Now 9-year-old Miyama Emiko had one thing that is disliked by many of her peers: Her blunt mouth.

As the conversation in the cab continued, Emiko's straightforward manner revealed to her, "You still clearly don't understand why Shinichi refuses to patch up the friendship between you and Sonoko."

Emiko's directness could sometimes catch Mouri Ran off guard, her words blunt and unfiltered. Sitting in the cab, her straightforward remarks made Ran's jaw dropped. Fortunately, Junko was too busy fiddling with her phone to hear any of the conversation. "W-what are you talking about-"

"Mouri, what does Shinichi like?"

Emiko's question caught Ran off guard. She blinked, trying to gather her thoughts before responding cautiously, "Shinichi... likes solving mysteries, I suppose. He's passionate about detective work."

Emiko shook her head, her expression serious. "Is that all you know?"

"I mean he too likes soccer. Why do you ask?"

"Is that all you know about him?" Emiko's gaze was unwavering, her expression probing.

Emiko's direct question left Ran momentarily speechless. "What else am I suppose to know anyway? Aside of him being a no.1 Sherlock fan."

Pinching her nose-bridge, Emiko sighed, "Had it not once occurred to you as to why you don't seem to find it a problem attempting to pin point Michio's mysterious girlfriend, while I on the other hand find it to be a problem?"

"....w-why would this be a problem to you? Junko is our friend."

"But isn't Michio our friend as well, Mouri Ran?"

"Of course Michio is our friend-"

"Then....let me ask you this...would Michio be happy?"

This unexpected question made Ran blinked multiple times in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"Let's say Michio is genuinely seeing someone but chooses not to tell anyone, why?"

"Why you say....it's because of Junko-"

"Ok, you got that right. Now let's talk about your situation with Shinichi and Ranran. Why do you think Shinichi wanted to severe ties with you as soon as he obtain his apprenticeship under Ranran, Mouri-san?"

Emiko's questions hit Mouri Ran like a sudden gust of wind, leaving her momentarily flustered. Sitting in the cab, the weight of Emiko's words sank in, and Ran struggled to articulate a response.

"It's....that's because Ranran told him to do so," Ran stammered, her brow furrowing in confusion. 

"Yes, she did. But she didn't specify it has to be permanent, yet, he choose to do so, why?"

"I... I'm not sure why Shinichi made that choice."

"If you can answer that question, you are finally a step closer to redemption," Emiko's gaze remained steady, her expression urging Ran to delve deeper. "But for now, you are still not quite getting it."

Ran furrowed her brows, feeling a bit defensive. "How is it I don't? Of course I do!"

Emiko raised an eyebrow. "Do you really, though? You're always interfered in things you shouldn't have, and did it not occur for you how to read the room for once?"

"What is there to read? I mean we are friends-"

"There is a limit to how far one friend will go for the other, including knowing when to step back," Emiko replied firmly. "If you can't figure this out, then you are just still stuck to the hateful self where the entire school despise you for what you and your friend did to Shinichi, Ran-san."

As Emiko glanced out the window, Ran's  thoughts swirling. Emiko's straightforwardness was sometimes difficult to swallow, but she couldn't deny the truth in her words. 

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

Upon arrival, they all discuss what to do with the situation.

"Since I am rather familiar around the warehouses situated down by the river, I suggest Emiko and I going down there to check. In case anything happen to either of our smartphones, Emiko can draw down the suspect's face."Takuma said, before Ranran approve of his suggestion.

"Alright," Ranran nodded before ensuring their badges walkie-talkie is in tip-top condition as she passed to every single member, "Remember the plan. If anyone doesn't return by dusk or encounters a dangerous situation, press the emergency button on your badge, and we'll come to your aid."

The group exchanged determined nods, each member understanding their role in the mission. Emiko and Takuma prepared to head towards the riverfront warehouses while Ranran and Shinichi left, leaving Ran and Junko to head in another direction.

Half an hour later, Takuma was sauntering along a gloomy,grimy lane way between the the scarred rick walls of empty warehouses.The slap of the river at high tide was the only sound that reached them "It would've been a good time to fish if the car wasn't stolen," he told Emiko who was holding back, peering nervously into the shadowy depths of the lane.

"You tend to have odd choice of locations when it comes to fishing, huh?" she shuddered. "It's too spooky even in the daytime."

Takuma chuckled lightly, his voice echoing in the eerie surroundings. "What can I say? I like a bit of adventure with my fishing. Keeps things interesting."

"How does your girlfriend Reina put up with your fishing hobby, I will never know." Emiko shook her head at him in dismay.

Takuma's grin widened. "Ah, Reina understands. She knows it's just one of my quirks. Besides, she has her own hobbies that keep her busy."

"Such as?"

"Sims. Which is something she and Ranran enjoyed playing."

"Wait, that virtual doll house game?" Emiko figures.

"Yeah, except Ranran tend to make things much more fun."

"In what way?"

"She make sims based on the people she hates in real life, then made them die in a burning down building with interesting stories in the form of a video, then after uploading it on Youtube-"

"Wait, Ranran did WHAT?" Emiko stopped herself to confront him.

Emiko's interruption was sudden and incredulous. Takuma blinked in response to her interruption, realizing he might have shared something unexpected.

"Yeah... Ranran has this creative streak," Takuma began, a bit sheepishly, "She enjoys making stories and scenarios in The Sims game. Sometimes she incorporates real-life elements into her creations... like, uh, dramatizing things."

Emiko's eyes widened. "Did you...did you get a good look as to who she made in The Sims?"

"Well," Takuma rubbed his chin while he recalled, "There was that one time she made a sim of me," Takuma continued, his voice lowering instinctively as if the mere mention of the name carried weight. "She crafted this elaborate storyline where I ended up getting killed with a house on fire, cause I was too busy having a good party with the other sims friends, all of the friends left me to die in there."

"She...had you perish in a fiery house party? Why?" Emiko's voice held a mixture of incredulity and fascination.

"In the first place, I will admit that my past character didn't sit well with me, she only does it to those who wronged her. I was no different back then." Takuma chuckled nervously, scratching his head. 

Recalling the amount of enemies Ranran had made since becoming a student in Teitan Elementary school, Emiko probed, "Was Shinichi's sim made under her account?"

"Oh yes, definitely." Takuma confirmed, before he adds, "But usually she deletes those sims after her enemies in real life stop pestering or even harass her."

"Was...." Emiko was hesitant to ask, but she has to know, "Was my sim in it?"

"Oh no, you are excluded. But as for Mouri-san, Suzuki, that damn Mamiko, and even Junko was included."

Emiko's mind raced as she processed this new information about Ranran's unusual hobby before confronting, "How is it you are friends with someone like her!? I mean she took... creative liberties with their fates?"

"To be fair, it felt therapeutic. I did the same too when I found out my friends knew I was innocent at that time-"

"Wait, hold on a minute," Emiko stopped him, "I heard that Ranran took you to that new school where your former friends were and beat them up in real life. Why did you need to do the same in the sims?"

"Yeah... about that," Takuma began, his voice tinged with a mix of regret and explanation. "The Sims thing was... kind of an outlet. After everything settled down, I still felt... I don't know, unsettled. So she suggested it, and...." Takuma scratched the back of his head, a nervous habit. "It was the best solution, if I were to be honest."

"D-Does Shinichi knows?"

"About her sims thing? I don't know, though I wouldn't be surprise if he come across it one day. Cause Ranran had no intention on hiding it."

"Jesus, Shinichi is in for a-hmmm?" She glanced up and, for the flicker of an instant, thought she saw something move on the roof of the warehouse at the corner of the lane.

"What?" Takuma asked, following her look.

She shrugged,"Nothing, I guess I thought I saw someone move."

"Maybe a homeless person lives up there, I met quite a couple of them before." Takuma reasoned.

Emiko's brief distraction with what she thought she saw on the warehouse roof passed quickly, but a sense of unease lingered in her mind as she refocused on the task at hand.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Emiko replied to Takuma, trying to shake off the feeling. "Let's keep moving."

Takuma nodded in agreement, and they continued down the lane towards the riverfront warehouses, their footsteps echoing in the dimly lit, desolate area.

Soon, Takuma stopped outside the derelict warehouse on the corner: It looked the same as all the others they'd passed. The ground floor windows had been boarded up, and the double wooden doors were firmly chained and padlocked. It looked like it hadn't been used in years. A battered signpost screwed into the brickwork told them they had entered Fish Street.

Suddenly, Takuma's eyes widened. Something had caught his attention on the wall by the warehouse doors. He edged forward for a closer look. "Takuma, what is with you?"

"Look."

Emiko stepped across the cobbles to join him.

She arched an eyebrow when he pointed to a smear of gold paint on the brickwork by the doors, Takuma pulled out a penknife and scraped at the paint. "It looks very fresh," he commented.

"You can tell?" Emiko grew surprise at his analysis. "How?"

"There was this one time this man who illegally parked in front of my house, when my dad angrily confronted him, he sped away and ended up having his car hit against the pillar, so the paint was fresh because the paint ended up on my hand easily," Takuma explained, pointing to the dried up paint in his hand.

Emiko stared at the doorway "Do you think the car might be in there?"

Takuma examined the gold paint on the blade of his knife. "It's possible. The color's right. They must have scraped the car against the wall when they were driving it in."

"What a bunch of idiots," Emiko folded her arms in a cross, "If you were going to steal an expensive car, they could've at least do a better job not having the car hit against the side of the wall before attempting to sell it at the black-market, right?"

"Definitely not the smartest move." Takuma frowned, "Then again, this car doesn't belong to them, remember?"

"Well, let's call Ranran and Shinichi, and then get Michio to contact Sergeant Genzo over."

"Wait, why is it that Sergeant Genzo only had Michio to keep contact number, but won't share it to Ranran and Shinichi? Let alone, anyone?"

"Cause according to Shinichi, the last time I ain't sure how Ranran got caught up with some case whereby she was put in charge on a bunch of cops, she sent some malware to them whenever they refuse to corporate in a investigation." Emiko remarked.

"Ah right, just Ranran being Ranran as always. You can't blame her since she is a child after all, adults barely listen to us anyway, so she probably did so to get them to listen." Takuma shrugs.

Emiko glanced back at the boarded-up warehouse, her expression resolute. "Anyway, we should get the authorities involved. This car might be linked to something bigger."

"We could," Takuma nodded, and then thought about it "But by the time we do, you wouldn't be surprise if the thieves manage to flee with the car,right?" He strode past the locked wooden doors and discovered a narrow side door further along .The number "28" had been painted onto the wall beside it. "We need some photos at least, let alone videos to prove it, should the car go missing in an instant."

"Yeah, good idea," Emiko agreed. 

Emiko surveyed the bleak old building and dropped her voice."Do you think it's safe? I mean, if nobody ever comes down here, and if something were to go wrong..." Her voice died away.

Takuma pocketed his knife. "That's exactly why it is safe," he argued. "Nobody ever exactly comes down here. If the stolen car is inside, bet nobody is in it. They probably locked it away and went off thinking that no one would ever come snooping around."

"Suppose so,"Emiko chewed her lip "But what about the person I thought I saw on the roof?"

But Takuma didn't reply. He had already crossed to the side door and was turning the handle. They were both surprised when the door swung open easily with only the softest groan.She followed Takuma inside and stood staring into the massive interior: It reminded her of a vast, desolate tomb. From somewhere deep in the darkness, strange scuttling sounds greeted them.

"Ugh, Takuma! You didn't bother to mention there are rats here!" Emiko shivered.

"I didn't, since I assumed everyone is aware that there are always rats in old rundown buildings like these."Takuma sniffed the air "That's funny. I didn't think anyone used these buildings anymore."

Emiko sniffed, too. Mingled with the mustiness was a strong chemical smell. "That's car paint isn't it?"

"You recognized it?"

"My uncle love repainting cars. I know that smell anywhere."

Their eyes met uneasily "So if that gold paint outside was from the stolen car,"concluded Takuma, "Maybe this is where it was brought after it was stolen.It was re-sprayed here, out of the public eye."

"We'd better contact Ranran at once," warned Emiko.

Takuma disagreed and steered her into the gloom by her elbow "Wait until we're sure one hundred percent sure!" he told her.

They edged forward across the huge, empty loading bay with every step, the smell of paint grew stronger. Their shoes brushed against the rubbish and broken packing cases that were scattered on the floor.Behind the loading bay they turned into a storage area. A faint shaft of light filtered down through a hole in the roof. There was no mistaking the shape of the stolen sports car.

In the same instant they saw it, strange hands clamped over their mouths.

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

"ANYTHING?" Ranran asked Shinichi to contact both Junko and Ran on his smartphone, after both of them (Junko and Ran) had trudged through several blocks of disused factories. Some of the old buildings were being demolished in some places, new construction work had already started. The two other children was convinced there was nowhere to really hide a stolen sports car.

"Nothing,they both found nothing." he grunted. "What about you?"

"The same," Ranran replied. Ranran and Shinichi had wandered through the old harbor front area without result, complete waste of time,"Ranran. Let's call it a day."

"Wait, any news from Emiko or Takuma?" she asked

"Nothing," Shinichi grumbled. "I tried to call them a few times but their phones are off."

Ranran couldn't help but shake this feeling something is rather off. It is unusual for either Emiko and Takuma to not call Shinichi back on the spot.

"Takuma, Emiko, where are you guys?"Ranran couldn't help but mutter.

Unbeknownst to them, Takuma and Emiko were struggling wildly but their captors were too strong. Rough hands pinned their arms behind their backs. Hoods were drawn down over their heads and they were dragged up a creaking flight of stairs

Takuma felt himself being pitched forward. He stumbled and dropped to the floor. A moment later Emiko landed beside him. A muffed voice growled orders and a heavy door slammed shut. The rattle of a bolt told Takuma and Emiko that they were prisoners.

Takuma reached up and ripped off the hood. It's stank of paint. Maybe he thought, someone had worn it when he was spraying the car .He gulped for air, his eyes probing the darkness. A faint beam of light crept in through a crack in the roof.

Emiko tossed her hood aside, leapt up, and ran through the gloom to where she had heard the door closing. She desperately worked the latch but the door had been firmly bolted from the other side.

"Sorry Emiko," groaned Takuma. "I should have listened to you." He patted down his pockets but his smartphone was gone.

"They've taken mine, too," Emiko discovered.

From somewhere beneath their feet they heard the throaty roar of the BMW Z4.And then there was only silence. "But at least, you still have the badge with you, right? To on the tracker?" Takuma turned to Emiko.

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

By the time the rest of the children met up minus Emiko and Takuma, everyone's concern towards them having vanished had escalated. They couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong. 

Multiple attempts to reach Emiko and Takuma continued to be met with frustration as their phones remained unreachable.

"Where could they have gone!?" Ran urged, her voice edged with worry as Shinichi makes another phone call, so did Ranran, "This isn't like them to be out of contact for so long."

"Is it possible they could've headed home?" Junko suggested.

"Not so abruptly," Shinichi hung up once more after another dead end call.

"I have a dead hunch that Tak-san and Emiko found the car, but got trapped since they were discovered," Ranran sighed.

"What!? Then we better call Sergeant Genzo!" Ran panicked before attempting to call the police, but then Sonoko's caller ID lit up.

Ranran's phone buzzed with Sonoko's caller ID, interrupting their urgent discussions. She quickly answered the call, "Hello?"

"Ran-chan! I hope you ain't forgetting about our plans to pry into Chika's new boyfriend for tonight's upcoming dinner." 

Ran paused, momentarily caught off guard by Sonoko's unexpected call about plans for the evening. Right, she almost forgot about the plan to check whether Chika's boyfriend is a potential scammer.

At the same time however,  her mind was preoccupied with worry for Emiko and Takuma, but she tried to keep her composure during the conversation with Sonoko. "A-ah, Sonoko, about that... I'm sorry, but something's come up unexpectedly. I'm currently in the middle of something urgent-hey!"

To her surprise, Ranran snatched Mouri's phone before taking over, "The plan to check whether he is a scammer, right? We are at the middle of something, but I will assure you that as promised earlier....I will look into it by tonight, and Ran will be there with you."

Shinichi and Junko, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow as Ranran took charge of the conversation.

"Ooi!"

Before they knew it, Ranran abruptly hung up before tossing Mouri Ran's smartphone, which she caught in response. "But Ranran! Takuma and Emiko are still missing!" Shinichi reminded his mentor.

"But let's not forget Takuma knows his way around this place, so even if he is kidnapped alongside Emiko, or trapped somewhere, he would know his way around. So I am coming to a suggestion for all of you," Ranran listed her options, "Calling Sergeant Genzo would take them around 2 hours even with the sirens on, because right now, it is 5pm, which means they would be dealing with heavy traffic around this area by the time they arrive. So we definitely have to pull a search onto ourselves, however...."

"....you can't let go of that possible Edgewood Academy impostor, correct!?" Junko figures before growling at the insensitive child detective girl in anger, "Emiko and Takuma are possibly kidnapped, and is that scammer way more important than their lives!?"

"No, and again, not catching the scammer would have world repercussions." Ranran's expression darkened.

"Eh? What is that suppose to mean....?" Ran found herself asking.

Ranran's statement about potential world repercussions from not catching the scammer left everyone perplexed, especially given the urgency of finding Emiko and Takuma. Shinichi and Junko exchanged puzzled glances, uncertain about the gravity of the situation Ranran alluded to.

The founder's expression remained serious as she elaborated, her voice low and urgent. "Listen, I told you all that my old school was filled with kids of nobility and royalty, remember?" Her words caught the attention of Shinichi, Junko, and the others. They listened intently as she continued, her tone grave.

"At Edgewood Academy, connections run deep. If we let a potential scammer infiltrate this circle and go unchecked, it could have serious consequences. They could gain access to sensitive information, manipulate influential families, or worse—create chaos within these elite circles which may ruin the lives of many....." Ranran explained, her expression resolute.

Shinichi's eyebrows furrowed as he processed the implications. "What are you....implying?"

Ranran nodded, her gaze unwavering. "Price of goods going up that will affect everyone's cost of living, to power struggle and power imbalance, but that is just the start." Her words hung in the air, the weight of her concerns palpable among the group. "In worst case scenario, it will lead to war, both within and out of the country. More injustices will follow, leading to political unrest, then social and economic instability. It's a cascading effect, one that could have far-reaching consequences."

Shinichi, Mouri and Junko exchanged a glance, the seriousness of the situation sinking in. Ranran's words painted a dire picture of potential repercussions stemming from the infiltration of a scammer into Edgewood Academy's elite circles.

"Are you....being overly dramatic over this scammer, Ranran?" Junko pointed out.

"I wish I was," Ranran chuckled darkly. "Because it almost happened once back at home."

Shinichi furrowed his brow, contemplating the severity of Ranran's warning. "If what you're saying is true, then we can't afford to ignore this," he acknowledged, his mind racing with the implications.

Mouri glanced at Junko, who wore a mixture of concern and confusion. "But what about Emiko and Takuma? Shouldn't finding them be our top priority?" Ran pressed, her worry for the missing school-mates palpable.

"Which is why I have a suggestion," Ranran turned her attention to the apprentice, "We would need to split teams of two and do a proper search around the area. Cause I have a feeling there is no way they could've been kidnapped, cause if they are experience criminals who knows their way around where to hide the car here, they probably did a terrible job since Takuma and Emiko were able to discover it. Further more," Ranran scroll her phone before showing to them, "Heavy traffic for some reason had been ongoing since 2pm plus till now."

"You are right," Ran and the others surrounded Ranran's phone, "Even when we were arriving here, I noticed we were stuck on traffic."

"That mean if they were to kidnap Emiko and Takuma, it wouldn't do them good cause we could've caught up to them, right?" Junko guessed.

"Which means they had to remain around here," Shinichi concluded.

"Then the second team would need to join Sonoko to monitor Chika's dinner date-"

"Alright, then it is settled." Shinichi decided before announcing, "I will be doing the search onto Takuma and Emiko.

(You didn't even hesitate to pick the task you would rather do.....)

The three girl's sweat appeared behind their head, finding it comedic that he would rather focus on the search then put his Tantei skills on a suspicious romantic date. Then again, this is Kudo Shinichi, a little boy who barely gave romance a glance.

"Ok, then will you be alright once I leave with Ran to spy on that scammer?" Ranran eyed onto Shinichi worriedly.

And she had reasons to be worried, cause thanks to Mamiko, the leader of the journal club who ruined their entire stakeout stint during Tantei Association's third major case, Ranran had some concerns that he may not be able to do it well should any of Mamiko's unexpected stints to ruin their reputation attempt to ruin Shinichi once more.

Shinichi nodded confidently, though his focus remained steadfast on the task at hand. "I'll be fine," he assured Ranran. "Finding Emiko and Takuma is our priority right now, and I will not let that damn Mamiko ruin me if anything like that should happen again."

Ranran sighed, a hint of worry lingering in her expression. "Just be careful," she cautioned, her voice laced with sincerity.

Junko stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Shinichi. "We'll keep you updated about any developments with the scammer situation," she promised, her tone reassuring.

With a nod of understanding, Shinichi turned to Ranran. "I'll head out and start searching around the area," he announced, determination etched on his features.

Ranran nodded in agreement. "Remember, keep in touch and let us know if you find anything," she instructed, her voice firm.

Shinichi flashed a quick smile before setting off, his mind focused on the task ahead.

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

At Rising Sun Roasts, a coffee shop that no one knows about around 5 pm sharp in the bustling city of Tokyo, the smell of chocolate and coffee permeated the air, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

An off duty member of Tantei Association, 10-year-old Majima Michio was busy in the cafe's kitchen, busy cooking up a storm with a 10-year-old girl next to him. "I can't believe you need me to teach you how to make home-made chocolate of all the things, Adeline!"

Adeline, the daughter of a feared criminal, The Snake, gave a mischievous grin as she playfully tossed a pinch of cocoa powder in Michio's direction. "Hai hai! It ain't odd that I ain't used to kitchen work."

"Right, because your Tousan constantly had a private chef over to cook for you while he is out." Michio scoffed while stirring the pot, "Why don't you ask the chef to do it for you then? Let alone, buy one? I am certain your father has all the budget in the world to afford it."

"First of all, I want to show sincerity to the receiver. Second of all," Adeline sighed, "If I did get my Tousan to buy, the first thing he is going to do is hire one of his hitman to dig out every single trace that this receiver would've gotten, which would eventually drive me to tears."

".....right," Michio chuckled nervously at her statement.

"No, I am serious," Adeline recalled, "When I was around 8, when I gave this chocolate on Valentine's day to this boy I like, my Tousan had him taken to the side, and took a good beating onto him. Fortunately, he is alright."

Michio's eyes widened at Adeline's revelation. "That's... intense."

"To be fair, he made fun of my crush for him to the other little boys, so he wasn't the only victim." Adeline shrugged.

Michio glanced at Adeline, a mix of surprise and concern crossing his features. "Your father seems quite protective," he remarked cautiously.

Adeline shrugged again, her expression nonchalant. "Yeah, well, he has a reputation to uphold as The Snake."

"....but not as your father?"

"Well..." She slumped a bit before she dusted cocoa from her fingertips, "My deceased mother....used to be his first love."

"Is it?" Michio's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"They were childhood friends and eventually fell in love. But then....life was cruel when she was force to marry a guy he didn't like, then ended up with me."

Michio listened intently, stirring his mixture as he absorbed Adeline's story. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of chocolate, a stark contrast to the weight of their conversation. "Wait a minute, then is The Snake-"

"Honestly, I never once tried to look into it whether if The Snake is really my father or not."

"Why?"

"It's....complicated," Her eyes grew distant as she revealed, "My scumbag father....once set fire onto my mother and himself, burning the entire mansion to the ground to a point...they both perished towards the end."

Adeline's recounting of her family's tumultuous history left Michio stunned. He paused in his stirring, the weight of her words sinking in. The tragic tale of her mother's forced marriage and the subsequent devastation inflicted by her biological father painted a dark picture of Adeline's origins.

"I... I'm sorry," Michio offered quietly, his tone filled with sympathy.

Adeline glanced up, her expression inscrutable for a moment before she shrugged nonchalantly. "It is what it is now," she replied, her voice tinged with resignation. "There were times I know whenever I came back home from school and sleep, he wanted to do what most men would do with their daughters: Tuck them to sleep, pet their hair, give them a hug and stuff. Many times....I did notice that he tried to reach his hands towards me. But then...he always retracted. Probably because...everytime he sees my face, he either sees the face of his beloved woman who died such murderous means, or my murderous father who killed his beloved woman so that he can never claim her ever again...."

"But supposedly...if you were The Snake's real daughter, it would've hurt less, right?" Michio replied softly, his stirring slowing as he focused on Adeline's words.

"Of course, but....it wouldn't do me good either, considering my father's jealousy towards The Snake, let alone, suspicion that I may not be his real daughter...is the reason why my lost I beloved mother in the first place." Adeline nodded thoughtfully, her gaze still distant. "Also...The Snake will never be able to live with this harsh truth if he ever learns that I am his real daughter, cause that would also mean that he too was the reason behind my mother's death. And I know...he stills treasure her despite never talking about it, because when I was taken in by him, not once had he ever brought over a woman to our house while doing his criminal endeavors since I began living with him."

"....that sounds like a respectful father to me you have there."

"I mean you ain't wrong, if I were to compare between him and my scumbag father, he isn't the worst. He doesn't go around beating his child like a punching bag, constantly go about having sent his men to film my school activities: Be it sports day etc while he was away so that he could secretly watch all of this around 12 am when he assumed I was asleep. And if I want anything, be it perfume, handbag or fancy dresses, even jewelry is never off limits to a 10-year-old girl like me. At the same time however..."

Michio waited for Adeline's pause before continuing, "With all of the gifts he has bought for me, it can never make me feel any closer to The Snake. Cause towards the very end, there is always going to be some wall surrounding him that block me from getting to know him, since I am no matter what....the child of his beloved's murderer."

Letting her words sink in, Michio ponders about this before questioning her, "Have you ever talked to him about how you feel? Or....is there a possibility that he could've done a secret DNA test onto you behind your back? Which is why he treats you like this?" he ventured, his tone gentle.

"I don't think he personally had the balls to do a DNA test on me, because it will just tear him apart, and who could blame him? I too will go ballistic if I were in his shoes," Adeline's lips quirked into a rueful smile. "Also, he tend to be at times... reserved whenever I wanted to ask about my mother's past, let alone, ask why did she end up with that scumbag instead of him."

They fell into a companionable silence, the air between them heavy with unspoken thoughts. "So...I heard your mother is finally seeing someone new after 10 years, right?" Adeline asks.

"Yes, she is. It's been quite a change for her, but I think it's been good." Michio nodded, a soft smile touching his lips.

"You know....most kids I know wouldn't want their parent to remarry after their spouses has died. But you on the other hand think otherwise, why is that?"

Michio considered Adeline's question thoughtfully, pausing in his stirring as he reflected on her words.

"I never....met my father since he passed away when I was a baby," he began, his expression thoughtful. "But I've grown up watching my mom take care of me and work hard, and I've seen a lot of men coming in and out of my mother's shop constantly asking her out, but she always seemed disinterested in all of them while she would mournfully stare at the photo of my father in her wallet."

Adeline listened, her eyes softening as she absorbed Michio's story. "She sounds like a hopeless romantic," she remarked quietly.

"It can't be helped," Michio nodded, a wistful smile playing on his lips. "She always spoke highly of him, and I think she held onto that love for a long time."

"But are you alright with it? Her new boyfriend?"

"So far...he isn't a big problem, but....." Michio hesitated, his thoughts turning inward as he considered Adeline's question. "It's complicated," he finally admitted.

"In what way it is?"

"Although I am happy for her, part of me feared that after 10 years of being with her....I would eventually be replaced."

"Ah, that sort of thing?" Adeline nodded knowingly. "It's normal. Have you met him in person?"

"Already did, we got along well. But....I just worry for her, you know? That supposed if the relationship goes wrong, it will make my mother sad all over again."

"That is true, but that is part of life regardless. If they broke up before getting married, it's also a good thing at least for me."

"Eh?"

"Cause I have been there when my Okaasan decided to divorce my real Tousan before all of the hell that came down. If she wasn't married to him and simply break the engagement, at least she would've still be alive today to experience happiness. In a way....sometimes I think of marriages as a cage, once the key is gone, you can never back out."

They fell into a contemplative silence, both absorbed in their own reflections. 

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

"Adeline, I know it ain't my place to ask, but.....I had to ask-"

"Just ask."

"I taught you about differentiating chocolates meant for people you had feelings for, as well as 'friend chocolates', but...."

He pointed at the left packaging, "This one that was meant for a 'friend', and that one...."His finger then pointed at the other right one, with a bit of a fancier packaging, "The one meant for the crush you like....I never thought you finally had someone you like after fooling all of those boys around you."

"It ain't for me," She gave a sad smile, "It's for the dead friend who I never got the chance to confess."

"Dead friend? Ah, the one who was murdered by that psychopathy arranged fiance, right? I think you mentioned it before. But wait a minute..." A thought suddenly occurred to him, "At that time, were you engaged to anyone?"

"Uh...no."

"Then...was he single at that time? If he was, you could've just gone for it."

"In our old school, arrange marriages is something one takes seriously," Adeline scoffed bitterly with a sigh, "And I know if I did back then, I won't be having a smooth sailing life in my old school with that crazed fiance around."

"How is it someone whom you shared to me as nice and sweet ended up with a terrible girl like her?"

"His family unfortunately was considered to had achieved the highest tier within the noble community, which is why he was fated to be with her."

Adeline's expression shifted, a mix of resignation and lingering sorrow evident in her features as Michio pieced together parts of her past. "Do you...wish you could've gotten back in time to tell him any of this?"

"Yes and no," Adeline admits. "In a way, he died young. No in a sense that....he has someone else in his heart."

"Really?" His brows rose, "Did he...share who it was?"

"No," She shook her head, "But I have a nagging suspicion as to who this girl is."

"Whoever is she....she must have been lucky, huh?"

"Lucky...." Adeline laughed darkly before revealing, "If she ever knew, she will collapse in an instant and join him in the afterlife."

Adeline's words carried a weight that left Michio momentarily speechless. "Why....would you say that?"

"I meant it when I say she will do so, because towards the end...is was that love for her that ultimately brought him to his demise."

Adeline's words lingered in the air, heavy with the weight of her emotions. Michio regarded her with a mix of concern and curiosity, sensing the depth of pain behind her revelations.

"That sounds...tragic," Michio responded softly, his gaze fixed on Adeline. "To think that someone's love could lead to such a devastating outcome."

Adeline nodded solemnly, her expression distant as she recalled the past. "Love can be a beautiful thing, but it can also be destructive," she mused, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Sometimes, even love itself can never be enough to save someone from their fate."

As she observed him tying up the packages of the chocolates, she can't help but say, "You know, considering you are a boy, I can't believe you would actually bother to learn this sort of stuff."

"It was actually something I didn't want to learn, it is all thanks to Junko."

"Junko?" Then Adeline suddenly remembered, "Ah, that girl that kept pestering you, right? Which is why you ended up fleeing all the way here after school to hide from her?"

"Yes, that's right," Michio replied with a sad smile.

Noticing that, Adeline pressed, "Did she....force you to learn?" Seeing his body posture freeze a bit, he admitted reluctantly with a nod. "Why did you learn if you refuse to? You shouldn't let her push you around."

"Truthfully...the reason I even learn to cook was because of her." He slumped while stirring the pot with a sigh, "My mother...you know she is a widower, right?"

Adeline nodded, knowing that Michio's father had passed away when he was young.

"Well, after my father passed away, my mother was left to take care of me all by herself. She was always busy with work and didn't have much time to cook for me. So, I started learning how to cook simple meals for myself. In a way, Junko offered to teach me cooking, which went well at first. But then...."

Michio paused, a pained expression crossing his face.

"....did she blackmail you to not teach you cooking other meals should you not learn how to make chocolates or so?"

"It ain't like that," Michio reassured her, still, he remain slumped, "The day she found out of the existence of Valentine's day...."

"Damn.....but in Japan around March, ain't it normal for boys to simply just buy one at a store and return the favor? Why did she even feel the need to make you learn this?"

"At that time....because I was solely relying on one parent income, my family wasn't in the position to afford one." Michio continued, "So at that time....she suggested that I learn how to make homemade chocolate, it was affordable and cost less than purchasing. Back then, when I succeeded doing so, I assumed it would've been a one time thing after that. Because my mother's boutique business was financially stable. Who knew years later down the line...."

Michio's voice trailed off as he stared into the pot of chocolate, lost in thought. Adeline could see the pain in his eyes, and she had to ask another question, "Did you just choose not to make it? I am pretty sure she would understand."

"There are things about Junko no one is aware: It's either her way, or no way out."

Adeline could see the pain in Michio's eyes, and she felt a pang of sympathy for him.