Fujino, I'll Leave Ran to You

"Mouri-niisan, this should be the road to the Araide Clinic, right?"

On the way to Araide Clinic, Fujino drove and asked Mori Kogoro, who was sitting next to him, a question.

"Yes, this is the road."

Mori Kogoro gazed out the car window.

Outside the car window was a snow-covered landscape.

But at this moment, his mood had plummeted to its lowest point.

"Dad, you're really something."

Ran sat in the back row, her tone somewhat resentful. "It's just going to the hospital to pick up a medical report, and Fujino- Senior actually had to brave this heavy snow to drive us all there..."

But before she could finish speaking, Mori Kogoro interrupted, "Actually, the doctor told me on the phone before that I should bring my family with me..."

"Well?!"

Ran and Conan were both taken aback.

After regaining his composure, Conan looked curiously at Fujino: "Then Fujino, that pigeon, he..."

"He already knew about it last night."

Uncle Mori sighed, "I asked him to come and give me a ride."

The closer Mori Kogoro got to the hospital, the weaker he felt, as if he were not far from the road to the underworld.

Ran and Conan were stunned once again upon hearing this.

In fact, Fujino almost listened to Chapi as well.

After all, Uncle Mori's current appearance does give the impression that he's not far from the road to the underworld.

— He almost misheard "Fujino saw him off" as "Fujino saw him off on his final journey".

The consultation room at the Araide Clinic.

"Mr. Mori, you have six months left."

Sitting at his desk, Yoshiteru Araide, wearing frameless glasses and a white lab coat, held a report in his hand and said to Mori Kogoro with an unusually serious expression, "I can understand how you feel right now, but according to the report, given your current condition, you really can only last for six months."

"Six months?!"

Mori Kogoro suddenly stood up, his mind blank.

Although he was mentally prepared to have a terminal illness.

But hearing it from a doctor was still too shocking...

Thinking of this, his blood pressure gradually spiked, and he felt a wave of dizziness.

Fortunately, Fujino noticed his unusual behavior.

I reached out and helped him up, preventing him from stumbling and falling to the ground.

"Brother Fujino..."

Uncle Mori felt a surge of relief.

Then he turned around and glanced at Ran, who was standing there in a daze, and Conan, who was staying at his house and seemed to be thinking about something.

As expected, bringing Fujino along was the right decision.

Compared to his muddle-headed daughter and that little brat, Fujino is far more reliable.

His eyes gradually reddened, and tears slid down his cheeks. He patted Fujino on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Brother Fujino, after I die, I'm afraid Ran will have to be taken care of by you."

"Ah?"

Fujino was stunned by what he heard and was a little confused.

Is that all the will he's giving?

"Dad! What are you saying?!"

Ran looked dejected. "Don't say such discouraging things..."

"Alright, Mouri-niisan, the doctor only said six months, he didn't say you have another six months to live..."

Fujino offered a word of comfort to Mori Kogoro, then turned to Yoshiteru Araide and asked, "Excuse me, what is the remaining six months for Mouri-niisan?"

"Forehead..."

Yoshiteru Araide also taken aback.

I realize I've been keeping you in suspense for a while.

The interruption almost caused the patient to pass out...

He cleared his throat before explaining, "When I said six months, I didn't mean you have six months to live. I meant that for the remaining six months, Mr. Mori, you should moderate your drinking."

As he spoke, Yoshiteru Araide glanced at the report and continued, "According to the results on the report, Mr. Mori now has alcoholic liver dysfunction. Although it is still mild at the moment, if this continues, his condition will probably deteriorate rapidly in six months."

"Alcoholic liver dysfunction?"

Uncle Mori breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good that it's not an incurable disease..."

After a pause, he smiled sheepishly at Fujino and said, "Well, Fujino, I won't trouble you with taking care of Ran for now. It looks like I'll live for quite a while longer."

"No problem."

Fujino nodded calmly.

"That's why, Dad!"

A blush crept onto Ran's fair face, and she said in a resentful tone, "Why did you entrust me to Fujino- Senior so easily just now?!"

"Ahem..."

Mori Kogoro coughed awkwardly, feeling that he had given his last words a little too soon.

He scratched the back of his head and said sheepishly, "I just feel that compared to other unreliable kids, Fujino is more reliable... After all, the person I worry about most in this world is you, my silly daughter..."

As he spoke, he quickly changed the subject, turning the blame to Yoshiteru Araide: "So, Doctor Shinide, it's all your fault for calling my family over, saying there were only six months left, which is why I misunderstood!"

'So that brat, could it be me...?'

Conan, standing to the side, gave a deadpan look and his lips twitched.

"There's nothing we can do about it."

Yoshiteru Araide smiled and explained, "Someone like you, who's addicted to alcohol, is impossible to control without family members watching over you..."

"Your symptoms are still mild. You just need to reduce your alcohol intake a little each day and these symptoms will be relieved."

"So that's how it is..."

Ran nodded upon hearing this, put her hands behind her back, and said with a smile in a soft voice, "I promise I'll make sure he can never touch alcohol again in his life."

As soon as Ran finished speaking, the temperature in the room suddenly dropped several degrees.

Lan's deterrence. jpg

"Fear..."

Fujino shuddered, suddenly feeling that Ran was terrifying, completely unlike her usual gentle and virtuous self.

He believed that if Uncle Mori dared to drink again, his dying wish might come true.

Conan, standing nearby, also felt a chill run down his spine and silently typed "I'm scared" in the public chat.

"Honey, the phone is ringing."

At that moment, a woman with short, center-parted hair pushed open the office door, breaking the eerie atmosphere in the room, and greeted Yoshiteru Araide, "Ms. Sugita wants you to come to her for a consultation."

"Seriously, here we go again..."

Yoshiteru Araide stood up and walked towards the door, feigning a complaint. "What a troublesome patient. It's just a stomach ulcer."

"Patient?"

The door closed, and the short-haired woman clicked her tongue, muttering, "That sounds nice, but she's clearly just a mistress..."

"Well?"

Upon hearing the sound, the group turned their gazes toward the short-haired woman.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

The woman turned her head, noticed the group, and smiled, "My husband will be back in a little while, please wait a moment."

"I'm so sorry about that, Fujino- Senior."

In the New Exit Family hallway, Ran followed behind Fujino, a blush still on her face. "My dad actually said something like that just now, he's really causing you trouble..."

"It's nothing, brother, you just panicked for a moment."

Fujino chuckled and said, "Besides, this can also be considered Mouri-niisan's recognition of me."

"I'm glad you didn't misunderstand, Senior..."

Ran smiled and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Conan followed behind the two, staring intently at Fujino with deadpan eyes.

Depend on!

Why did he feel a long-lost green light shining on the top of his head again?

Damn it, that Fujino guy...

Thinking about this, Conan also felt his blood pressure gradually rising.

The group walked to the entrance of a corridor.

Ran stopped and looked around. Being terrible with directions, she felt a little dizzy. "Doctor Shinide's house is really big... Where is the restroom?"

"Mrs. Araide just mentioned that it's right next to the emergency room. You should come out of the consultation room, walk straight, turn left, then turn right..."

Fujino thought for a moment, then walked to the right.

As Fujino passed the corner of the corridor and was about to turn, a dark figure suddenly darted out in front of him.

Fujino didn't move, but the other party did.

The other party is fully responsible.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, the documents scattered all over the floor.

Fujino lowered his head and took a closer look; it was Tomoaki Araide.

Tomoaki Araide lay on his back on the ground, wearing a green sweater, a white coat, and glasses... The right lens of his glasses seemed to be cracked.

"I'm so sorry! I was thinking about something and didn't notice you."

Tomoaki Araide stood up, looked up, and upon seeing Fujino's face, exclaimed in surprise, "Fujino?"

Ran looked at Fujino, then at Tomoaki Araide, and asked, "Fujino- Senior, do you two know each other?"

"If we're talking about knowing each other, I wouldn't say we do."

Fujino glanced at Tomoaki Araide and explained to Ran, "He's probably working as the school doctor now, and also coaching the basketball club. I saw him once when I went to the school clinic..."

After a pause, Fujino turned to Tomoaki Araide and asked, "By the way, what's your name again?"

"Fujino- kun, you really have a bad memory..."

Tomoaki Araide was somewhat speechless, but still politely chuckled and said, "My name is Tomoaki Araide, I'm the son of the doctor here, and I'm temporarily helping my father with some work-related matters..."

As he introduced himself, he silently squatted down to pick up the scattered documents on the ground, stood up, and continued, "Just as Fujino- kun said, in my spare time I work as a basketball coach at Teitan High School and also as a part-time school doctor. However, I will be working at a hospital in Aomori next month."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Fujino, his eyes seeming to hold a hint of fear or something similar. "But I do know Fujino quite well, after all, Teacher Hiratsuka always... mentions you to me."

"How did your glasses get broken?"

Fujino glanced at Tomoaki Araide and asked this question.

Tomoaki Araide: "..."

For a moment, Tomoaki Araide's face darkened.

Do I even need to explain how his glasses broke?

However, after thinking about that fiercely protective Iron Fist Saintess, he still managed a forced smile and explained, "I accidentally fell down the stairs a couple of days ago."

"Then you'd better be careful."

Fujino nodded knowingly.

Tomoaki Araide: "..."

"Basketball coach??"

Conan, who was standing to the side, immediately turned pale.

Could it be that Ran has been going to karate training camp so often these past few days just to see this guy?!

No way...

"Thump!"

Just then, a sound came from behind.

Fujino turned around and saw a short-haired girl wearing an apron holding flowers, who accidentally dropped a flowerpot on the ground.

"Seriously!"

Suddenly, Yoshiteru Araide walked over angrily and yelled at the girl, "How many more things are you going to break before you stop?! You said you were here to help, didn't you? Did you just come here to cause trouble?"

"Sorry!"

The girl quickly lowered her head and apologized.

But this still couldn't quell Yoshiteru Araide's anger. "If you break anything again next time, you're fired!"

"Alright, Dad!"

Tomoaki Araide quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Everyone makes mistakes sometimes..."

From Tomoaki Araide, Fujino and the others learned that the girl who had just broken the vase was named Honoka Motobuchi. She was Tomoaki Araide's former patient and had stayed on the job after hearing that the place was recruiting maids.

After Uncle Mori finished his medical examination, everyone prepared to leave.

However, as he was leaving, Yoshiteru Araide happened to ask if Mori Kogoro was the Great Detective Mori Kogoro.

After learning that Mori Kogoro was indeed Mori Kogoro, and that Fujino, who had come with him, was the Great Detective Fujino, Yoshiteru Araide decided to keep the group behind.

Before we knew it, the sun had set and it was evening.

Sitting at the dining table, Mori Kogoro remarked with a sigh, "So Mr. Tomoaki was the top graduate of the medical school at the Tokyo University..."

"Amazing!"

Ran also sighed, her gaze lingering on Tomoaki Araide.

Meanwhile, Tomoaki Araide's gaze kept sweeping over Fujino.

"By the way, Fujino- kun."

Tomoaki Araide, whose gaze was fixed on Fujino, suddenly spoke.

He said heavily, almost pleadingly, "I'm leaving soon. This month, could you take fewer days off?"

"Ask for leave?"

Fujino twitched his chin upon hearing this.

Come to think of it, every time she asked for leave, it seems like the Iron Fist Saintess had to have a life talk with this guy...

I reckon the broken glasses were done by the Iron Fist Saintess.

After thinking for a moment, Fujino chuckled and said, "Well... I'll try my best, but if there's a request, then there's really nothing I can do."

"..."

So it's impossible?

Tomoaki Araide, eating with a pitiful expression.

Meanwhile, Conan was intently scrutinizing Tomoaki Araide, a Tokyo University graduate with a pure and innocent-looking face.

From the moment he started looking at Xiaolan, he noticed that Ran's gaze had been fixed on this guy.

Could it be...?

Thinking of this, Conan suddenly felt a sense of crisis and tentatively called out to Ran, "Ran- neechan!"

I called out twice, but there was no response.

Conan felt a sudden sense of loss.

It's confirmed!

Ran's reason for coming home so late every day must be to see this pretty boy!

Fujino hadn't solved it, and now another one has appeared.

Right now, he only felt that the green light on his head was like a flashing light, flashing every now and then.

Fujino naturally noticed Conan's strange expression as well.

However, this time he guessed wrong.

Ran was probably just looking at the green sweater that Tomoaki Araide was wearing...

Even without spoilers, Fujino could tell from the way the characters were looking.