That day on a Monday afternoon after that accident, the weather was calm, enough to go horseback riding.

At first, the children rode round the indoor school – a sand-floored barn about the size of a tennis court – on a set of shaggy ponies, who followed each other nose to tail.

Rika the horse instructor kept calling, "Heels down, shoulders back, elbows in!"

It was surprisingly difficult for the class of 1-A since they had no skills in learning how to get the horse to walk and then to trot.

Well, the same can't be said for 6-year-old Kudo Ranran.

As they started to ride, Ranran effortlessly guided her horse in a perfect circle, heels down and shoulders back, with a big grin on her face. She was a natural, and everyone could see it. Even Rika was impressed, "Wow, Ranran, you've got quite a talent for this!"

Sonoko, who was struggling to get her horse to move, glared at Ranran. "Of course, she's good at everything. It's not fair!"

Their sensei couldn't help but chuckle at Sonoko's jealousy. "Come on, Sonoko, let's just focus on getting our own ponies to move," she said, trying to lighten the mood, but it did little to.

Had Sonoko even dug deep that the prestigious Edgewood Academy Ranran used to study in offers courses on how to ride horses, perhaps she should've known than to look down on Ranran's hatred towards camping.

As the lesson went on, Sonoko became more and more frustrated with her horse. It wouldn't move when she wanted it to, and when it did move, it went in the wrong direction. She tried kicking it and pulling on the reins, but nothing seemed to work.

Ranran, on the other hand, was still having a great time, laughing and chatting with the other kids as they rode. Her horse seemed to understand her every command, and she effortlessly led it through various exercises.

And the worst part out of all of this was she is riding with Shinichi side by side.

Which was a huge surprise, because for someone who never once rode a horse, he was able to ride well.

Everyone watched as Shinichi confidently guided his horse around the arena, his posture and movements smooth and controlled. It was clear that he was a quick learner, picking up on Rika's instructions with ease.

"Hey, Shinichi, are you sure you never once rode a horse before?" Ranran called out to him, impressed.

Shinichi smiled, "I'm sure. But I used to watch a lot of Western movies, so I guess I picked up a thing or two."

Ranran chuckled, "Well, you're a natural, just like me!"

Sonoko rolled her eyes at their conversation and continued to struggle with her horse, feeling more and more frustrated with every passing minute. She couldn't help but feel jealous of Ranran and Shinichi's natural abilities, but she didn't want to admit it.

Meanwhile, Takuma and Reina rode their own horses with ease, enjoying the experience. Takuma, who had gone on the holidays back in South Korea with his maternal family, was comfortable on horseback and knew how to handle the reins. Reina, on the other hand, had never ridden a horse before, but she was a quick learner. She listened carefully to Rika's instructions and watched as Takuma led his horse through the various exercises.

As they rode around the arena, Takuma couldn't help but notice how well Reina was doing. "You're a natural, Reina," he said, impressed.

Reina smiled, feeling proud of herself. "Thanks, Takuma. I'm really enjoying this."

Suddenly, Reina's horse came to a stop and refused to move. She kicked it gently with her heels, but it still wouldn't budge.

Takuma chuckled, "Looks like your horse has a mind of its own."

Reina frowned, "What do I do now?"

Ranran who had been watching from the sidelines with Shinichi, then came over to help with her horse. "It is doing that because it is sensing you are nervous, Rei-san." Ranran pointed out.

"Eh!?"

"Horses can tell if you are confident or not. So let them know who is the boss so that they can't mess with you. That is what Ranran taught me," Shinichi insists.

Reina nodded to the two, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She tightened her grip on the reins and kicked the horse harder, determined to get it to move. To everyone's surprise, the horse finally obeyed and started walking again, much to Reina's relief.

Takuma laughed, "See? You did it!"

Reina grinned, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "I guess I'm not so bad after all."

Speaking of which, Sonoko can't help but wonder how her best friend Mouri Ran is doing with the horse.

Spoiler alert: She wasn't any better than Sonoko.

"Come on, horsey, let's go this way," Mouri Ran was struggling with her horse, trying to get it to move in the direction she wanted by pulling on the reins.

But the horse just stood there, refusing to budge.

Ran tried again, this time using a more stern tone. "I said, let's go this way, now!"

Still, the horse didn't move. And of all the kids, Ranran couldn't help but giggle at that brunette's predicament. "You know, in life, Mouri...sometimes one should ask nicely to get things done."

As Sonoko looked over at Ran's best friend, Mouri Ran, she could see that she was also struggling with her horse. It seemed like the horse was ignoring her commands, and Ran was getting increasingly frustrated.

Ran sighed in frustration. "Please, horsey, can we please go this way?" she said in her sweetest voice. And just like that, the horse started to move, but not in the direction, Ran wanted. It began to walk in circles, much to everyone's amusement.

Ran tried to steer it back on track, but the horse just kept walking in circles, seemingly enjoying the chaos it was causing.

"Come on, horsey, this isn't funny anymore," Ran pleaded, trying to keep a straight face.

But the horse seemed to be having the time of its life, and Ran couldn't help but be irritated by its behaviour. It does as it pleases, just like Ranran.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the lesson ended, and it was time to go out.

The ride was a little bumpy at first, but they soon got the hang of it, and they were soon galloping across the countryside, enjoying the stunning views of the island. As they rode, they spotted a small clearing by the edge of a cliff. The group decided to take a break and dismounted their horses. As they rested, they noticed something strange.

Down below, by the rocky shore, a figure was standing. It was too far away to see who it was, but it was clear that they were watching them. Suddenly, the figure turned and disappeared out of sight.

The kids dismounted their horses. Sonoko, who was covered in sweat and looking exhausted, stomped over to Ranran. "How did you do that?" she demanded. "How did you make it look so easy?"

Ranran simply shrugged. "I guess I just have a way with animals," she said with a smile.

Sonoko rolled her eyes, but deep down, she couldn't help but admire Ranran's talent. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to her than meets the eye.

Finally, with sore bottoms and aching thighs, they went back to the house for tea, board games and another early night. Though Sonoko complained, "Is there a way to remove the soreness?! It's unbearable!"

"Just wait until tomorrow, Sonoko. You'll be even more sore." Ranran rolled her eyes.

Sonoko groaned in response, but deep down, she knew that Ranran was probably right.

Settling themselves, Ranran realized, "Ah damn, I left my PS vita downstairs."

She then told them to play the board game without her in the bunk bedroom she was forced to share with the other girls before leaving.

As they settled in for their board games, Sonoko couldn't help but notice that Ran seemed a little quieter than usual. She nudged her friend, "You okay, Ran-chan?"

Ran sighed, "I just feel like I'm not good at anything. Ranran and Shinichi are both so good at horseback riding, and I can barely get my horse to move."

Sonoko smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Ran. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Maybe horseback riding just isn't your thing."

Ran smiled, feeling a little better, "Thanks, Sonoko. You always know how to make me feel better."

Sonoko grinned, "That's what friends are for!"

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

As Ranran reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard adult voices coming from the office. In bare feet, she quietly approaches the office. When she caught what they were saying, it stopped her in her tracks.

"I just don't understand it!" It was Miki. "How could it have happened? I guess it was sheer bad luck—"

"Bad luck?!" Miki's wife, Jun exclaimed, her voice tight and high as if she was fighting hysteria. "Don't you see? It ain't bad luck, it's our cursed fate!'

"Eh!? Cursed fate!?"

"Don't you see!? Ever since Kichiro passed away...Kiryu died, and then Eiji died not long after."

"Jun-kun-"

"This is a sign from God, on wanting us to die because of what we have done!"

"No, it ain't, Jun." Miki's tone was patient as if they'd had this conversation several times before. "It was an accident!"

"Like what happened in South America was an accident?" Jun's tone was suddenly so venomous that it made her wince.

"That was different," said Miki. "We've been over and over this, Jun. Kichiro was dead. I had no choice!"

"Didn't you? I don't think I believe that any more!"

"Jun-"

"After Kichiro died, we kept sinning more and more, and we are obviously punished for it. And had I known this was coming, I never would've married you right from the start!"

There was the sound of a chair being pushed back hard as if Miki had leapt to his feet.

Hearing this, Ranran waited for how Miki was about to respond to his wife. Was it going to end up like those romantic dramas where the husband slaps the unreasonable wife? Or that he stormed out and refuse to talk it out? Or him yelling out her name in anger, and then she storms off?

To her surprise, Ranran heard him taking deep, ragged breaths to steady himself. When he spoke again it was slowly and with extreme care as if he was barely controlling his temper. "I'm sorry you feel like that, Jun." He gave a pained sigh.

"I can't help it...."Even Jun's voice sounded as if she was worn off, "I never wanted this marriage. And I know you too didn't want anything to do with this."

For a moment, there was silence. "We are cowards, are we?"

"We all are, if Kiryu was even alive...he will be very disappointed in us. To be stuck in this sort of marriage."

Ranran couldn't believe what she was hearing. It sounded like Miki and Jun were in a marriage that neither of them had a say in this. Does this sound like an arranged marriage?

"But you can't really believe we're at the mercy of some sort of ghost?"

"Can't I? I don't see any other explanation."

"But that's insane!" he cried. "There's no such thing as ghosts! It's just not possible! And even if it was true – why kill Eiji? He wasn't in South America at the time it happened. We've never even met him before."

"No ... poor Eiji," Jun said quietly. Then her voice became harsh. "You-no, you don't have it in you to do it. It has to be 'that woman' again!"

That woman...is she referring to Rika? Ranran can't help but think.

"Jun, why must you keep bringing 'her' into this subject?"

"Cause 'she' is the reason for the entire unhappiness of our entire lives! That's right, especially that demonstration, I bet 'she' knows about it, right!?" Her voice grew more twisted than ever, "That bloody woman! It's because of her-no," She glared at him, "It should have been you who died, not Eiji. He should never have swapped places with you. That way, 'she' won't keep doing bad things to innocent people!"

By this point, Jun began to cry in soft, despairing sobs.

"I'll get you something to drink. A cup of tea will help." Miki's words might have been soothing but his tone wasn't. He sounded half-strangled, as though he was forcing the words out between gritted teeth, and Ranran realized he was extremely angry. Murderous, even.

Ranran could hear him moving quickly towards the door so Ranran soon fled upstairs, forgetting about her PS vita abandoned in the sitting room. When she returned, everyone else was asleep at that time, leaving her alone with her thoughts once more.

Jun's marriage to Miki...the way she said it sounded as if they didn't have a choice but to marry each other...also, that 'she' Jun was referring to...who is 'she' that it made Miki super ticked?

Soon, Ranran's thoughts were rudely interrupted by Suzuki's snoring from bed, let alone, some of the girls.

Damn her and her snoring...

Ranran rubbed her face in frustration, for some reason, she could instinctively tell that the day after tomorrow, things are about to get worst than it already is should she continue to remain here. Plus, she needs all the sleep she could get to find the damn murderer. It wouldn't be possible since she can't kick them out.

The founder sighed and tried to get comfortable in her own bed. She closed her eyes, hoping to get some rest, but her mind kept racing. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something was not right about Jun's marriage to Miki. And what about the mysterious 'she' that Jun mentioned? Who could she be, and why did it make Miki so angry?

While fretfully tossing and turning, forcing herself to sleep, something caught her eye.

Her backpack which was below her bed had moved slightly.

Now Ranran isn't OCD, even so, she knows it when someone touched her bag. One of the traps she set unbeknownst to many was a small bell attached to the zipper.

And this wasn't your ordinary bell. It was a bell with a tiny camera connected to her phone. Without making a sound, Ranran grabbed her phone and checked the footage from the camera.

To her surprise, she saw that someone had indeed opened her backpack and was rifling through her belongings. She zoomed in on the footage, trying to make out the person's face, but it was too dark to see clearly.

"This bloody dick!" Ranran hissed lowly while watching this footage.

From what she could make out of it, the incident seem to have taken place while they were out horseback riding. No one has set foot in the room beside this adult, whom she can't make out of his or her identity.

Ranran's heart was pounding in her chest as she tried to think of what to do next. She knew she couldn't confront the person on her own, especially since she didn't know who it was or what their intentions were.

Wondering if the person stole anything, she went through her bags. Nothing was stolen so far, except her medicine box, which she noted had several pills missing, mostly they were normal pills one would take if one has a cold flu or that sort. 

Ranran's mind raced as she tried to piece together what had happened. Who could have taken her medicine, and why? Was it the same person who had gone through her backpack?

She checked the footage again, but it was too dark to see if the person had taken anything else. She couldn't just ignore this, she had to tell someone.

But who could she trust?

Ranran's curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to do some investigating of her own. She quietly slipped out of her bed and tiptoed towards the door. She peeked outside and saw that the hallway was dark and quiet, except for the sound of Suzuki's snoring.

Alright, Ranran decided from tomorrow onwards, certain things are going to change on her own terms.

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

There were many things 6-year-old Shinichi could not predict nor had the foresight when Tuesday arrived. And it just throws him off in a tailspin.

While they were at the goth-like mansion, the first shock was when Ranran went missing.

It just came out of the blue without warning, he was as dead as a rock while sleeping heavily before the door to their room slammed open, revealing to be a panicking Reina, demanding, "Ranran! Where are you!?"

And ultimately, this was enough to jolt all of the boys awake abruptly.

With some of the boys yawning and scolding Reina for waking them up that early, Reina went up to Shinichi's bed and asked, "Did you see her!?"

"See who!?"

"Ranran!? She is missing since I woke up!"

"EH!?"

According to Reina, not only her bed showed no signs of Ranran around, even all of her backpack went missing as if she was going out on a personal trip.

At first, he panicked and naturally assumed the murderer must have kidnapped Ranran, he almost shouted to alert everyone, about to order everyone, even the adults to do an emergency search rescue operation. After all, Shinichi had first-hand watched several dark murder documentaries about evil adults kidnapping children from their bedrooms, then making them their slaves in the middle of the forest of that sort, never discovered till they reached adulthood.

Then suddenly, Arima-sensei called out to the children to gather in the room to make an announcement surrounding Ranran's vanishing act.

"Don't look for her, she is doing fine."

These were not the words Shinichi was expecting to hear, from an elementary school teacher who arranged this camping trip to seek out suitors in the first place.

It didn't sound cold when Arima-sensei made this announcement, yet for some reason, when he pressed for answers, she refused to say where she is.

Shinichi couldn't help but feel frustrated and confused by Arima-sensei's response. He wondered why she would tell them not to look for Ranran if she knew where she was. A 6-year-old girl going missing, and a potential murderer on the same island...this trip is going off the rails one after another.

His mind raced with different possibilities, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

Shinichi felt uneasy as he sat with the other children, his eyes darting around the room, trying to pick up any clues as to what was going on.

He noticed that some of the other children seemed just as confused and worried as he was, while others seemed to take Arima-sensei's words at face value and didn't seem bothered by Ranran's disappearance.

In a way, it wasn't the first time Ranran pulled her vanishing act whenever things doesn't go her way. There was this one time at school, the class went on a field trip at the old folks home, and Ranran ran away from the group because she didn't want to participate in the activities since she accused the teachers of exploiting child labour when she vanished. It took the teachers and the other students a while to find her, and everyone was worried sick until she was finally located at some luxurious cafe not far from the old folks' home, enjoying browsing on her smartphone and playing video games.

Shinichi couldn't help but wonder if this disappearance was just another one of Ranran's stunts, or if there was something more serious going on. He thought about the Tantei Association meeting they had yesterday, about seeking out whether to check whether this was a murder or suicide...did she go out all the way to the crime scene to check last night!?

He took a good look at the window, realizing that right now it was no longer pouring rain, unlike last night. Does this mean she snuck out on her own? Out in the middle of nowhere!? Where could she have gone within this island besides this place!? There is no data signal in sight, even so, she can't rely on GPS to get her anywhere here!

The apprentice then noticed the jeeps parked outside the place, not a single jeep had gone missing, indicating that she didn't hijack any of them before leaving.

Don't ask how Shinichi knew Ranran is capable of doing that, he just had that gut feeling.

Where could she have gone!?

Even the suspects-no, instructors didn't seem surprised or worried that a 6-year-old girl had gone missing, which is deeply unsettling to Shinichi and the other children in more ways than one.

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

As the hours dragged on, the children tried to continue with their activities, but the atmosphere was tense and uneasy. Shinichi found himself constantly looking over his shoulder, half-expecting to see Ranran or something else that shouldn't be there.

He then tried to distract himself by reading the mystery novels he brought over, but he was unable to concentrate on anything in sight.

Initially, Shinichi was going out of the mansion to search for her along with the other members of the association, plus talks about sending the children of 1-A back home after experiencing such a traumatic event. However, the weather wasn't merciful to them, now that the typhoon was so strong that emergency services were unable to send a helicopter and boat to locate Eiji's missing corpse, let alone, send the children back home.

To summarize this short, the typhoon was expected to last for about 5 days.

And in addition? No outdoor activities for 5 days. So more boredom and paranoia ahead for the members of the Tantei Association, including the others.

Shinichi sighed, feeling the weight of the situation settling in. Five days trapped in the mansion with no way to search for Ranran and a killer still among them. He couldn't shake off the feeling that time was running out and that they needed to act fast.

But what could they do? With the typhoon raging outside, they were effectively cut off from the rest of the world, with no means of communication or transportation.

This leaves Shinichi's mind to keep wandering back to Ranran and what could have happened to her. He couldn't help but think that something sinister was going on, even if the adults were trying to hide it.

In the evening, as they gathered around to have dinner, Shinichi decided to take matters into his own hands.

He quietly slipped away from the group under the guise of using the washroom and began to search for clues on his own. He went to the spot where Ranran had been sleeping, hoping to find some trace of her.

To his surprise, he found a small note tucked under her pillow. He carefully unfolded it and read the words scrawled in Ranran's childish handwriting:

"If anyone finds this, especially if you are Shinichi, I am off to investigate the case regarding Eiji. But I am going elsewhere rather than staying here, living with those girls who shamelessly move into my private room is unbearable, I won't be able to solve cases under such duress. Don't worry, I will be alright and return as soon as in a few days' time if I can. I notified sensei to let the instructors know that I am heading out on my own."

Shinichi felt a mix of relief and disappointment. Relief that Ranran was safe and had left of her own free will, but the disappointment that his theory of foul play had been wrong.

He folded the note back up and slipped it into his pocket, making his way back to the dining table. As he rejoined the group, he couldn't help but wonder where would she be.

As Shinichi sat down at the table, he tried to think of where Ranran might have gone. He knew that she was brave and resourceful, but she was also just a child. He couldn't help but worry about her safety, especially since the typhoon was still raging outside.

Shinichi decided to keep the note a secret for the time being. He didn't want to cause any unnecessary panic or worry among the other members of the Tantei Association. Instead, he focused on trying to figure out where is Ranran.

And he has 5 days to spare indoors.

So that night, while everyone is asleep, the first thing he did was to head to the fridge.

...........

But only 3 days since Ranran left, things went horribly wrong.

An Infestation had taken place in all of their bunk bedrooms, Shinichi woke up to find that the bunk beds in their room were crawling with bugs. He jumped out of bed, his heart racing, as he tried to shake off the bugs crawling on his skin. He quickly realized that the entire room was infested with them, and he could hear the other members of the Tantei Association, especially the class of 1-A screaming in their sleep as well.

Shinichi quickly grabbed his flashlight and scanned the room. He saw hundreds of small black bugs crawling on the walls, ceiling, and floors. They seemed to be coming from the cracks in the walls and the wooden floorboards.

Shinichi knew that this was a serious problem. The bugs looked like bedbugs, which could cause serious health issues and infestations if not dealt with immediately.

He quickly woke up the other members of the Tantei Association, and they all huddled together in the centre of the room, trying to avoid the bugs. They realized that they needed to find a way to get rid of the infestation before it got worse.

Shinichi suggested that they move to another room, but they quickly realized that the bugs had infested all of the other bunk bedrooms as well. They were trapped in the mansion with no way to escape the infestation.

Shinichi knew that he had to take action. He quickly gathered the other members of the Tantei Association and they began to search for a way to get rid of the bugs. They found some insecticide spray in the storage room, but it was not enough to cover all of the rooms.

They decided to divide themselves into groups and take on the task of eliminating the bugs in each room. It was a daunting task, but they were determined to get rid of the infestation.

For the next two days, they worked tirelessly, spraying insecticide, vacuuming up bugs, and sealing up cracks in the walls and floors. The bugs seemed to be endless, but they kept going, fueled by their determination and desire to get rid of the infestation.

But eventually, it was to an extreme point that the instructors had no choice but to gather everyone to pitch outside the mansion under the tents they brought.

So on a Saturday, they packed up their belongings and moved outside to the tents. The typhoon was still raging, but at least they were free from the bug infestation. They spent the next few days cooped up in the tents, trying to stay warm and dry as the rain poured down outside.

Shinichi couldn't help but think about Ranran during this time. He wondered where she was and if she was safe. He hoped that she had found a way to stay dry and avoid the bug infestation.

Even so, camping life was unbearable, and he couldn't begin to explain in specifics.

It was cold and damp, and the constant sound of the rain and wind made it hard to sleep at night. And since the tents the activity centre supplied were all small and cramped, there was barely enough room for everyone to sleep. The lack of proper facilities was also a challenge. There was no running water, so they had to rely on bottled water for drinking and cooking. There were no toilets or showers, so they had to use portable toilets and makeshift showers.

Food wasn't a problem, but there have been several power trips in the area, and the lack of electricity was another issue. They had brought some battery-operated lights and fans, but they had to be careful not to use them too much and drain the batteries. Overall, life in the tents was tough, and Shinichi couldn't wait to leave and go back home once the typhoon was over. He missed the comfort and security of his own bed and the familiarity of his own surroundings.

The entire class of 1-A were feeling the effects of the harsh conditions, but they tried their best to stay positive and keep each other's spirits up.

But the worst part of all of this was he didn't have anyone to talk about regarding his interest in mystery novels.

Before, he had Ranran around to talk 24/7. But with Ranran still missing, Shinichi felt more alone than ever. He missed the conversations they had about their favourite mystery novels and the excitement they shared about solving cases together.

He tried to distract himself by reading some of the mystery novels he had brought with him, but it wasn't the same without Ranran to discuss them with. He also spent time with the other members of the Tantei Association, but they were all preoccupied with the bug infestation and the difficult living conditions.

Of course, he didn't waste any time, when everyone is asleep, he quietly does his own private investigation as to whether Ranran could've gone. Despite the challenges they were facing, Shinichi remained determined to solve the mystery of Ranran's disappearance and get to the bottom of the bug infestation. He knew that he couldn't give up and that he had to keep pushing forward, no matter how difficult the situation was.

Yes, even if it involved Mouri Ran fleeing out of the tent at every 12 am, alleging she sees a man staring at them, when there was no one at all.

Finally, around Sunday midnight, when Ran screamed again, Shinichi finally had enough of her annoyance.

It was fine that the entire class of 1-A is willing to put up with her yelling since they had the majority of girls in their class who too fear of such a thing. Even the teacher herself fears ghosts.

But not for Shinichi, no, he had been putting up with Ran's screaming every night at midnight for days now. Before, he used to be understanding, knowing that she was frightened and needed reassurance.

But tonight, he had finally had enough.

Ranran going missing, the bug infestation, the cold typhoon in tents and all of that, that is the last straw.

As the clock struck midnight, Ran's piercing scream woke Shinichi from his sleep once again. He sat up in bed, frustration boiling inside him. He had to confront her about this. He had to make her see reason.

So coming out of his tent, he gathered all of the pent-up anger he could muster and said, "Mouri," he said firmly, his voice cutting through her sobs. "Stop it. There are no ghosts. You're scaring yourself for no reason."

Ran's eyes widened in shock as she looked at him. "What are you talking about, Shinichi? Of course, there are ghosts! They're real, and they're out there!"

Why isn't he surprise? "No, Ran, there aren't," Shinichi replied, his voice growing louder. "You're letting your fear control you, and it's not healthy. You need to face your fear head-on and realize that it's all in your head. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Ran shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "You don't understand, Shinichi. You haven't seen what I've seen."

Shinichi's anger is right now boiling over. "No, Ran, you're the one who doesn't understand. You're letting your irrational fear control your life. It's time to face reality and move on."

Ran looked stunned as she saw Shinichi, and the rest of the class peeked their heads out of their tents to see what was happening. Even Sonoko, Takuma and Reina were wondering what was going on, "Shinichi, just because ghosts can't be proven to truly exist, doesn't mean they don't exist! I really saw him! That ghost from my tent!"

Shinichi let out a deep sigh. "Ran, what you saw might have been a trick of the light, or your mind playing tricks on you. But it's not a ghost. Ghosts aren't real. You need to let go of this fear and move on with your life."

Ran's face turned red with anger. "You don't get it, Shinichi! You're always so logical and rational. But you don't understand that sometimes there are things that can't be explained by science or logic. You don't understand that sometimes we have to believe in something that we can't see or prove."

Shinichi felt his own anger rising. "But believing in something that doesn't exist is not the answer, Ran. It's just a way to avoid facing your fears like a coward!"

The rest of the class watched in silence, unsure of what to say or do.

Finally, Ran spoke, her voice shaking with emotion. "A coward!? How dare you!?"

Shinichi didn't back down. "Yes, a coward. You're running away from your fear instead of facing it."

"How dare...how dare you say that!?" Ran has had it with Shinichi's insensitivity, "So Ranran running away from this place isn't a coward just because she hated camping, but I am!?"

Shinichi took a deep breath, knowing this is one of her unreasonable moments, "She ain't a coward, unlike you. And she left...for good reasons, unlike you who come to our association to cause havoc! Which is all you ever do!"

The other students looked on in shock as Shinichi and Ran continued to argue. It was clear that there was a lot of tension between them, and that Shinichi's words had hit a nerve with Ran. "You!"

But Shinichi wasn't backing down. "Let me ask you something, Mouri, as much as Ranran hated camping, has she ever once screamed out her dissatisfaction since coming here on this camping trip?"

Ran looked down, realizing that Shinichi was right. So did everyone.

Which so much hatred towards Ranran, it ended with, "You don't understand, Shinichi. You never understand!" With that, she turned and stormed off, disappearing into her tent.

Shinichi stood there for a moment, his anger dissipating as he realized the impact of his words. He looked around at the faces of his classmates, some of whom looked uncomfortable, while others seemed impressed by his boldness. Such a shame their teacher couldn't mediate the situation now, since she has caught the flu and is dead asleep, due to the influence of medication.

Meanwhile, Sonoko, who is Ran's best friend was shaken after watching all of this. Shinichi never does this, never once defended someone else against Ran. Whenever Ran did something, even if it was in the wrong, he always argue on her behalf.

And now...even with Ranran still missing, Shinichi is still defending her.

Sonoko approached Shinichi, "Hey, Tantei geek, why did you say those things to Ran!?"

Shinichi looked at her coldly, "She needs to face her fears and stop letting them control her life, rather than keep crying wolf every 12 am!"

"Alright, fair enough, you had to be mad because of this," Sonoko nodded, before blasting out at him, "But could you not have been a little more gentle with her?! You know that Ran is afraid of ghosts! She can't help it!"

"Oh, so should all of us be that understanding and accommodating because of one's fear!?" Shinichi hardened his face at his former friend.

Sonoko rolled her eyes, "No, but you could have at least been a little empathetic towards her."

"Empathetic?" He scoffed, "Is this 'empathetic' you preach the reason why Ran became what she is now? Overly coddled and spoiled!?"

Sonoko glared at Shinichi. "What are you talking about? Ran is not spoiled!"

"Oh, really?" Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "She's been indulged in her irrational fear for years, even before kindergarten, and everyone around her has just enabled it. She needs to face her fears, not keep running away from them."

"But it's not that simple, Shinichi," Sonoko replied, her voice softer now. "You know how much she's been through, her parents splitting up and so."

"Her parents splitting up....so what?" Shinichi argued, before revealing, "Sonoko, be honest with me, are her parents dead?"

"EH!? No! Why would you-"

"Ranran lost someone when she was 4, and it was through despicable means."

Sonoko's eyes widened in shock, "What do you mean? Who did she lose?"

Even the other kids who heard this were shocked, this was the first time a bit of Ranran's past could be heard from Shinichi's mouth, "A friend, who was 8 years old at that time, was murdered by his own mother at the name of greed. She was 4 when it happened."

Sonoko's face fell, "What-"

"Exactly," His face remains angered by this, "And rather than continue to cower in fear, she ended up opening Tantei Association later on and facing those adversities. She is now 6, so in other words, it has been 2 years since it happened. While Ranran is doing all of this detective business while facing her fears, never once using this as an excuse to burden others, what is your friend Mouri Ran doing? Crying, throwing tantrums! Like a crybaby!"

Sonoko's face fell further, and she looked at Shinichi with sadness in her eyes, "I had no idea about any of this, Shinichi. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Shinichi repeated, "You don't. I wasn't even supposed to share any of this with you, cause I know Ranran didn't like to be pitied. While Ran can simply run home and cry to her parents, Ranran who moved all the way from the U.K. here did not have a single friend since she was 5! No shoulder to cry on, not even to lean on! And when it comes to her parents, hers and mine are always working overseas during the weekdays, you both know that, so the both of us technically had no one to whine our complaints to unless we talk over to them the computer during nighttime. I was a dick to her without knowing all of this, I will admit it. And then here you are, still coming up with all sorts of excuses to defend Ran's unreasonable behaviour by misusing whatever you don't know about Ranran against her to soothe both of your egos!"

"Shinichi-"

"Enough!" Shinichi's voice rang out, silencing Sonoko. "You clearly spoiled Ran, so you two should stop comparing her to Ranran whenever I don't agree with any of you! Stop using the past as if it was a V.I.P. pass to get away with anything that bothers others! Is it that difficult to do?"

Before anyone knows it, he stormed away, leaving Sonoko to stand there while all of the kids were whispering among themselves, stunned and feeling all alone.

The following morning, there was another scream, but this time, it wasn't the fear of a ghost.

But rather...the presence of Shinichi could not be found in his tent.