Camping Invitation

"Sister Akemi!"

Suddenly the shop door was pushed open, and the sound of children could be heard.

Fujino looked up at the sound and saw several little kids barging into the store.

"Ah?"

After entering the store, Ayumi saw Fujino standing at the cashier and asked in surprise, "Brother Fujino, why are you the cashier today?"

"Sister Akemi went shopping with Ai, so I'll be filling in today."

Fujino remained polite, wearing the same smile he would give a child, and asked, "By the way, what brings you here to see her?"

"We've come to visit Sister Akemi and Ai..."

Ayumi revealed a childlike, innocent smile.

Akemi Miyano's gentle yet strong personality is still very appealing to children.

During holidays, the kids would come to Snow King Ice City to play with Ai Haibara and Akemi Miyano.

I'll also buy a couple of sweet drinks to satisfy my craving.

"Ah... I don't think I brought enough money."

Just as they ordered their drinks and were about to pay, the kids felt awkward.

Although the cost of living at Snow King Ice City is not high, it is still a considerable expense for careless primary school students.

With just a slight miscalculation, their meager allowance could be completely drained by sweet drinks.

"It's my treat today."

Fujino chuckled lightly, not caring about the cost of the drinks.

It's just a few drinks. It's not worth making these kids feel embarrassed over something so small.

Although their brains are not fully developed, their cerebellums are completely underdeveloped, and they often cause trouble, well... sometimes they are quite cute.

"Thank you, Fujino -Brother Fujino!"

The little ones giggled happily for a while, then sat down and focused on drinking their beverages.

Just then, Ayumi, holding a cup of her special strawberry drink, asked Fujino, "By the way, Brother Fujino, we're going on a spring outing with Professor Agasa next weekend. Do you want to come with us?"

"Is it alright if I'm invited over?"

Mitsuhiko: "Of course, no problem!"

Ayumi: "We troubled Brother Fujino last time we went to Okinawa, and this time we were treated to drinks again... So as a way of repaying him, we'd like to invite you to a picnic."

Genta: "Maybe we can even catch an eel by the river and have a delicious eel rice meal!"

"Next weekend... let me think about my schedule and see if I have time."

Fujino hesitated, as he had no idea when next weekend was.

Today is Tuesday the 27th. Normally, next weekend should be more than ten days away.

But this is the Conan World.

The visit to the orphanage is in two days, and the party is next week.

If all these things happen at once, that would be bad...

Just as Fujino was pondering this, the two people who had been shopping returned.

"You've arrived."

Ai Haibara, carrying two tote bags, greeted the little ones.

She then took a hat out of her bag, walked over slowly, and handed it to Fujino: "I saw a hat while I was shopping just now, and I thought it would suit you, so I bought it. Do you want to try it on?"

"A hat?"

Fujino snapped out of his daze and saw Ai Haibara pull a hat out of her bag and hand it to him.

It was a black baseball cap, with a casual feel, which looked odd paired with the suit.

But it suits his everyday outfit perfectly.

"Thank you, Ai."

"Um."

Ai Haibara appeared calm on the surface, but she was secretly pleased.

Then, she asked Fujino curiously, "I just heard them say that you're going camping next weekend too, is that true?"

"Camping next weekend?"

Fujino paused, leaned down slightly, and asked in a low voice, "By the way, how many days from next weekend?"

Ai Haibara looked up and blinked, glancing at Fujino with a puzzled expression. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Today is Tuesday the 27th. If it's the weekend, it should be the 8th, which is four days from now."

Fujino: "..."

Okay, today is the 27th, and in four days it will be the 8th...

It's just very much like Ke Xue's work.

After confirming that the charity gala would be held in about ten days and that his schedule was fine, Fujino agreed to go camping for the weekend.

This was actually his first time going camping with these kids.

I wonder if I'll encounter any System Task.

Before we knew it, the day arrived for our visit to the orphanage.

Fujino got up early in the morning, changed into a simple casual outfit, and put on a hat.

When they went out, Ai Haibara wanted to come along, so Fujino took her with him, and then they set off for the meeting place.

The orphanage funded by the Red Society is a three-story cement building.

There is a spacious courtyard with a large tree growing inside, somewhat resembling an early hospital.

Following Su Fang Hongzi, Fujino Haibara, along with reporters and photographers from Nihon TV Station, they entered the orphanage.

The orphanage's interior decoration wasn't particularly nice, but it wasn't bad either; it was just basic furnishings overall.

Upon arriving at the auditorium, the children who had been waiting excitedly surrounded us.

In the Conan World, many children idolize detectives, and Fujino has now become a so-called hero.

Outside the orphanage, surrounded by children, a little girl about the same age as Ayumi stood out from the group, holding a book in her hand, and looked at Fujino with expectant eyes.

The girl was about the same age as Ayumi, but she lacked the vitality that someone her age should have...

The girl was using crutches, her right trouser leg was empty, her face was pale, and she was much thinner than her peers.

Ai Haibara noticed the girl, walked up to her, and called out to Fujino, "Fujino."

Fujino turned around at the sound, noticed the girl, and was immediately stunned.

While she was still in a daze, the girl clearly noticed Fujino's gaze and subconsciously took a step back, as if she felt somewhat inferior.

But Ai Haibara grabbed her from the side and pushed her forward. "Don't run away."

Fujino snapped out of his daze, bent down, and gently stroked the girl's head. "What's your name?"

"My name is Sakurakawa Yuki."

The girl said her name and shyly handed over a book, "Brother Fujino... could... could you please sign this for me?"

"No problem..."

Fujino took it and glanced at it.

It was an older Detective Saburou, with obvious damage to the corners, indicating it had been read for a long time...

He took a pen out of his pocket, opened the book to the title page, and signed it:

[No matter what reality brings, we will bravely move forward: Fujino Doji – Sakurakawa Yuki]

Then he returned the book to the girl and said with a smile, "You must be brave!"

"Um!"

The girl nodded, hugged the book to her chest, her eyes filled with tenderness.

"Brother Fujino! We want autographs too..."

The children around them pulled out their detective novels and gathered around.

Ai Haibara silently stepped aside.

Wearing a hat and mask, she tried her best to avoid being filmed, and a faint smile appeared on her face as she watched the children playing with Fujino.

On the way out of the orphanage.

Fujino sat in the back row with his eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly lost in thought.

Ai Haibara sat silently to the side, without saying a word.

She seemed quite open-minded, gently patting Fujino's hand to comfort him.

Fujino glanced back at Ai Haibara and nodded.

For him, whether he actually received the money or not was irrelevant.

He also knew that Su Fang Hongzi was taking advantage of his sympathy.

However, if these four million could truly help improve the lives of these children...

He raised his head, made a decision, and said in a deep voice to Su Fang Hongzi beside him, "Give the rest of my commission money to those children..."

"Well?"

Su Fang Hongzi feigned surprise for a moment, then smiled slightly, "As expected of Detective Fujino, after so many years of doing charity work, I can now understand your feelings and your kindness. I will thank you on behalf of those children."

Haibara looked at Fujino, then at Su Fang Hongzi, and sighed inwardly.

So, he is still such a gentle person.

The next day, in the forest outside Tokyo.

A yellow Volkswagen Beetle drove through the woodland path, while a black Ford Taurus followed leisurely behind.

Ai Haibara sat in her reserved passenger seat, gazing at the scenery outside the car window.

She glanced back at Fujino, a strange, childlike flutter rising in her heart.

Although I've traveled with those kids several times before, this seems to be the first time I've gone out with Fujino...

Soon, the two vehicles arrived at a clearing in the woods.

"The air in the forest is so fresh..."

Fujino opened the car door, a travel bag slung over his shoulder, looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and adjusted the brim of his hat.

"Um."

Ai Haibara stretched, a rare lazy expression appearing on her face.

Is the air fresh here?

Conan walked over, looked at Fujino with some confusion, and sniffed. "I can't sense anything..."

Fujino did not respond, but simply turned and left.

Ai Haibara followed behind Fujino with her hands behind her back, glanced at Conan, and said calmly, "Try to feel it."

"Experience it with your heart?"

Conan tilted his head, speechless for a moment. "Why do these two always say such strange things..."

Fujino was unfamiliar with the camping process, but Professor Agasa and the other kids were exceptionally skilled at it.

Soon, they found a prime location and planned to set up their tent.

Fujino took his own tent out of the trunk, set up the frame, and then set it up next to them, just like they had.

Ai Haibara pulled a hammer from the tent's carrying bag. "Next is setting the stakes. The steel stakes on our tent seem a bit too long. Do you need my help?"

"No need, you take the luggage out of the car first, I'll take care of this."

"Good."

Ai Haibara responded, handed the hammer in her hand to Fujino, and then slowly walked towards the car next to her.

After taking the hammer, Fujino weighed it in his hand, finding it somewhat awkward. He then put down the travel bag he was carrying and took out Wooden Sword.

Fujino brandished the Wooden Sword a few times and nodded in satisfaction.

This thing is still the most convenient.

Then he went to the tent and, with a few bangs, drove all the steel nails, which were more than ten centimeters long, firmly into the ground.

It even dented a bit.

"Is it all set up yet?"

Ai Haibara took her luggage out of the car, put it aside, walked over and shook the securing ropes, and nodded. "In that case, even if a Force 5 wind comes, it shouldn't be able to blow our tent away."

"..."

Conan watched this scene from the sidelines, speechless.

How come you two are so skilled at this?

Are you sure this is your first time camping?

And why does Fujino always carry that broken Wooden Sword with him wherever he goes?