Paradise restaurant certainly lived up to its name, in a way, one to stare into an endless ocean of no return.

Unlike Osteria, the restaurant is outdoors and a bit on the windy side. Above all, it was unusually cosy and clean. In a way, it was a restaurant where a lot of wealthy adults mingle, some even would go as far as to describe it as a genuine 'Paradise', a place where people would dine in to escape the busy city life. But dining here is costly.

Even so, for Kudo Shinichi, it is a small price to pay to lift Ranran's mood up.

Initially, convincing Shinichi's mom who is overseas with his dad to send him some money through the e-wallet was difficult, as she grew suspicious over why her son suddenly requested that amount. It wasn't a million yen, but she had to know.

Now Shinichi could've taken her somewhere affordable, but what was supposed to be the happiest occasion of saving that King of Ruby's case by dining in a luxury restaurant, turn sour because of petty jealously. And he felt like she deserves it far more than anyone he knows of.

Even though Yukiko knew about Sonoko having done the worst to her son and Ranran, she had no idea how Mouri Ran was the main reason because Shinichi intentionally left this detail out. The reason why he didn't share a thing about their bad blood with his mother, was fear that his mother would side with Ran since she knew her longer than the founder. The same way Mouri did to him with Rokuro, he did not want Ranran to be cast aside by his mother, the same way how Ran did to him.

Finally, after sharing the account of Ran's speaking ill of Ranran during their earlier dinner, as well as the things she did to Ranran and him, she agreed to have her husband send the money over to him to spend on their dinner, much to his surprise.

In her own words while speaking over the phone, "Ranran deserved the best of the best. What Ran did was uncalled for, wishing people to die!? I could've assumed that boy Takuma, Ranran's friend, could've said such a thing. I am shocked, are you sure this is the same girl from the Mouri family? Also, poor Ranran...I swear her life has been hard ever since moving to Japan."

Before he knew it, she told him to cheer the poor girl up before reassuring him that she will get to the bottom of this. This put Shinichi at ease, although his mother can be a bit of a free spirited woman, she is unwavering when it comes to injustice.

"I can see why they liked it here. It's peaceful," Shinichi propped himself on the bar that separates him from the sea, shortly after finishing his other dinner with Ranran.

"It is beautiful, and yet...dark," she agrees as she looks out over the water, "Once a person is swallowed by the depth of the sea, one is left with nothing but emptiness."

Shinichi just stared at her in silence. "Sounds like someone went through such a phase."

Ranran trained her sight towards the dark sea. "I think if we were to put us side by side, Mouri too was no different." Ranran suddenly said.

"Eh?"

"You and Sonoko were her whole world, but then when you started to notice all of the lies and deception that blind sighted you and you left to save yourself, it's no surprise why she went all out to get you back to restore that old happiness. Even if it means wanting me dead, if this method gets you back permanently, so be it for her."

With the swish-swash sounds coming from the sea, he brought up, "Well, she isn't technically alone since she still has one brain cell friend with her. Sonoko is her favourite friend between me and her, and she defended her despite knowing the harm she did to me and you."

"That may be so, but in my opinion, I felt that she preferred you over Sonoko, otherwise, why she even went as far as to pray for my death? Let alone, refused to leave the association?" Now it was his turn to go silent. "But no matter how hard she pities herself, it can never match up to the similar situation as I dealt with back then when I was four. To me, that mentor who died... was all I had. When he died, I literally was left with nothing by the time I moved here."

There was a long silence. "I am actually surprised you didn't react much, even after all the things she said and done towards you. Cause it if were me..." Shinichi shook his head at no one in particular.

"To be honest...when I became The Fox even before Sonoko did that to me, I have grown used to kids wanting me to die."

"EH!?" Shinichi snapped his head at her, "Really!?"

"Well, I had to ruin lives. That's why."

"Ruin-wait," Shinichi recalled of his conversation with Amelia, before confronting, "I thought you used to be an apprentice of some child who wanted to become a lawyer of something according to Amelia."

"Ah no," Ranran responded with a head shaking in denial, "My mentor ran a revenge online agency back then. My job was to dig out whether the client's accusation over that person is true, and if so, I ruin them in the worst way unimaginable."

"You ruin...what!?" This revelation chased the smile from Shinichi's face much like it had. He was not expecting this.

"When you are in a school filled with nobles and royalties with that amount of political power, contracts are a common thing even among kids like us. But sometimes, people violate such rules by discovering loopholes. For me, my job is to do the same, discover loopholes but in a way, it benefits the client. Of course, all of this involved tons of money and humiliation. So the one who suffers under us usually wanted us dead in the worst way possible, especially me."

"You? Then what about your mentor? Why not him?"

"My mentor has been homeschooled for a long while when we first met, and he couldn't really do most of the practical work thanks to his abusive mother putting him under such horrible jam-packed schedules for an upcoming pianist. We interact mostly through smartphones when we take in a client's case, so even if one is to meet the client face to face, it's all through me. Thanks to that, it was obvious that our clients' enemies wanted me dead in the worst way possible." Ranran thoughtfully tap her chin, "Initially, they left comments. When that didn't work, they tried to figure out my identity."

"And did it work?"

"So and so," Ranran thinks, "It got messy up to a point, I think someone tried to take a knife to school to stab me."

"Wait, stab!? With a knife!?" Shinichi grew wide in horror, "And yet, you still continue to work as The Fox!? Despite this?! And how old you were at that time?! 3? 4?"

"3, some of them even went as far as to record videos or audios of their death threats and emailed them to our website, this was when we started to receive our third major case. Initially, I did consider leaving, but then when I thought of the fact that I would lose all those perks that came with the job by becoming The Fox, I grew horrified and taught myself to get used to the threats within a week and continued on. Just to keep my sanity."

"A week!? Grow used to the threats-no!" Shinichi blinked profusely before proceeding to ask, "What is so great about the perks that you disregard their threats!?"

She then looked at him. "Injustice. What do you think of this word, Shinichi?"

Shinichi knew the question was rhetorical, but guessed, "I see it as cruel."

"Exactly,"Ranran's eyes glossed over, recalling the memory. "When you lose it and it is beyond fixing, you do whatever you can to fix it. Anonymity is one of the perks I needed in order to maintain power."

"Hah?! Power?" He grew more confused than ever.

"In my old school, the rule is not on the guideline, but if you are born from a lower rank family, having caught attacking a kid of higher rank, you are guaranteed to be into serious trouble since the family of the higher rank will guarantee to give you a hard time. Even if the higher rank kid is in the wrong, you are never going to defeat them. With this Fox mask, I can get away with punishing them since no one knows who I really am."

By this point, Shinichi is speechless. At the same time, however, Ranran wasn't completely in the wrong. He has heard stories of morally corrupted kids from privileged backgrounds, and this problem is something common, as they are raised in an environment where they are brought up believing the world is their oyster. That mentality itself does not exclude hurting other children they dislike.

Wait, Ranran said she didn't want to lose out on the perk to punish them? Why did it matter to her if she doesn't get to?

"It matters to me, cause you have to remember that I belonged to a school surrounded by self-entitled children who have money and power to protect their evil deeds. With this mask, I had to shed my anger elsewhere to keep my sanity." She answers as if she knew he was going to ask that, before ending it with, "I think those experiences taught me to no longer fear any death threats since. It's a plus point to no longer fear a thing."

Thinking back to the parkour incident when he confronted her over framing him, her statement made sense to him. She is a free-spirited girl after all. In a way, he finds that impressive. But then the death threat part she taught herself to get used to...this sounds very disturbing even for him.

He is now doubting that even a free-spirited child would go this far to achieve their goals. A normal kid would just avoid it and live in peace. But Ranran however chooses to confront them head-on despite their death threats, he has no idea whether this is a good or a bad thing. On one hand, it made her tougher, but on the other...it made her a cynical child.

A little disillusioned by all of this in silence, he responded, "I don't think it's good...to not have a single fear."

"Pardon?" Ranran asked, taking in Shinichi's hostile demeanour and noting just how out of place anger looked on the boy, not at her, but at something.

"No longer fearing..." Shinichi strummed his fingers on the bar before giving his partner a side glance, "It just makes you underestimate others without realizing the consequences that come with it. Sure, it gives you superiority and leads you to become successful in your job as a detective, but it also makes you an open target. Since you can't tell whether that person is dangerous or not." Realization sank in for him, "It probably explains why Mamiko went after you in the first place, for costing her spot as student head council. Let alone Ran and Sonoko. Because of that lack of fear."

Recalling her conversation about Shinichi's 1st birthday party going horribly wrong, she looks back at him, "Then, would you not wish to have no fear when it came to that man you threw in prison with?"

That blew his lids wide open, "Wait, how did you know about the man at the party? Although I shared about it, I don't recall telling you anything about the man."

"Emiko told me, I asked about it since she was worried about our 'feud'," Ranran shrugs.

"Eh, so that happens huh...?"Shinichi shook his head wearily, "I mean...yeah, I mean I would trade for that. But I wouldn't want that to be permanent."

"Don't get me wrong, but that man sounded like a disgusting pervert." Ranran frowned, "I have a lot of questions about this birthday party. Like, you seem like the type to keep to yourself, unlike that dramatic Sonoko. Why did you decide to throw a party at that time?"

Initially hesitating to share a thing about this, he decided to let it all out, "The decision was beyond my control, it was our grandparents who insist."

"Eh!?" Ranran blinked in shock.

"In the Kudo family tradition, they usually do so the same way your late great grandmother did with your birthday party, which is to network among the adults," Shinichi explained.

"Yeah, I know that, but I mean-"

"Why didn't I argue no? I did, Ranran, I did," Shinichi guessed, "Even my parents agreed, but the grandparents ended up guilt-tripping my parents into throwing me one, out of concern that I had no friend around the age of 4, my parents reluctantly agree."

"Woah...I have no words." Ranran's words died out at that before almost forgetting to ask, "Was Ran and Sonoko at that party?"

"No, I wasn't transferred to the same kindergarten with those two yet, I studied under a different one back then," He shook his head at her once more.

"Oh...then those kids who were at your party...oh man," Ranran wasn't stupid, she knew how meddlesome the adults in the Kudo family were. Considering Shinichi's nature, it was obvious he was set up for playdates to mingle with kids his age, in an attempt to fit him into normalcy. Especially, kids, their grandparents are interested in making connections with them for future business endeavours.

This made her wonder, ".....hold on, from what I remembered you telling me, those kids barely even know you. Why would they go to your birthday party then? Ain't birthdays all about surrounding yourself with love ones?"

"My mother invited celebrities over, that is why," He huffed, "Since the budget fell on grandmother and grandfather, she had the time of her life. Although those noble children had the money in the world to invite them over for their parties, it was easier through their mother because they have been friends with them. I thought you should've known since yours were no different."

"Yeah, but the people who were invited at my birthday party, at least the kids who were invited happen to be those I know of for several months.  But for you, you barely knew any of them, not even a single kid," Ranran shook her head as she still feel cringed thinking about it, "Would you rather wish that they don't appear for your birthday?"

"Yes, I rather they never show up and leave me all alone, as they did at the beginning. Instead, they were busy swarming around those whatever entertainers and performers hired to do for photos."

"You said 'at the beginning '?" Ranran brings up that quote, "So they actually did?"

"At least I have to give them credit that they were although cold to me, they behaved well. And they didn't bother me. That was until...that man told lies about me to them, that I was an attention seeker, and that it be better if they do whatever they want and ignore me. It's better to not let me celebrate my birthday happily by taking everything in this party, literally everything."

Hearing all of this, Ranran felt something was off with the man's actions. It sounded petty for him to do this to a 4-year-old Shinichi at that time, especially on his own birthday. Why would he do that? According to Emiko, this man was loved, even though his mother was fostered by the Kudo family and had no blood relations to the Kudo family.

But it also dawned on the founder that the man is a sicko when it came to children.

"Hang on, this sounds all too familiar," Ranran suddenly said, "The lies that were told about you to those kids at your own birthday party...it's similar as..."

Suddenly, chills went up to Ranran.

Of course, it was very similar to what Mamiko was planning to do to Shinichi. Isolating him from his age group, his grandparents pestering Shinichi's parents to throw a birthday party, the man trying to comfort him...this is child grooming! In other words, that man planned all of this party to do the viellist thing one would attempt to do to a child!

Sensing his mentor was able to put it together, he sighs with a smile, "As expected from The Fox, you didn't need to think hard in order to put things together."

"No way...." Ranran felt sick, she genuinely did.

"So they played around themselves, ate up all of the food and push me aside when I ate the birthday cake, stirring away from me when I told them not to be in rooms they ain't allowed to be in and told me to leave, on my birthday.....as if I wanted to invite those said hooligans."

"Damn, where the hell are the adults doing when all of this is going on?!"

"Being star struck by the celebrities my parents invited over. Too busy to look after us."

"...what a psychopathic yet calculative pyscho.....you must have had the worst birthday ever." Ranran huffed, but in sympathy for her apprentice. At the same time, felt disgusted by those children who were present at the party. Are those kids really that dumb and ignorant as Mouri Ran?

"It would've been if it wasn't for my saviour."

"Eh?! Savior!?"

"If you think about it...I was not even as closely intelligent as you when I was 4, not till I entered kindergarten," Shinichi was a little inferior at that, considering Ranran was achieving far ahead than he was after hearing stories from Amelia, "A day before the party, I received tons of early birthday gifts"

"Eh!? Why!?" Ranran cocked her head.

"There is a reason for that," He confirmed before the two stared into the dark ocean, "My mother loves sharing about her personal life with the world, including me. So everyone knew about my love for mystery novels. A day before my birthday, my father received tons of fan gifts. One of them that stood out was an 8-year-boy who fell in love with one of my dad's works, let alone, is glad that someone like me exists."

"Heh? Why is that?"

"According to my father, he said bookworms like me were frowned upon in the place where he was living in. To pay homage to my love for mystery, he gifted me a letter he instructed my dad to give to me. Said it is a website with some clues he made for me, that only I can decipher."

"A site? What sort of site?" Her eyebrows were raised, growing curious about the site's existence.

"It was a Holmes site, and honestly, whoever it is who made it, he did a bloody good job. I was very amazed at how beautiful the site looked," Shinichi struggled to recall how the site looked, "I can't remember in exact detail, mostly because of the message that later came with it later."

With a pause, Ranran sensed whatever Shinichi is about to drop, it ain't good news.

"The site had a countdown timer, by exactly 12am on May 4th. When I look at all of this through the laptop, the first words that came out were, " Gathering his composure, he speaks in English to Ranran, "'Kudo Shinichi, you may not have known this, but for your upcoming birthday party, you are going to fall prey to that man you dislike'. Oh yeah, he even attached the name of the man. Then typed in full detail report on the site over how he had schemed for this party to happen."

Ranran's jaw dropped in response, ain't this a death threat rather than a letter from a savior!? Also, Shinichi was 4 at that time, and he was no closer to doing the things she did back in her old school to evoke such a response.

"I felt sick initially, and was going to call out my dad, thinking it must have been that man, till the words scrambled and another message appeared, this time, it gave me two doors, left and right." Two fingers showed before the founder, "The first one I opened...it was a video of a Reichenbach falling scene between Holmes and Moriarty, where Moriarty pushed Holmes down all the way to the depths of the waterfall. My head as a 4-year-old is edited on Holmes, while that man's head on Moriaty..."

"Damn..." Ranran's eyes remained startled, and at the same time, wondered who is this kid who had all the time in the world to do such editing.

"The right door...was my escape route," Observing her gaped, the apprentice reveals, "It details how I should execute the plan, and as I was reading it, one of the terms require me to sacrifice a horrible evil child who lacks any qualities of redemption, he or she would be one of the guests who would be attending my birthday party. He even attached the name list of those children and their deeds. Needless to say..."

It took a moment for the meaning to sink in, and her heart dropped. "No, you did not..." Ranran's piercing blue eyes gaze settled on Shinichi's uneasy expression.

"I was desperate, not a single family member, not even my own parents believed a word regarding that man's deeds. I did not have a good sleep leading up to the birthday party, you can bet on that."

So someone out there...made 4-year-old Shinichi...pick a victim in his stead?

Who is it...who is this kid out there who made Shinichi do this?

Then Ranran was hit with an epiphany. As much as she didn't want to dwell on it too much, for some reason, the person who drafted this plan....reminded her of her late mentor. It was cleverly orchestrated, and only he was capable of such a feat. Ranran use to admire this part of 'The Boy' a lot, although it was wickedly and cruel in nature.

But then more questions filled her head, if 'he' did this, why?

In the projector, it revealed that Shinichi remained out of harm's way from that man with his quick wit. The man was only exposed through another separate incident later, after 11 years later. Why did 'he' interfere? Did 'he'...notice something?

Deciding to distract from the question itself, Ranran poses another question, "Who did you pick? This sacrificial lamb?"

"A boy who ate up the majority of my birthday cake, or he seems to be the leader of the kids who orchestrated ruining my birthday party after being poisoned with lies by that man. I couldn't stomach the idea of sacrificing girls, and he was really hateful when he taunted me alongside the others. He love to come around in flamboyant clothes, and kept bragging to everyone about how he was eventually going to become CEO of his dad's company and make our grandparents 'slaves', since he is a 'rainbow baby', everyone must kneel to him. Not sure what that meant when he brought up 'rainbow baby'." Shinichi tilts his head to the side.

"Ah, I know that term," Ranran figured it out, "My mother explained this to me before, rainbow baby, a kid that is born healthy, after the biological mother gives birth to several babies who died under sad circumstances, such as miscarriage for example. It basically makes him a 'miracle'. It's common for parents to spoil their rainbow kid, because they assumed they are never going to have the chance of becoming parents."

"So that is what it meant, huh?" Shinichi started to feel bad about it after learning the meaning of this term and throws his arms up, helplessly. "Oh, man...I should've picked another kid besides him. I choose him because he was being a tyrant on my own birthday."

"Don't bother, your birthday is meant to be the happiest day of your parents' life, especially yourself," Ranran justifies in a ruthless tone, "I would've done the same thing like you anyway, as long as he does harm to others by rubbing their authority, he is signing his death warrant to that monster. Even if he was someone's son that took months or years to get, if their parents couldn't be bothered to discipline him, then I will do it in their stead."

Sensing her bitter tone, Shinichi noted, "It sounded as if you had settled this sort of moral dilemma before."

"I had 2 years of experience to prove it," Ranran grins, which made him a little disturbed over what sort of life did she lead before coming here.

"I guess for you it's easier to decide," Feeling remorseful about it, he shared his woes with his mentor who isn't judging him, "When that man was finally exposed doing those sickening 'things' to him...that kid was so badly humiliated and traumatized, he quit kindergarten and was homeschooled since.  Oh yeah, last I heard of him, grandfather told me he rarely comes out of his bedroom anymore and kept scratching anyone who approach him closely. Including his own mother. He was...like a feral cat, waiting to attack."

Ranran felt no sympathy for the boy in question, switches the following question, "If you could go back in time, would you want to be the sacrificial lamb? To live with such trauma instead of him? Be reminded that your birthday is 'Trauma day' every single year? Also, judging that boy's attitude, the way you described it...I felt like you not doing so could've led him to bully more children into obeying him."

"You think so?"

"Also, Tantei Association wouldn't even exist from the start, because you wouldn't have had the courage to leave Ran and Sonoko thanks to this trauma. But above all of this, is that man still roaming around, targeting kids like us as prey. You had to do so to ensure no other child gets harm ever again, and that itself is difficult. You were not evil, you are just fed up no one is taking you seriously, or else you wouldn't had resort to this. In a way...you are defending yourself from becoming a victim, the way I see it."

Shinichi nods in understanding, his mouth set in a grim line. "You had a point."

"Did your parents take you to see therapy? Also, is the family aware that you schemed this? Plus, is Ran and Sonoko aware of this?"

"Yes, no and no," He shook his head once more, "Although the family encourage me to share to prevent such things from befalling another kid, I didn't have the heart to because I did scheme to get that man into serious trouble. And I had fear that kids would exclude me for being an evil kid. Anyway, who would believed me anyway that a 4-year-old boy was capable of scheming this far? And yeah, our grandparents footed the bill for therapy. Our family therapist is aware," Shinichi chuckled, feeling thankful at that, "He told me it wasn't my fault that I had to schemed this far to protect myself, since the adults were being manipulated by the man. But it was difficult to accept, in a way...I felt like a bad kid. His parents are furious at me, but they had no prove I was behind it. My family believed in me wholeheartedly I was innocent, and had all ties cut from them since."

No, Ranran doubts the family wasn't aware about Shinichi scheming all of this to flee from that man. 

Otherwise, when the school contacted the family about those damning allegations against Suzuki and Mamiko's pervert plans coming from Shinichi, they adults wouldn't have sounded adamant on wanting severe punishments onto those girls, despite their shared history with their son. It was as if Shinichi was reliving trauma all over again, especially the same vile kind is unacceptable. And they didn't doubt him one bit when he said things about Sonoko. So it's no surprise they were not going to spare the rod onto his former friends, even though they accepted them like their own children.

"And so, what was the plan like? To exposed the man?" Ranran asks.

"First, he instructed me to play the part of the lonely yet annoying boy who is clingy, did my best act and pleaded like a desperate beggar till it drove them mad. He mentioned that the group of kids were already brainwashed by that man, so it should be alright for me." A tiny gust of wind blew his bangs gently, "A kid who acts out beyond normal usually tip their parents that something is going on with their child. Since the kids are tricked into thinking I was a bad child, it was a chaotic recipe for disaster. I push up my act so convincingly, that things begin to spiral out of control and as I expected, my parents were beginning to notice something was off with me when one of them push me to the ground on the floor."

"Wait a minute, then what about that sacrificial lamb? How did that happen?"

"On the website, that boy detailed to me that this man would hand me a drink and a sliced cake, I would accept it, then the 'worst' would happen, not sure what that meant, but I fore sure didn't want that 'worst' to happen to me." He dismisses the thought in disgust, "It was going to happen during the cake-cutting ceremony, so I had no way of rejecting it, especially when our grandparents invited the press over. But I pretended to drink, then while everyone's eyes were on that man announcing the party to begin, I pretentiously walked up to that boy by 'accident', then he greedily noticed my cake and drink then snatch it away for me."

"Damn...I don't know whether to feel bad for that kid or be impressed that you were capable to do such a thing at the age of 4."She was amused before wondering, "How was this man caught later on?"

"Oh, that?" He grew baffled at that, "I still couldn't figure out how that happened later on, because I later retired to my bedroom and then locked myself away, I was busy fake crying to get everyone to leave," He rub his chin in a thoughtful position, "And when my parents tried to get me out, another scream broke out. My father later revealed to me later on that...we won't be seeing that man anymore, because the adults later found out that boy was discovered to have his clothes looked dishevelled, and so was that man. Together, in a pantry. That boy was banging the door, screaming at the top of his lungs to be free, said that man did 'things' to him. Which was odd, because he was a very cautious man, and the last thing he would've done is to do something like that, especially in a mansion with so many people.."

Ranran covered her mouth, appalled by the dark revelations from that birthday party.

"There was also another thing I did not see it coming: While he was in prison, doctors diagnose him to have some hereditary gene defect in his head, which started out through his biological mother and father, and later led him on fantasizing about wanting to do 'things' to a kid. When grandmother got word of it, she was livid to the core. It felt as if it was her fault. Had she not adopted his mother, had she known about this medical defect, this incident wouldn't had happen to him, let alone, almost to me. She also felt that the orphanage scammed her, for intentionally hiding this medical condition away from her before adopting his mom. Hence, the rules of adoption were later banned for life within the Kudo family since. Not because out of bitter memories, but rather, out of safety precautions."

Shinichi was letting out a self-deprecating laugh when another gust of wind blew directly into his face as if it was mocking his life. "You know, after that incident, I was stupid to think that there will be a rainbow at the end of this hell, especially after dealing with that man," He made eye contact with Ranran, "But I was naive about the future now I looked back. And I have Mamiko, Ran and Sonoko to prove that."

Ranran said nothing, she gaze down at the rough seas while digesting all of this information.

"I guess that is why...I desired to be a detective more than anything thanks to this. I wanted to escape the grim fate that almost befall me. I wanted...to restore that same fairness I used to believe in while I am still growing up in this world," He gazes into the sea, "But then, somewhere along the way...I was misguided and lost. Then Sonoko and Mamiko happened, then Ran, then...finding out you were living a better life than me despite what you did to me...I guess yeah, I was tired. I wanted to see a bad person lose in a battle like those anime shows for once in the world I live in. But I guess...I was asking too much. Towards the end, I was so caught up in wanting that, I too end up becoming a bad kid without realizing."

Ranran doesn't say anything in response, his head still facing away from her. "And for that, I am true, sorry."

"It's alright." She reassured before adding, "You were being duped by them."

They turn to face each other and Ranran can see that even though he seemed at peace from afar, he looks....tired. "No, it's not," Shinichi insists, "I may have been duped, but it does not give me the right to mistreat you that way, I deserved it."

Earning a pause from the girl to his surprise, she said, "I am sorry too."

"Eh? For what?"

"The day when you broke into my house, I accused you of wanting to seek adventures out of a detective novel to cope with your boredom. I didn't even know you at that time, and ended up saying all of that out of anger." She swallows and he watches her struggle to admit, "Even the earlier stage feud, even if it was staged, it shouldn't go overboard."

The soft wind blows around them, cutting through the wildflowers and she thinks she hears voices echoing on the breeze.

"I'm sorry too, Ranran." There is so much more that needs to be said between them. So much that needs to be worked through and fixed. But they will get there, eventually. A pained look crosses his face, "For saying things like 'I shouldn't have trusted you'. Even though I was being manipulated by those 3 girls, I should've known better. That wasn't an excuse not to trust you."

The roaring of blood in her ears reminded her of the sound of crashing waves.

Before he knows it, he hears hear a heavy sigh, "Ranran, is something wrong?"

Ranran didn't meet his eyes. "It's just..." she sighed and looked up to meet Shinichi's gaze. "Have you considered the worst outcome that is coming out of your phase 2 plan? After what you did to Mamiko and Sonoko?"

Shinichi looked confused. "Why, are you worried about those girls coming after you?"

When Ranran's eyes scanned through the contents of Shinichi's phase 2 plan, especially the part where he frames Sonoko's family for Mamiko's mother's deeds as a dominatrix, she shared her concerns that this was dragging in Sonoko's innocent family who did nothing wrong to him.

But then he mentioned to her that day, "You were innocent during the funeral procession incident, as well as your funeral anniversary for your mentor. Even the part where she used your name as 'The Fox' to discourage me, although this part is true,  it will not change the fact that if you were not, it was done with malicious intent. She needs to be disciplined, the only way is through her family. If we keep on punishing her through money, she will not care anymore. You need to strike it where it hurts the most besides using money."

Although Sonoko is now severely bullied in the worst way unimaginable for a child, he had no regrets with how things are turning out now. She no longer has the time to pester him, but that isn't as important as sparing Ranran from her harassment. 

As for Ran, without Sonoko's protection, although he knows she will survive the physically bullying since she has martial arts skills, he knows she isn't emotionally equipped as Ranran when it came to taunts. Adding in Ran's unsupported parents discouraging her to leave the association, plus the entire school hating on Ran since she didn't break her ties with Sonoko while still insisting Ranran is manipulating them, he can foresee her leaving in a few months time.

"We may need to prepare for the worst outcome. That Mamiko might...drag Rokuro over." To say Shinichi was angry was an understatement the moment he heard her utter that pest's name, but she ignored his expression, "Hear me out, that video you got someone to send it to our association's website...is the reason why Mamiko lost everything, girls like her...if one loses everything, they will go for the kill, and they won't stop till the very end. Let's not forget her family still has money. If we studied how she calculative kill those cats..."

"Ranran," Shinichi spoke up, his voice low and serious, "That will never happen, not on my watch."

"Eh?"

"I looked into it, although Rokuro's family is financially dirt poor now thanks to...interventions. To make sure she couldn't use him as pawn, I had the family froze all of her family assets temporarily so she can't bribe him with money. Even if he wants to go after me, he better be prepared. He has no idea what else I am capable of besides framing Mamiko and Sonoko as a pervert. Trust me on that. Also, I got word that the mansion they were living in...they were kicked out after hearing about the mother's occupation," He snickered in glee at that, "It turns out they had no idea about the mother's occupation, but then when the press turned up the heat, the entire neighborhood ostracized the family and kicked them out of the neighborhood. So they are temporarily living in the slums. Plus, I got word they tried to sell of the mansion for money, but no one wants to purchase it thanks to...our family. So for the time being, you leave this to me."

For whatever reason, she trusted him in those words.

Staring at his determination, Ranran formed an amused smile. It didn't explain everything, but it was certainly a good start. "Alright, Shinichi. I will rely on you on that."

Right now, it was as if Shinichi is proclaiming undevoted loyalty to Ranran, and she is a little stunned by this. But she likes it for some reason, with this devotion, the future of the association is starting to become a little brighter.