolf' of the association speaking." Shinichi's voice had to turn distorted thanks to the voice changer, "Recently, it had come to my attention that there have been several malicious allegations against my mentor, painting her as an unsavoury girl who is manipulating me. It's funny when the true manipulator is none other than my own friends, or should I say former? Whatever, I doubt they understand the word 'former'."

"Oooh....burn!" Takuma cringed in his girlfriend's office, and so did Moriko and Reina, watching all of this on Moriko's smartphone. So were all the kids in school.

"Not long ago, one of the 'former' who is a member of the association sabotaged my phone, apparently, it did harm, since it resulted in my mentor being unable to call for help which later led to a kidnapping of three members. Apparently, 'she' can't seem to let me be happy with my present life with my mentor, so she did just that brazenly."

A sea of gasps and horror followed, even Eri who is listening to this was shocked.

" 'She'?" One of the kids outside the principal office could be heard wondering, "Who is 'she'?"

"Wait, let me guess," Another boy standing next to him figures, " 'The Wolf' we are assuming is Kudo Shinichi since he is the only one we know of in the whole school that calls Ranran 'mentor'. It can't be Emiko, since she had no feelings for him and is too busy with her artist career on the recent posting of that ruby case. Not that Fuyuko girl, her eyes are only on Michio. There are only 4 girls, which means he must be referring to Mouri!"

"It made sense now!" Ran's mother was appalled the more she hears of their interaction, "She always kept harassing Ranran and him, especially since everyone knows that she gets jealous easily over her for all the wrong reasons."

"Harassment!? Jealousy-what?! Mouri Ran!" Eri angrily whipped her head to confront her pale daughter, "What is the meaning of this!? Did you-did you just tampered with Shinichi's phone to prevent Ranran from calling for help!?"

"I...I..." Right now, Ran knows she is being put to the corner of the wall, with no way out.